Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
1-0
Santa Clara
0-1
Dogs topple Santa Clara 74-54
11/12/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 12, 2010
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - In the days leading up to the start of the 2010-11 season, Fresno State women's basketball coach Adrian Wiggins took a few minutes to tell his players what to expect when playing outside the familiar confines of home.
"We're down 10 already," he warned.
It was a fitting admonition given the circumstances the Bulldogs ran into Friday night. Fresno State found itself in a six-point hole in the early going of its season-opener at Santa Clara, but the Bulldogs rallied to beat the Broncos 74-54 at the Leavey Center. Fresno State will continue its road swing at Sacramento State on Sunday.
Success away from the Save Mart Center is nothing new to Fresno State. The Bulldogs were 11-3 on the road last season. That said, they had to work for this one.
Fresno State led by as many as 26 points but had to rely on a series of timely runs to secure the win. Senior guard Marnique Arnold scored on a drive to the hoop, and forward Hayley Munro drilled a long-range jumper to cap a 10-2 run and put the Bulldogs up 45-32 with 12:55 to play.Munro led all scorers with 17 points.
The Bulldogs opened the game 1-for-8 from the floor but turned to their trademark defensive pressure to swing the momentum their way. Munro capped a 13-2 run with a short jumper to put Fresno State up 13-8. The Bulldogs forced 11 turnovers in the first half and cashed in on the offensive end by hitting three consecutive 3-pointers to mount a 33-23 halftime lead.
Santa Clara, a team that managed only five wins last season, refused to go away. The Broncos remained in striking distance for most of the night. Hanford native Lena Gipson, one of the better rebounders in the nation, knocked down a pair of free throws to cut Fresno State's lead to 38-32 early in the second half. She finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.
Senior guard Jaleesa Ross struggled to find her scoring touch, but she had little trouble getting others involved, as she found Arnold cutting to the hoop for a 52-39 lead with 9:16 left. Arnold was 4-for-6 from the floor and scored 12 points.
Ross finished with 10 points, six assists and four steals.
"We Are Your Team!" -- Fresno State returns to the Save Mart Center on Nov. 17 for a nonconference game against Cal Poly. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.
