Men's Basketball Travels to Play Nevada

Jan. 10, 2002

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Game No. 17: Fresno State (11-5, 3-1) vs. Nevada (9-5, 2-2)
Date: Thu., Jan. 12
Tipoff: 7 p.m. PDT
Site: Reno, Nev.
Arena: Lawlor Center (11,200)
Radio: KMJ (AM 580), Play-by-play: Bill Woodward, Analyst: Dave Severns
TV: KFRE WB 59, Play-by-play: Ralph Wood, Analyst: Jack Fertig

This Week
The Bulldogs have a week to prepare for its travel partner, Nevada, on Saturday, Jan. 12. It's the first of three consecutive road game for the Bulldogs, who won't return home until Jan. 24. Fresno State and Nevada have split each of the last six games in the series. The Bulloogs earned a sweep last season, including a 72-69 win at Nevada, a game in which the Wolf Pack held a 19 point lead, 53-34, with under 16 minutes remaining in the game.

Up Next
Following the Nevada contest, Fresno State is on the road at Boise State (Jan. 17) and UTEP (Jan. 19).

WAC Attack
The Bulldogs are in comfortable territory as the WAC season gets into full swing. Fresno State owns the best WAC record since the league expanded in the 1996-97 season. Over the last three seasons, the Bulldogs have been especially dominant. Here's a breakdown:

Best WAC Records   Since 1999-00   Since 1996-97Fresno State           27-6            58-20Tulsa                  23-9            53-23SMU                   20-13            37-37

Easy Ely
All-America and Wooden Award candidate Melvin Ely, the 2001 WAC Player of the Year, missed six games due to an NCAA infraction regarding improper benefits. In the three games upon his return, Ely has established career highs in scoring in each game. Over the last three games, he is averaging 31.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 5.7 blocked shots and is shooting .633 from the floor. He had the best game of his career against Tulsa with career highs for points (35), rebounds (16) and blocks (9), the last of which broke his own school record. His current three-game total of 95 points is second only to Courtney Alexander's 98 points for the most points scored in three consecutive games in school history. Alexander accomplished that feat in the 1998-99 season. Ely has scored 22 points or more for six consecutive games.

Head Coach Jerry Tarkanian
Jerry Tarkanian returned to his alma mater 40 years after he graduated and has quickly put Fresno State on the national basketball map with unprecedented national exposure. After five consecutive 20-win seasons and four trips to the NIT, the Bulldogs have made two consecutive NCAA tournament appearances in 2000 and 2001. Tarkanian has guided two other programs to the NCAA tournament, Long Beach State and UNLV, and has made 17 appearances in the Big Dance. During his coaching career, he has led his teams to four appearances in the NCAA Final Four (UNLV in 1977, 1987, 1990 and 1991), one national championship (UNLV in 1989-90) and owns a 38-17 record in 17 NCAA tournament appearances. In 36 years at the major college and junior college levels he has never suffered a losing season and never failed to win at least 16 games for 36 consecutive years. Forty-two of his players have been drafted by NBA teams, including 12 first-round selections. His six consecutive 20-win seasons with the Bulldogs - the only time that feat has been accomplished in the history of Bulldog basketball - have brought him to 29 20-win seasons in his career, the best among active coaches. He stands behind only Dean Smith, who had 30 such seasons before retiring from the game in 1997, on the all-time list. Each year, Tarkanian and Kansas' Roy Williams battle for the top spot in winning percentage among active coaches, with Tark leading by thousandths of a point. Tark's record is testament to 30 years of coaching at the major college level. He stands fourth on the all-time win percentage list and reigned for several years as the all-time winningest coach prior to coming to Fresno State. Tarkanian wasted no time bringing the Bulldogs back to national prominence when he took a team that had gone 13-15 the previous year and led it to a 22-win season, a third-place WAC finish and the quarterfinals of the NIT during the 1995-96 season. In 1997-98 the Bulldogs were 21-13 and made it to the semifinals of the NIT before falling to 1997 Final Four participant Minnesota. NIT champion Cal defeated Fresno State in the first round of postseason play in 1999. On the day Fresno State officials introduced him as the Bulldogs' new head coach, April 5, 1995, Tarkanian hinted at better days for the Bulldogs and the Red Wave. "I never really thought this would happen, but if there was any way that I could end my coaching career here, this would be the best place," said Tarkanian, who had not coached at the college level since leaving UNLV at the end of the 1992 season. "It's a great opportunity for me. I'm excited. I've always said that the Red Wave are perhaps the very best fans in the entire country, and hopefully we can get the program going to the level that will bring a lot of excitement and pride to the people in the San Joaquin Valley." And the fans have responded. Selland Arena has enjoyed 56 sellouts in the last four years, making it one of the best home-court advantages on the West Coast. The university has broken ground for an on-campus events center, the Save Mart Center, a 16,500-seat showcase home for Bulldog basketball, which will open in 2003.

