Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Louisiana Tech
Fresno State Advances To WAC Semifinals With Overtime Victory
3/10/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 10, 2005
By SCOTT SONNER
Associated Press Writer
RENO, Nev. (AP) - Ja'Vance Coleman scored seven of his 24 points in overtime to help Fresno State come from behind to beat Louisiana Tech 84-81 Thursday night in the quarterfinals of the Western Athletic Conference tournament.
Donovan Morris added 14 points and Dreike Bouldin had 13 for fourth-seeded Fresno State (16-13), which advances to Friday's semifinal against eighth-seeded Boise State (15-17), an stunning 73-72 upset winner over host and top-seeded Nevada in Thursday's nightcap.
Paul Millsap had 25 points and 17 rebounds for fifth-seeded Louisiana Tech (14-15), but missed a free throw that would have tied the game with 16 seconds left in overtime. Daevon Haskins added 16 and Corey Dean had 12 for Tech, which led by 12 in the first half.
Tech had a chance to win in regulation but Donell Allick could convert only one of two foul shots with 7 seconds left, forcing the overtime tied at 74-74.
Trailing 42-32 at the half, Coleman scored 10 points in the first 5 minutes of the second half to key a 15-6 run and Fresno State went ahead 52-50 when Morris hit a 3-pointer with about 14 minutes left.
Louisiana Tech rallied with an 8-2 run to tie it at 69 on Corey Dean's tip in. Millsap put Tech ahead 73-71 off a rebound before Morris hit a 3-pointer for a 74-73 Fresno lead with 1:45 to play.
Tech led 77-74 on Wayne Powell's 3-pointer in overtime, but Coleman tied it with a 3-pointer of his own and put Fresno up 79-78 on a floater in the lane. Bouldin made it 82-78 with a 3-pointer with 1:10 left.
Millsap made a pair of free throws to cut it to 82-80 and added one more with 16 seconds left, but Coleman was fouled and converted two free throws with 12 seconds left and Allick missed a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 2 seconds to play.
