Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Rice
Men's Basketball Routs Rice 87-61
1/3/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan 3, 2002
FRESNO, Calif. (AP) - Melvin Ely scored a career high 31 points to lead Fresno State to an 87-61 rout of Rice in a Western Athletic Conference Game Thursday night.
Fresno State (10-5 overall, 2-1 WAC) broke the game open midway through the first half, scoring 18 straight points for a 40-20 lead with four minutes left in the half.
Ely who scored 25 of his points in the first half, led Fresno with 11 points in that run.
Omar Seli-Mance and Jason McKrieth each scored 13 to lead Rice (5-6, 0-1).
Ely, who was forced to sit out six games due to an NCAA infraction, scored 29 points Saturday night in his return to the lineup against San Jose State.
With Ely in the lineup, the Bulldogs are 7-2 this season. Ely and the other starters saw limited playing time in the second half, as Fresno State led by as many as 29 points.
Chris Jefferies and Noel Felix had 14 points a piece for the Bulldogs.