Shark Bites

Tops on the NCAA active win percentage list at .803, which is the third-best all-time.
Ranks second among active coaches in career victories and sixth all-time with 770 victories.
Became the eighth coach to reach the 750-victory mark at the major college level, defeating UTEP 108-56 on Jan. 25, 2001.
Has led Fresno State to six consecutive 20-win seasons and postseason appearances, the first time that feat has been accomplished in Bulldog basketball history.
Tutored 42 players who were drafted by the NBA, including 12 first-round selections.
One of only a handful of coaches to lead three different schools to 20-win seasons. At each school, Tark recorded a 20-win season in his first year.
Led UNLV to the NCAA title in April 1990 (the Rebels defeated Duke 103-73 in posting the largest winning margin in NCAA championship game history).
Tarkanian has averaged 25.3 wins per season during his 30-year major college coaching career.
Led UNLV to Top 10 finishes in wire-service polls nine times (1976, 1977, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992).
Won the 2001 Don Haskins Award for WAC Coach of the Year. He won or shared Big West Conference Coach of the Year honors seven times in 10 seasons. Also was named West Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1975.
Won 20-games or more for 17 consecutive seasons and 29 of 30 seasons as a Division I coach.
His 982 career collegiate coaching victories are the most ever counting all divisions.

2001-02 Bulldog Bites

Fresno State placed third in the 2001 Preseason NIT, defeating No. 11 Michigan State 63-58 in the consolation game. The win snapped a five-game losing streak against teams from the Big Ten. The Spartans have been in the last three Final Fours and won the 2000 NCAA championship.
Fresno State' has two wins over ranked teams this season. Fresno State beat No. 20 USC 65-58 on Nov. 15 and defeated No. 11 Michigan State 63-58 on Nov. 23. Ely had 14 points, 10 rebounds and six blocked shots against the Spartans.
Fresno State has improved its team graduation rate to 67% since 1995. Over the last three seasons, four of five seniors earned their degrees (Courtney Alexander, Larry Abney, Demetrius Porter and Shannon Swillis). The only senior on the 2001-02 squad, Melvin Ely, will graduate in May.
The Bulldogs have won 20 or more games in each of the last six seasons and qualified for the postseason in each of the last six seasons.
Melvin Ely was named to the Preseason NIT All-Tournament team after registering a pair of double-doubles in the semifinals and consolation championship game.
Fresno State finished 12th in the nation in scoring offense at 81.5 points per game last season. This year, the 'Dogs are averaging 76.2 points per game.
Chris Jefferies was named the WAC Player of the Week after leading the Bulldogs to wins over Montana State and No. 20 USC in the first two games of the Preseason NIT. Jefferies scored a then career-high 25 points against the Bobcats.
Fresno State has 80 blocked shots this season, averaging 5.7 per game. Melvin Ely leads the team with 30 (3.8 bpg).
Chris Jefferies scored a career-high 27 points at San Diego State (Dec. 8) and has scored 20 points or more in six of the last seven games, averaging 20.7 points per game in that span.
Fresno State is averaging 84.3 points per game since Melvin Ely has returned from an NCAA suspension.
Melvin Ely has had a double-double in six of the last eight games.
Damon Jackson and Noel Felix each scored then career highs of 17 points against UC Riverside. Jackson scored 22 against Gonzaga.
Fresno State has 58 (100-42) more blocked shots than its opponents.
Fresno State has turned the ball over more than its opponents (249-233).
Earlier this season, Fresno State's football and basketball teams were ranked in the top 20. Only six other universities had teams ranked in both football and men's basketball (Maryland, Syracuse, Illinois, Florida, Stanford, Oklahoma).
Fresno State won its sixth consecutive McCaffrey Classic. Chris Jefferies was named the tournament MVP and Noel Felix and Damon Jackson were each selected to the all-tournament team.
Fresno State center Melvin Ely was one of five players lauded in Sports Illustrated's college basketball preview for returning to school. He has scored at least 22 points in each of the last six games.
Chris Jefferies leads the team with 42 dunks this season.

