Men's Basketball Hosts UTEP and Boise State

Feb. 11, 2002

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Game No. 26: Fresno State (15-10, 6-6) vs. UTEP (9-16, 3-10)
Date: Thur., Feb. 14
Tipoff: 7 p.m. PDT
Site: Fresno, Calif.
Arena: Selland Arena (10,220)
Radio: KMJ (AM 580), Play-by-play: Bill Woodward, Analyst: Dave Severns
TV: KFRE WB 59, Play-by-play: Ralph Wood, Analyst: Jack Fertig

Game No. 27: Fresno State (15-10, 6-6) vs. Boise State (9-14, 3-10)
Date: Sat., Feb. 16
Tipoff: 7 p.m. PDT
Site: Fresno, Calif.
Arena: Selland Arena (10,220)
Radio: KMJ (AM 580), Play-by-play: Bill Woodward, Analyst: Dave Severns
TV: KBCI TV (Boise), Play-by-play: Wayne Dzubak, Analyst: Larry Polowski

This Week
The Bulldogs continue their four-game home stand hosting UTEP Thursday, Feb. 14, and Boise State, Saturday, Feb. 16. Fresno State swept those two teams earlier this season, winning 80-77 at El Paso and 72-56 at Boise.

Up Next
Fresno State makes its final road trip of the season traveling to Louisiana Tech, Feb. 21, and SMU, Feb. 23.

For the Record
Senior center Melvin Ely needs four points to become the Fresno State career leader in points scored. If he accomplishes that this week at home, the game will be stopped and Ely will be presented the game ball. In addition, Fresno State junior Travis DeManby broke the school record with 11 steals vs. No. 12 Oklahoma State. DeManby's previous career high was three steals in a game.

Jefferies Out Indefinitely
Fresno State's second leading scorer and All-WAC performer, Chris Jefferies, has missed the last four games with a cartilage tear in his knee. He has been medically cleared by Fresno State's doctors to resume playing but is sitting out until he feels his knee is ready. Jefferies is averaging 17.3 points, 6.4 rebounds per game.

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 third among active coaches in career victories and sixth all-time with 774 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 986 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 three 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. The Bulldogs beat No. 12 Oklahoma State 58-52 on Feb. 10.

Fresno State has improved its team graduation rate to 67% since 1995. Over the last three seasons, four of five seniors earned their degrees. The only senior on the 2001-02 squad, Melvin Ely, is expected to 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 73.6 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 148 blocked shots this season, averaging 5.9 per game. Melvin Ely leads the team with 66 (3.6 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 his last nine games.

Fresno State's four-game WAC losing streak is the longest since 1994-95, Gary Colson's last season as head coach.

Melvin Ely has had a double-double in 12 of the last 18 games.

Damon Jackson scored a career high 24 points vs. No. 12 Oklahoma State, hitting 7-of-11 threes.

Fresno State has 80 (148-68) more blocked shots than its opponents.

Fresno State has turned the ball over more than its opponents (391-385).

Earlier this season, Fresno State's football and basketball teams were ranked in the top 20 at the same time. 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 nine games and is averaging 29.4 points per game in WAC games.

Travis DeManby broke the record with 11 steals vs. No. 12 Oklahoma State.

Fresno State plays four of its last six games at Selland Arena.

About the Opponents
UTEP (9-16, 3-10)
Head Coach: Jason Rabedeaux (UC-Davis, '88)
Career Record (years): 45-40 (3 years)
Notes: The Bulldogs own a slim 11-9 all-time lead in this series that has been dominated by the home team. Fresno State has lost just one game at home ... Roy Smallwood, the 2000 WAC Freshman of the Year, ranks 10th in the WAC scoring, ninth in rebounds and fourth in field goal percentage ... Center Brian Stewart is averaging more than 11 points and six rebounds per contest. Eugene Costello, a first-team All-WAC selection, ranks 15th in the league in three point field goals made per game ... Fresno State's win at UTEP earlier this season was just the second victory at El Paso in history.

