Fresno State
Hawaii
Bulldogs Pull Marathon Win Against Hawaii, 103-100
3/11/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 11, 2000
By ROB GLOSTER
AP Sports Writer
FRESNO, Calif. (AP) - Watch out, NCAA. Jerry Tarkanian and his renegade Fresno State Bulldogs are close to crashing your big party.
Demetrius Porter hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key as the second overtime ended to move Fresno State into the title game of the Western Athletic Conference tournament with a 103-100 win over Hawaii in Friday night's semifinal.
The Bulldogs (23-9) will face WAC regular-season champion Tulsa (29-3) in the tournament championship game Saturday night. The Golden Hurricane reached the WAC championship game with a 93-71 semifinal win over TCU.
Fresno State defeated 14th-ranked Tulsa twice during the regular season.
Though the winner of the WAC tournament does not receive an automatic NCAA tournament bid, it would be hard to keep the Bulldogs out if they win the conference tourney. Even if they lose Saturday night, their 23 wins and two previous wins over Tulsa might earn them a spot.
Courtney Alexander, the nation's leading scorer, had 27 points for Fresno State. Terrance Roberson added 23 and Melvin Ely had 22 before fouling out.
Porter had eight of his 20 points in the second overtime for the Bulldogs, who won their seventh straight game and reached the WAC title game for the first time.
Predrag Savovic had 21 points for the Rainbows (17-12) before fouling out in the second overtime. Johnny White added 19 points and Marquette Alexander 18 before fouling out in the second half.
Tarkanian has battled with the NCAA for decades. His teams got into trouble at Long Beach State and UNLV, and he spent years in court fighting the NCAA.
And the trouble has continued at Fresno State, where Tarkanian has led the Bulldogs to five straight seasons of at least 20 wins, but has not been invited to the NCAA tournament. Fresno State has not played in the NCAA tourney since 1983-84.
A federal investigation into allegations of point-shaving by Fresno State players four seasons ago remains open. And several of Tarkanian's players at Fresno State have had serious legal problems, including prosecution for violent crimes.
Courtney Alexander, who left Virginia three years ago and transferred to Fresno State after being convicted of hitting, choking and kicking his girlfriend, is averaging 25.1 points this season.
He was limited to 13 points in Thursday night's quarterfinal win over Texas-El Paso because of the flu, but had 15 in the first half Friday night as the Bulldogs took a 45-42 halftime lead. Roberson had 14 points in the first half.
Hawaii led by as many as eight points in the second half, but an eight-point Fresno State run ending with six minutes left got the Bulldogs back in the game.
Courtney Alexander tied the game with 47 seconds remaining on a 3-pointer, and tied it again with two free throws with 6 seconds left.
Porter and Roberson hit 3-pointers for Fresno State in the first overtime. Roberson's came with 47 seconds remaining and made it 90-90, the score at the end of the first extra period.