About the Opponent
Nevada (9-5, 2-2)
Head Coach: Trent Johnson (Boise State, '83)
Career Record (years): 28-42 (3 years)
Notes: After sweeping the Wolfpack last season, the Bulldog evened the all-time series at 31 wins for each program ... the two schools have played just seven times since the 1982 season, with Fresno State holding a 4-3 edge ... Fresno State has won 10 of the last 12 games at Reno and but only five of the last eight at Selland Arena ... Nevada is just one win from tying last season's win total of 10 ... the Wolf Pack has won just two of its last five games, both WAC wins, beating San Jose State 91-85 in overtime at San Jose and Rice 91-70 at home ... Garry Hill-Thomas leads the Wolf Pack in scoring at 17.6 points per game ... Corey Jackson is nearly averaging a double-double (9.0 ppg, 10.4 rpg) and leads the WAC in rebounds ... Nevada is 6-0 against teams from California this season ... Nevada is coming of a 21-point win over Rice ... The Wolf Pack is 6-1 at home this season. The only loss was to Tulsa 76-66.

Without Ely
Fresno State was 3-3 without Ely, winning the three home games and suffering lopsided road losses. The 'Dogs allowed 91 points and opponents shot over 50 percent from the floor in the losses.

Bulldogs Placed Third In Preseason NIT
Fresno State's trip to New York City and Madison Square Garden was moderately successful. After a heartbreaking 62-61 loss to Wake Forest in the semifinal game, the Bulldogs rebounded to beat No. 11 Michigan State 63-58 in the consolation game. Fresno State led the Spartans for the final 26:39 of the game in the win. Melvin Ely led four 'Dogs in double figures with 14 points, all in the second half. He also had 10 rebounds and six blocked shots. Damon Jackson scored 14 points and Chris Jefferies and Noel Felix each had 10.

Home Sweet Home
Fresno State loves Selland Arena, where it has won 24 consecutive games. Fresno State is 46-5 (.901) in WAC home games under Jerry Tarkanian. The Bulldogs have won 16 consecutive games against WAC teams at Selland Arena and 19 of the last 20.

Early Season Action
The Bulldogs are playing in a "preseason" style event for the fifth time in Jerry Tarkanian's seven seasons. Here's how the Bulldogs have fared in previous early season events:

Year     Event (record)                  Note1995-96  Preseason NIT (0-1)             Lost in first round to Weber State1998-99  Great Alaska Shootout (1-2)     Lost to No. 1 Duke in the semifinals1999-00  Hawai'i Pacific Classic (2-1)   Lost to LSU in the championship game2000-01  HCF Classic (1-1)               Lost to St. Bonaventure in the                                         championship game2000-01  Hall of Fame Classic (1-0)      Defeated North Carolina State2001-02  Preseason NIT (2-0)             Took third place

Winning Streaks
The Bulldogs owned the nation's 10th longest home winning streak entering the season. Fresno State has won 24 straight games at home and have won 14 straight against WAC teams at Selland Arena.

'Dogs In Preseason Polls
Fresno State has been ranked among the nation's top 25 in nearly every preseason poll. Here's where the Bulldogs rank:

Slam Magazine-----------------------10Lindy's College Basketball----------20FoxSportsNet.com--------------------22Dick Vitale's College Basketball----23Associated Press Poll---------------23CBSSportsline.com-------------------24The Sporting News-------------------25The Basketball News-----------------25ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll---------25

Bulldogs Rated
Three Fresno State players have been ranked among the nation's top 25 at their position. Here's a breakdown:

Melvin Ely, Sr., Center
The Sporting News - 4th
CBSSportsline.com- 9th

Chris Jefferies, Jr., Small Forward
The Sporting News - 15th
CBSSportsline.com - 15th

Hiram Fuller, Jr., Power Forward
CBSSportsline.com - 21st

Bulldogs Picked to Win WAC For Second Straight Season
Fresno State was picked to win the WAC for the second straight year by both the WAC head coaches and media. Bulldog center Melvin Ely, the reigning WAC Player of the Year, was selected the WAC's preseason player of the year. Fresno State, the defending regular season champions, received nine first place votes and 81 points in the coaches poll. The Bulldogs pulled in 11 of 13 first place votes in the media poll and 114 points to easily outdistance Hawai'i. Defending tournament champion Hawai'i was second in both polls. The coaches and media selected an identical first-team all-WAC squad. Fresno State senior center Melvin Ely heads the list of first-teamers and is joined by his teammate junior forward Chris Jefferies, a first-team selection as a sophomore.

