Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Tech Slips Past Fresno State 68-66 In Overtime
1/28/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 28, 2006
FRESNO, Calif. (AP) - Paul Millsap had 29 points and 18 rebounds to help Louisiana Tech remain in first place in the Western Athletic Conference by edging Fresno State 68-66 in overtime Saturday night.
Ja'Vance Coleman had a career-high 29 points for Fresno State, including a 3-pointer over Millsap with 2.9 seconds left in regulation that sent the game into overtime.
Louisiana Tech (14-7, 7-1) led throughout overtime, holding Fresno State (10-8, 3-4) scoreless for the first 3:15. Chad McKenzie scored a key basket for Louisiana Tech in the extra session, hitting a 15-point jumper with 1 second remaining on the shot clock.
With 52.8 seconds left, Hector Hernandez drove for a layup that pulled Fresno State within 68-66. Fresno State got the ball back by forcing a shot clock violation, but Coleman missed an off-balance jumper at the buzzer.
Hernandez added 16 points and six rebounds for Fresno State.
Corey Dean had 12 points and six rebounds for Louisiana Tech, which has won seven of eight.
Millsap, second in the WAC in scoring and first in the nation in rebounding, finished 11-of-22 from the field. Eight of his rebounds came on the offensive end.
Louisiana Tech attempted 25 free throws compared to 12 for Fresno State and had a 19-10 edge on second-chance points.
Neither team led by more than six points. Louisiana Tech led 28-26 at halftime, holding Fresno State to 33.3 percent shooting. Coleman, who became the 44th Bulldog in school history to notch 800 or more career points, had 13 points in the first half. Millsap had 11 points and seven rebounds.
"It's always difficult to lose, especially when you come up just short," Fresno State head coach Steve Cleveland said. "But I couldn't be more proud of this team. I thought we took a giant step forward. This team showed a resolve and no one should walk away from tonight's game and not love this team."Louisiana Tech made huge contested shots and that's what a championship team does," Cleveland stated. "Millsap had a big night but he had to take 22 shots. I thought we did a much better job of defending everyone else on the team because Millsap is going to get his points.
"Every shot they took down the stretch and we contested, we got a hand in their face," Cleveland said. "I can't ask for any more effort than that when it comes to defending a very long and athletic and very good defensive team like Louisiana Tech.
"We had a lot of contributions tonight," Cleveland continued. "I thought James (Tchana) and Renato (Cesar) did a nice job and gave quality minutes. Ja'Vance (Coleman) kept shooting the ball and that's what we need. What a tremendous shot he made to send the game into overtime.
"I think tonight shows how much we have improved and how we're trying to get better and play harder each time out," Cleveland added. "If we continue to get that type of resolve every night out then we'll be as successful as we can be. We have to come back, regroup and get ready for Monday's game against Idaho. It's tough playing three games in five days but we'll be ready to come out and play just as hard once again."
Fresno State wraps up its three-game homestand on Mon., Jan. 30, 7:00 p.m., against Idaho (3-14, 0-6), which lost 82-68 at Boise State this evening. Single game tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster or at the Save Mart Center Box Office.