Boise State (9-14, 3-10)
Head Coach: Rod Jensen (College of the Redlands, '75)
Career Record (years): 105-92 (7 years)
Notes: Abe Jackson leads the Broncos and ranks third in the WAC in scoring at 19.3 points per game. He has made 73 threes this season, most by any player in the WAC ... Fresno State owns a 6-1 all-time lead in the series, which began in 1976, however the two teams have played just once since 1984. The Broncos beat the Bulldogs 60-52 for their only win of the season. That was one of just eight losses suffered by the 'Dogs that season, who finished 25-8 and advanced to the NCAA tournament ... Fresno State is 3-1 at Boise all-time ... Boise State is making its first appearance in Fresno since 1983.

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 established career highs in scoring in each game. Over the last 10 games, he is averaging 26.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.5 blocked shots and is shooting 58% from the floor and 79% from the line. He had the best game of his career against Tulsa (Jan. 5) with career highs for points (35), rebounds (16) and blocks (9), the last of which broke his own school record. Ely has scored 22 points or more in 13 of the last 14 games. His current WAC scoring average of 26.2 trails only former Bulldog Courtney Alexander (2000) 27.2 as the highest WAC scoring average over the last 15 years.

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 in the losses.

vs. Ranked Opponents
No. 12 Oklahoma State is the third ranked opponent the Bulldogs will play this season. Fresno State is 2-0 vs. top 25 teams this season and has won five of its last six games against team ranked in the top 25. The Bulldogs beat No. 20 USC 65-58 and No. 11 Michigan State 63-58 in the Preseason NIT. Fresno State has played two other teams that are currently ranked in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, No. 10 Gonzaga and No. 16 Wake Forest.

Hit the Skids
After putting together a 25-game home court winning streak, at the time the fourth longest in the nation, the Bulldogs have dropped consecutive WAC games at home. That's the first time the 'Dogs have dropped two straight at home since the 1997-98 season. The Bulldogs lost four straight WAC games for the first time under Jerry Tarkanian. It was the longest losing streak for Tark since the 1980-81 season when he was at UNLV.

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.

The Lost Arc
Fresno State can credit terrible perimeter shooting for a couple of its recent losses. The 'Dogs are the second worst three-point shooting team in the WAC, making just .306 of three-point attempts. Over the last five games, all losses, Fresno State has shot just .284 (31-109) from three-point range.

Home Sweet Home
Fresno State loves Selland Arena, where it owns a 46-7 (.868) record in WAC home games under Jerry Tarkanian.

Looking for the Four
Fresno State has struggled getting consistent play at the four spot, which has been a combination of Noel Felix, Hiram Fuller and Mustafa Al-Sayyad. Fresno State is 12-9 with Noel Felix as a starter at the four, 2-2 with Fuller as the starter and 1-0 with Al-Sayyad as the starter. In the last two WAC losses, the trio has combined for just 25 points and 17 rebounds. Hiram Fuller went scoreless and without a rebound against Rice.

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

NCAA Note
Senior center Melvin Ely has become eligible for NCAA statistics and will jump into the NCAA rankings in four categories in next week's report, which will be released on Feb. 12. Here's where Ely currenty stands and along with the current NCAA leader.

Scoring1. Jason Conley, VMI             29.6---6. Melvin Ely, Fresno State      23.1
Blocked Shots1. Wojciech Mydra, La.-Monroe     5.4---7. Melvin Ely, Fresno State       3.6
Field Goal Percentage1. Adam Mark, Belmont            .723---21. Melvin Ely, Fresno State     .555
Rebounds1. Jerry Bishop, Quinnipiac      12.4---22. Melvin Ely, Fresno State     10.2

Unlikely Repeat
With six WAC losses and not mathematically eliminated, it is unlikely the Bulldogs can repeat as conference champions. No WAC champion has ever had six losses. The Bulldogs were 13-3 in the WAC in 2001, winning their first ever WAC regular season championship. The league championship has gone to a team with five losses onlt twice, most recently in the 1989-90 season, when former Fresno State coach Boyd Grant guided Colorado State to an 11-5 record.

