Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Nevada
Bulldogs Best Second-Place Wolf Pack, 68-66
2/26/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
FRESNO, Calif.-- With an aggressive attack sparked by a determined pack of Bulldogs, Fresno State knocked off the second-place Nevada Wolf Pack 68-66 on Thursday night in the Save Mart Center.
"Tonight, whether it was getting a defensive stop or making a big basket, this team made plays to win the game," head coach Steve Cleveland said of the win that earned him his 200th career victory. "We took care of the ball and got the ball where we needed to get it against a very athletic and tough team."
Junior forward Sylvester Seay delivered another statement as he scored 28 points, with 20 of those coming in second half, and pulled down 11 rebounds for his third career double-double. Seay has notched at least 20 points in four consecutive games and now leads the team in scoring by averaging 15.6 points per game on the season.
Sophomore forward and Academic All-District honoree Nedeljko Golubovic recorded a career-high 18 points while draining four 3-pointers for the second straight game.
"There is chemistry here between Ves and Ned," Cleveland said of his primary post assets. "It's the best the two of them have played together all year. I am glad they did it tonight because it was needed."
Seay credited his team for an aggressive mindset that blended with a common purpose.
"We all played well as a team tonight," Seay said. "Ned especially did a great job on offense and defense. Our whole team did a great job defending their team."
"The last three games, Ned has started to hit the three, which stretches things," Cleveland said. "I thought Ves was as aggressive on the block as he has been all year. We came together as a team tonight."
Senior guard Dwight O'Neil and freshman guard Mychal Ladd each added nine points as freshman guard Paul George intercepted a career-high four steals.
Nevada's freshman standout Luke Babbitt started the contest with a pull-up jumper as the Wolf Pack jumped out to an early 8-2 lead.
After coming within 12-10 at the 11:52 mark left in the first half, the Bulldogs showcased some forceful, highlight-reel worthy Seay dunks and a couple of Golubovic triples while staying within one (27-26) at the break. Seay led the Bulldogs with eight points at halftime.
Ladd opened the second half with a key 3-pointer for the first Fresno State lead of the game at 29-27, which extended to 31-27 after Golubovic dropped in a pair of free throws to cap a 9-1 Bulldog run.
With 8:26 to go, Seay nailed a 3-pointer from the corner to give the `Dogs their largest advantage of the game at 52-45.
But the Wolf Pack shot back with eight straight points as the final five minutes continued the back-and-forth battle.
With 1:01 remaining and the `Dogs down 62-61, Golubovic hit a clutch 3-pointer in traffic just as Seay was fouled under the basket. Seay completed both free throws as Fresno State turned the one-point deficit into a 66-62 lead on a rare five-point play.
A couple of more successful Seay attempts from the charity stripe sealed the Bulldogs' solid 68-66 victory over the Nevada Wolf Pack. The win is Fresno State's first victory over Nevada in Fresno since Jan. 18, 2006 and avenges a close 65-60 loss earlier this season to the Wolf Pack.
In the second half, the `Dogs shot 13 of 22 from the field (59.1 percent) while hitting 7 of 9 from beyond the 3-point arc.
As a team, Fresno State swatted six Nevada shots, with four blocks by Seay, as the `Dogs improved to 12-17 on the season with a 3-10 mark in conference play.
Babbitt led Nevada (16-11, 8-5) with 18 points and his teammate Malik Cooke added 16 as the Bulldogs snapped the Wolf Pack's three-game winning streak.
The `Dogs return for their final regular season game on the Save Mart Center's hardwood this season when they host the Idaho Vandals and honor senior guard Dwight O'Neil for "Senior Night" this Saturday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m.
Click HERE to read the Fresno State men's basketball "Bulldog Blog"
"Join the State - Fresno State!" - The `Dogs host Idaho in the final home game of the season at the Save Mart Center on Saturday, February 28 as they host Idaho at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale now through the Save Mart Center box office, by calling (559) 485-TIXS or online at ticketmaster.com.