2001-02 PRESEASON COACHES POLL 1. Fresno State (9)     81 2. Hawai'i (1)          66 3. Tulsa                63 4. UTEP                 62 5. SMU                  47 6. Louisiana Tech       40 7. San Jose State       30 8. Nevada               22 9. Rice                 2110. Boise State          18
2001-02 PRESEASON MEDIA POLL 1. Fresno State (11)   114 2. Hawai'i (98)         98 3. Tulsa (1)            96 4. UTEP                 79 5. SMU                  60 6. Louisiana Tech       53 7. San Jose State       37 8. Boise State          31 9. Rice                 1610. Nevada               14

Preseason All-WAC First Team

Melvin Ely, Sr., C, Fresno State
Predrag Savovic, Sr., G/F, Hawai'i
Chris Jefferies, Jr., F, Fresno State
Damon Hancock, Sr., G, SMU
Kevin Johnson, Jr., F, Tulsa

WAC Preseason Player of the Year: Melvin Ely, Fresno State

In Case You Missed It
Melvin Ely has set career highs in scoring in each of the last three games ... He broke the Fresno State school record for blocked shots with nine and narrowly missed a triple-double against Tulsa. He had 35 points, 16 rebounds and nine blocks. He has scored at least 22 points in six consecutive games and is averaging 27.7 points in that span. He is averaging 31.7 points over the last three games, shooting .663 (38-60) from the floor ... the Bulldogs have won 24 straight games at home and are now 46-5 (.902) in WAC home games under Jerry Tarkanian ... Chris Sandy had his first career double-double with 11 points and 10 assists against Tulsa ... Chris Jefferies has scored at least 20 points in six of the last seven games ... Fresno State beat Tulsa despite getting his two points and six rebounds from its power forward position ... Fresno State's win over Tulsa was the first this season when trailing at the half (38-35) ... Fresno State has beaten Tulsa six straight times and Rice 10 straight games ... Four of the last six games against Tulsa have been decided by three points or less ... Fresno State is 8-2 with Melvin Ely in the line-up and are averaging 84.3 points per game in the three games since his return ... Ely went over the 1,500-point plateau in his career. He has 1,532 points ... freshman guard Phil Rasmussen (shoulder) will miss the rest of the season and seek a medical redshirt ... Tarkanian is 71-25 in WAC games, the only coach in the league with a winning WAC record. He is 31-20 on the road in WAC games ... Fresno State did not play in a tournament in the month of December for the first time since 1990-91 ... Fresno State's only remaining non-conference game is against No. 5 Oklahoma State on Feb. 10 at Selland Arena. That game is slated for ABC TV. The Cowboys enter this week with a 13-1 record ... Fresno State is ranked No. 30 in the RPI and has the nation's 13th toughest schedule.

90 is Nice
Fresno State is 2-0 this season when scoring 90 points or more and have won 17 consecutive games when scoring 90 points or more. The Bulldogs have won 39 of the last 40 games when scoring 90 points or more and are 45-3 under Jerry Tarkanian when scoring 90 or more points. Two of those three losses were overtime games.

Jumping Jefferies
There's more to Chris Jefferies' game than high-flying acrobatic dunks. The junior is Fresno State's best defensive player and has posted two double-doubles this season. Last week, he proved his defensive prowess holding San Jose State's Brandon Hawkins to a career-low 12 points (four of which came in the final minute with the game out of reach). He ranks second on the team in scoring (17.9 ppg) and third rebounds (6.8), second on the team in assists with 57 and ranks second in blocked shots with 20. Jefferies is shooting 40 percent from three point range. He scored a career-high 27 points against San Diego State with 19 of those coming in the second half. He had a career-high 15 rebounds against UC Riverside. He was named the MVP of the McCaffrey Clasc and named the WAC Player of the Week after the first week of the season. He also leads the team with 42 dunks. After a season-low eight points against Gonzaga, he has scored 20 or more points in six of the last seven games and is averaging 20.7 points per game in that span.

Post Production
Without the absence of WAC Player of the Year, Hiram Fuller started six games at center. Here's the difference in Fresno State's post production with Melvin Ely as the starter compared to Hiram Fuller as the starter.

