Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Oregon State
Fresno State Earns Tough Road Win Against Oregon State
12/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 2, 2006
Corvallis, Ore. - For the first time this season, Fresno State got challenged by a tough Pac-10 opponent, and the Bulldogs showed it could battle on the road, pulling out a hard fought 74-69 victory over Oregon State Saturday afternoon in Corvallis, Ore.
Fresno State improves to 7-0 on the year with the victory. The 7-0 record marks the best start since the 1980-81 team won 10 straight to open the season.
With just under four minutes remaining in the game, Dominic McGuire hit a jumper to tie the game at 67-67, and after a missed Oregon State shot, senior Ja'Vance Coleman hit his first 3-pointer of the game to put the Bulldogs up 70-67.
For the next three and a half minutes, the Bulldogs held the Beavers scoreless, and Kevin Bell hit two clutch free throws to give Fresno State a five-point lead with 15.5 second remaining in the game, sealing the victory.
Bell finished the game with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists, but before Bell and Coleman helped finish the game, Hector Hernandez kept the Bulldogs in it. Hernandez scored a game-high 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, after missing last game with a shoulder injury.
Dominic McGuire had 12 points, seven rebounds and two blocks and Eddie Miller came off the bench to score 11 points, including three 3-pointers.
Oregon State (4-4), jumped in front of Fresno State 67-60, after Jack McGillis made a 3-pointer with 7:59 remaining in the game. After that the Bulldog defense shut down the Beavers, until Josh Tarver made a layup with seven seconds remaining.
Offensively in the first half, the Bulldogs were led by Hernandez, who was four of nine from the field, including one 3-pointer for nine points and nine rebounds.
Fresno State went six of 13 from beyond the arc, including two 3s off the bench by Miller.
Fresno State continues its three-game road trip when it travels to Santa Barbara Wednesday, December 6 to face the Gauchos at 7:05 p.m. from the Thunderdome.
Game Notes
- Hector Hernandez returned to the starting lineup after missing last game with a shoulder injury.
- Oregon State's 34 first half points was the most Fresno State's defense has allowed this season.
- For the second consecutive game, Eddie Miller caught a pass mid-air from Ja'Vance Coleman and finished with a slam dunk on a back-door cut.
- For the seventh consecutive game, the Bulldogs had four players score in double figures.
Quote Book
"I think Hector and Kevin had outstanding games," head coach Steve Cleveland said. "Hector did everything tonight and that was big for us. It was his first game back and we didn't know how he would respond."
"This is a big win for out team," Kevin Bell said. "To come into a Pac-10 team's home court and come out with a victory is big. Oregon State is a good team and they played tough tonight."
