Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Montana State
'Dogs Rout Bobcats, Improve To 6-0
11/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 30, 2006
FRESNO, Calif. (AP) - Quinton Hosley scored 16 points to lead four players in double figures, and Fresno State routed Montana State 80-41 on Wednesday night for the Bulldogs' sixth straight blowout victory.
Ja'Vance Coleman and Eddie Miller added 13 points apiece for Fresno State (6-0), who won their first five games by an average of 22 points.
Ted Morris scored nine points to go with a game-high 13 rebounds for Montana State (2-5). No Bobcats player reached double figures in scoring. Montana State outrebounded the Bulldogs 48-30, including a 27-7 edge on the offensive end.
But hustle alone couldn't make up for Montana State's 27.7 percent shooting and 27 turnovers. Fresno State finished with 15 steals, including three by Alex Blair, and 11 blocked shots. Shawn Taylor had four blocks, followed by Dominic McGuire with three.
Kevin Bell had 10 points, four assists and two steals for the Bulldogs, who shot 50.9 percent from the field. Leading 47-27 early in the second half, Fresno State put the game away with a 15-0 scoring run that included an alley-oop dunk by Hosley off a McGuire pass.
The Bulldogs led 38-21 at halftime, after taking control with an early 16-2 scoring run. Miller led all scorers with 11 first-half points, including 3-of-5 3-pointers.
Fresno State returns to action on Saturday, December 2, when it faces Oregon State at 2 p.m. in Corvallis, Ore.Game Notes
- Fresno State recorded a season-high 15 steals against Montana State and forced a season-high 27 turnovers.
- For the sixth consecutive game, the Bulldogs have four players score in double figures.
- Alex Blair played a career-high 24 minutes and recorded six points and five rebounds.
- Fresno State's 6-0 start, matches the 2004-05 start by the Bulldogs.
- The Bulldogs have now scored 80 points or more in four straight games and are averaging 81.3 points per game this season.
- The Fresno State defense held Montana State to a season-low 41 points. After six games, the Bulldogs are holding their opponents to 56.5 points per game.
- Shawn Taylor recorded his first start in a Bulldog uniform on Wednesday night.
Quote Book
- "Defensively all night I thought we were in the right spot," head coach Steve Cleveland said. "We gave up a lot of offensive rebounds and that would be one of the key things from tonight's game."
- "Coach told me to keep working hard in practice and I would get my chance," junior forward Alex Blair said. "Tonight was a chance for me to get some time in."
- "I liked what we did out there tonight," senior forward Quinton Hosley said. "We were playing hard defensively and we stopped the back door cuts."