             G-GS    FG-A    FG%   FT-A    FT%    BPG   RPG   PPGMelvin Ely   10-10  95-165   .576  44-58   .759    4.2   9.9  23.4Hiram Fuller   6-6   26-50   .520  16-33   .484    1.2   9.8  11.8

New Kids on the Block
Junior college transfer Hiram Fuller and freshman guard Matt Mitchell have made a big impact for the Bulldogs this season. Mitchell leads the team in assists with 77 (5.2) and is third on the team in steals with 16. Fuller is Fresno State's third leading rebounder and is second on the team in field goal percentage, connecting on .486 (34-70). A new addition to the group is point guard Chris Sandy, who is averaging eight points and 7.8 assists per game in his four starts this season. Sandy had a double-double in his last outing against Tulsa providing a career-hogh 11 points and 10 assists.

Noel by the Numbers
Arguably Fresno State's most improved player is junior forward Noel Felix. Felix, who has started all games for the 'Dogs, entered the season averaging 2.8 points and 2.5 rebounds in his career of 68 games. Through the first 14 games, he has improved to 9.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. He ranks second on the team in field goal percentage (.529), is fourth in steals and third in blocked shots. He ranks fifth in the WAC in field goal percentage.

Positive Point Production
With few options, Jerry Tarkanian reluctantly moved Travis DeManby from his two position and put him at point guard. Chris Sandy is now eligible and ready to take over the point guard spot. In retrospect, DeManby did more than Tark could have asked, averaging 3.6 assists per game and was ranked No. 1 in the WAC in assist-turnover ratio. While those numbers were solid, DeManby's shooting suffered. Last season he ranked sixth in the WAC in three point field goal percentage (.427) but as the point guard through 12 games his three point average dropped dramatically to .339, making just 19-56.

Double Trouble
Few teams in the nation can compare to Fresno State's 1-2 punch of Melvin Ely and Chris Jefferies. Here's breakdown of what they give the 'Dogs.

          G-GS      FG-A    FG%    FT-A    FT%    BPG   RPG    PPGEly       10-10    95-165   .576   44-58   .759    4.2   9.9   23.4Jefferies 16-16    92-203   .435  69-107   .645    1.3   6.8   17.9-------------------------------------------------------------------------          26-26   187-368   .508 113-165   .685    5.5  16.6   41.3

Ely Makes Wooden's MidseasonTop 30
Senior center Melvin Ely was one of 30 players selected to the John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top 30. The Top 30 players were selected by the Wooden Award committee. One member of the Wooden Award All-American Team will be selected on Sunday April 7, 2002 to receive the Wooden Award Trophy as the nation's "Most Outstanding Collegiate Basketball Player of the Year."

Ely's Charts
Senior center Melvin Ely has been one of the premier players in the nation over the two seasons. Here is where he ranks in the WAC and Fresno State record books.

FRESNO STATE RECORDSCareer Field Goals Name Year GP FG1. Melvin Ely 1999 105 638
Field Goal Percentage Name Years GP FG-A Pct1. Darnell McCullough 1995-97 93 364-616 .5912. Melvin Ely 1999- 105 638-1095 .583
Rebounds Name Years GP Rebs1. Gary Alcorn 1957-59 78 1,0802. Maurice Talbot 1963-65 76 8653. Lonnie Hughey 1965-66 56 8424. Larry Abney 1998-00 101 7715. Melvin Ely 1999- 105 757
Points Name Years GP Points1. Wil Hooker 1989-92 119 1,7392. Terrance Roberson 1996-00 128 1,6903. Carl Ray Harris 1991-94 93 1,5844. Melvin Ely 1999- 105 1,532
WAC RECORDSCareer Field Goals Name School Years FG-A Pct6. Charlie Thomas New Mexico 1987-89 472-800 .5907. Melvin Ely Fresno State 1999- 638-1095 .583
Blocked Shots Name School Years Blks1. Theo Ratliff Wyoming 1991-95 4252. David Van Dyke UTEP 1989-92 336 Luc Longley New Mexico 1987-91 3364. Melvin Ely Fresno State 1999- 316
WAC GAMES ONLY RECORDSCareer Field Goal Percentage Name School Years FG-A Pct1. Danny Vranes Utah 1978-81 318-513 .6202. Eric Leckner Wyoming 1985-88 353-578 .6113. Luc Longley New Mexico 1988-91 356-593 .600 Melvin Ely Fresno State 1999- 298-497 .600

Ely's Charts II
Here are a couple notable moves Ely accomplishments: Ely surpassed Roy Jones on the Fresno State career list for field goals made ... he needs 21 blocks for second in the WAC all-time blocked shots list ... he needs 53 points for third on the Fresno State career list ... his current 23.4 scoring average ranks second only to Courtney Alexander (24.8 ppg) on the Fresno State single season scoring chart.

Fresno State Athletics

Men's Basketball Travels to Play Nevada

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