Fresno State Athletics
Men's Basketball Arrives Home From Long Road Trip
1/19/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 19, 2003
FRESNO, Calif. - Smiles filled the faces of the Fresno State men's basketball team upon arriving at the Fresno Air Terminal on Sunday afternoon. And after an exhausting road trip that saw them finish 2-1, the grins were understandable not only for the team's success, but also for just being home.
"Weren't we in Honolulu a week ago?" one of the members of the team's travel party asked. "It feels like it was last summer."
"I'm going home to my sofa," said another, "and I'm not moving until tomorrow."
Such are the emotions following a physically and emotionally draining week that saw the Bulldogs hit far-flung WAC cities Honolulu and Ruston, La. All told, Fresno State's trip encompassed seven days, seven cities, six airports, four hotels, three games and three time zones. The 8,465 miles the team traveled made this voyage the longest conference road trip for any team in the nation this year.
Most important, however, was the Bulldogs' success on the trip. After suffering an 88-77 loss at Hawai`i on Monday, Fresno State bounced back for a 75-73 win at SMU on Thursday before a thrilling 61-60 victory at Louisiana Tech on Saturday.
It was the final win that had the team buzzing all night Saturday and the entire way home Sunday. The heart-stopping win -- coupled with a stunning loss by Hawai`i to San Jose State -- pushed Fresno State into sole possession of first place in the WAC with a 13-3 overall record and a 6-1 mark in conference.
"I'm so proud of these kids to win this game," Bulldogs coach Ray Lopes said after the game. "They showed resilience. They're tough. And to win the last two games of a three-game, 8,400-mile road trip? That shows something."
Fresno State has Monday off before beginning preparations for a showdown with Hawai`i on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Selland Arena. The Rainbow Warriors have defeated the Bulldogs four times in a row, including Monday in Honolulu, Fresno State's only loss in conference this year.
