Fresno State Athletics
No. 9 Fresno State vs. No. 8 Wisconsin
3/15/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Associated Press
GAME: No. 9 Fresno State (24-9) vs. No. 8 Wisconsin (18-13), West Regional, First Round.
TIME: Thursday, approximately 10:15 p.m. EST.
SITE: Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City.
After a nine-year absence, Jerry Tarkanian returns to the NCAA tournament as his ninth-seeded Fresno State Bulldogs face No. 8 Wisconsin.
"Everybody was excited," Tarkanian said. "But we knew we were going to get a bid. We won our tournament. We won our last eight games."
Fresno State beat Tulsa 75-72 to win the Western Athletic Conference tournament championship Saturday night. The title didn't guarantee the Bulldogs an NCAA tournament spot, however, because half of the WAC's 16 teams left for the Mountain West last year. Neither conference had an automatic bid.
Wisconsin is looking for redemption after last year's embarrassing 43-32 first-round loss to Southwest Missouri State. The 32-point total was the fewest in an NCAA tournament game since the advent of the shot clock in 1986.
"Last year we got embarrassed," said junior forward Andy Kowske. "That's a real motivating factor for us this year. We want to make people forget about what happened last year."
Wisconsin has made the tournament in three of the last four seasons, but a first-round victory has eluded the Badgers each time.
"Going to the tournament for the third time in four years is a sign we've rebuilt the program, which is what I came here to do," coach Dick Bennett said. "Now, it's very important for us to get a win. That's a step we have to take now. Everything seems to come in stages and I see that happening here. I don't know if this is the year, but I think this team is capable of doing that."
Tempo will be key in determining which team advances to the second round. The Badgers' stingy defense, which allows just over 55 points per game, will be tested by Fresno State, one of the nation's highest-scoring teams. The Bulldogs, who average nearly 83 points, are led by 6-foot-6 guard Courtney Alexander, who led the nation in scoring with 25.3 points per game.
Wisconsin and Fresno State met last season, with the Badgers posting an 87-65 victory. The Badgers also beat the Bulldogs, 64-60, in the 1997-98 season.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Fresno State - F Terrance Roberson (16.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg), F Larry Abney (10.4 ppg, 11.9 rpg), C Melvin Ely (13.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg), G Alexander (25.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg), G Demetrius Porter (13.1 ppg, 6.3 apg). Wisconsin - F Maurice Linton (4.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg), F Mark Vershaw (12.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg), C Kowske (9.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg), G Mike Kelley (5.0 ppg, 2.9 apg), G Duany Duany (5.5 ppg, 1.8 rpg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Fresno State - At-large bid, WAC Conference. Wisconsin - At-large bid, Big Ten Conference.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: Fresno State - 1-3, 3 years. Wisconsin - 5-4, 5 years.
