Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Rice
Fresno State Suffers Yet Another Close Loss
2/23/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb 23, 2004
HOUSTON (AP) - Michael Harris scored 17 points, including 11 in the second half, and Rice held off a late rally to defeat Fresno State 63-60 Monday night at Autry Court.
Rice led 53-43 with 9:13 left but Fresno State made it a one-point game when Marcus West hit a 3-pointer with 1:27 left. Jason McKrieth's follow-up of a Michael Harris miss with 37 seconds made it 63-60. The Bulldogs missed three 3-point attempts in the final 21 seconds.
Harris also had 10 rebounds for Rice (19-7, 10-4 Western Athletic) for his 13th double-double of the season.
The Owls led 12 at 18-6 with 12:56 left in the first half before Fresno State (12-13, 8-7) came back to trail only 33-31 at the half.
Fresno State scored the first five points of the second half to take a three-point lead before McKrieth hit a 3-pointer to tie it at 36-36 with 18:32 left. The game was tied twice more. Rice took advantage of cold Fresno State shooting to start the second half and eventually led 53-43. The Bulldogs made just 3 of their first 17 shots to begin the second stanza.
McKrieth finished with 13 points. J.R. Harrison added 10.
Mustafa Al-Sayyad led Fresno State with 13 points. West added 11 and Dreike Bouldin had 10.
Rice scored 19 points off of Fresno State's 12 turnovers while only turning over the ball six times for six Fresno State points.
For Fresno State, the loss was yet another painful reminder of its amazing inability to win close games in 2003-04. The Bulldogs are now 2-8 in contests decided by five points or less.