20 Talk
With at least seven games remaining on the schedule, Fresno State needs five wins to reach the 20-win plateau for a record seventh season. It would also give head coach Jerry Tarkanian his 30th 20-win season, tying North Carolina's Dean Smith for most in NCAA history. Six of the remaining nine regular season games are at home.

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
Fresno State is 3-0 this season vs. teams ranked in the top 25 and has won six of the last seven games against ranked teams ... Melvin Ely is four points shy of breaking the Fresno State career scoring record of 1,739 points set by Wil Hooker (1989-92) ... Travis DeManby broke the school record for steals with 11 vs. Oklahoma State ... the Bulldogs halted their four-game losing streak, the longest in the Jerry Tarkanian era ... Fresno State plays four of its final six games at Selland Arena ... Fresno State is 3-1 on national television this season ... Sunday's Oklahoma State game was the 100th sellout at Selland Arena under Jerry Tarkainian ... Chris Jefferies (knee) missed his fourth consecutive game. He is out indefinitely ... Tark's next win will be his 150th at Fresno State. He needs one more home victory to reach his 100th win at Selland Arena ... Fresno State is now 10-3 all-time against teams from Oklahoma ... Melvin Ely passed Lonnie Hughey for third place on the Fresno State career rebounding list with 851. He needs 15 rebounds for second place on the career list.

Academic Success
The Bulldogs had their highest degree of success in the classroom during the fall semester. The team Grade Point Average rose to 2.65, the highest in over a decade. Half of the 14 players on the squad had a GPA of 3.0 or higher, including five of 11 scholarship student-athletes. Travis DeManby led the way with a perfect 4.0 GPA with 18 units. DeManby is a math major. Over the last three years, four of the five seniors who have gone through the program, have earned their degrees. This year's lone senior, Melvin Ely, is on track to graduate in May.

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 and third in the WAC in scoring (17.3 ppg) and third rebounds (6.4), second on the team in assists with 64 and ranks second in blocked shots with 25. Jefferies is shooting 35 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 48 dunks. After a season-low eight points against Gonzaga, he has scored 20 or more points in six of the last 10 games.

RPI Ranking
Fresno State is in decent shape in the most recent RPI ranking, sitting at No. 46, but fell nine spots after the Louisiana Tech loss. The Bulldogs have the nation's 42nd toughest schedule according to the RPI.

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   PPGMelvin Ely        19-19 167-301  .555 104-135  .770   3.6  10.2  23.1Chris Jefferies   21-21 115-275  .435  92-145  .636   1.2   6.4  17.3--------------------------------------------------------------------                  40-40 282-576  .489 196-280  .700   4.8  16.8  40.4

Ely Makes Wooden's Midseason Top 30
Senior center Melvin Ely was 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    114   714
Field Goal Percentage   Name                   Years     GP      FG-A   Pct1. Darnell McCullough   1995-97     93   364-616  .5912. Melvin Ely             1999-    114  714-1231  .580
Rebounds   Name                Years    GP     Rebs1. Gary Alcorn       1957-59    78    1,0802. Maurice Talbot    1963-65    76      8654. Melvin Ely          1999-   114      851
Points   Name                 Years    GP    Points1. Wil Hooker         1989-92   119   1,7392. Melvin Ely           1999-   114   1,736
WAC RECORDSCareer Field Goals   Name               School          Years       FG-A     Pct6. Charlie Thomas     New Mexico    1987-89    472-800    .5907. Melvin Ely         Fresno State    1999-    714-1231   .580
Blocked Shots   Name               School          Years     Blks1. Theo Ratliff       Wyoming       1991-95      4252. Melvin Ely         Fresno State    1999-      342
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    .6004. Melvin Ely         Fresno State   1999-    367-624    .588

Ely's Charts II
Here are a couple notable Ely achievements: Ely needs four points to break the Fresno State career record ... he needs 15 rebounds for second place on the FS career chart, passing Maurice Talbot (1963-65) ... he needs four blocks for to move into the NCAA all-time top 30 ... needs 25 rebounds to overtake Maurice Talbot (1963-65) for second place in schoo

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