Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Hawai'i
Hawaii Downs Fresno State
3/9/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 9, 2001
By OWEN CANFIELD
AP Sports Writer
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - Predrag Savovic scored 23 points Friday night and Hawaii held off every challenge from No. 25 Fresno State to upset the Bulldogs 76-67 in the semifinals of the Western Athletic Conference tournament.
The Rainbow Warriors (16-13) committed 25 turnovers, but only fell behind three times and never by more than one point.
After looking sluggish in the first half, top seed Fresno State (25-6) played more inspired ball during a second half rally. But the Bulldogs weren't able to sustain their momentum. They wound up shooting 35 percent (24-of-68).
Savovic scored five of Hawaii's seven points during a run that gave the Rainbow Warriors a 14-8 lead early in the first half. A 12-3 run later in the half, including six points by Troy Ostler, gave Hawaii an 11-point lead that grew to 12 for a short time just before halftime.
Fresno State started the second half with a 10-0 run to tie the score, using strong defense to set up easy baskets.
The Bulldogs eventually took a 42-41 lead on a 3-pointer by Damon Jackson with 11:45 remaining.
But Mikey McIntyre and Nerijus Puida made consecutive 3-pointers and Savovic added a jumper to give Hawaii a 49-42 lead at the midway point of the second half. Fresno State got no closer than five after that, with Hawaii finding a way to answer just about every big Bulldog shot with one of its own.
Ostler had 19 points, and Phil Martin and Carl English 10 each. Chris Jefferies led Fresno State with 15 and Demetrius Porter scored 13.
WAC player of the year Melvin Ely, who scored just six points against Rice on Thursday, had 12 against Hawaii. He had three fouls in the first half and picked up his fourth early in the second.
