Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
San Jose State
`Dogs Clamp Down on Spartans in 58-46 Win
1/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
FRESNO, Calif. - For the second game in a row, the inside presence of redshirt freshman center Bego Faz Davalos, senior forward Alex Sheedy and junior center Toni Smith led Fresno State to victory as the trio combined for 40 points in Wednesday night's 58-46 win over San Jose State at the Save Mart Center.
It was the second game in a row that that the trio posted 40 or more points after totaling 41 of the team's 65 points on Jan. 10 against Nevada. The post players also accounted for 26 rebounds, 10 blocks and five steals. Faz Davalos (11 points and 12 rebounds) and Sheedy (15 points and 12 rebounds) each recorded a double-double in the game, becoming the first Bulldog teammates to perform the feat since Nov. 30, 2013 when Jacinta Vandenberg and Moriah Faulk each had one against Seton Hall. The double-doubles were Faz Davalos' second and Sheedy's conference-leading fifth.
Faz Davalos also finished the game by tying her career high with seven blocks, the third time she has performed the feat this season. The mark is the most in a single game in the Mountain West in '14-15. Smith's 14 points matched a career high which she set last year against San Jose State.
From the opening tip, the Bulldogs controlled the game. Smith tapped the tipoff to Sheedy and she found Shauqunna Collins streaking down the court as the junior guard had an easy lay-in just five seconds into the game. Fresno State never looked back, holding the lead the rest of the night.
With 14:25 on the clock, a 3-pointer by Ta'Rea Cunnigan brought San Jose State within two at 9-7, but an 18-1 run over the next 10:33 gave the 'Dogs a control. Faz Davalos and Smith took over during the stretch, recording 13 of the team's points.
The Bulldog defense forced the Spartans into 10 consecutive missed shots from the field during the drought which ended with 3:27 remaining in the half after a 3-pointer from Rachol West.
With a turnover just before the close of the half, it appeared as though SJSU could further attempt to cut into its deficit, but Collins came up with a steal in the Spartans' backcourt with just seconds left. She quickly broke toward the basket and laid the ball in just before the buzzer.
Fresno State took a commanding 31-15 lead into the break, holding San Jose State to 21.4 percent shooting (6-of-28). The 15 points was the lowest 20-minute total for a Bulldog opponent this season.
The halftime lead proved to be insurmountable for the Spartans, despite outscoring Fresno State 31-27 during the second half. The Bulldogs committed 15 of their 23 turnovers during the final 20 minutes, but their defense, which held SJSU to only 11-of-40 (27.5 percent) from the field, kept the visitors at bay.
The victory extended Fresno State's win streak to eight, and matched last season's longest unbeaten run, which stretched from Feb. 11 through March 15.
"I try to forget about any kind of streaks, this place is full of them," head coach Jaime White said. "I think the biggest thing is what we told our kids after practice, 'we have to judge ourselves based on how we are doing and based on our goals.' Those wins are nice. I feel like on Saturday we'll go up against one of the better teams in the league and we need to be absolutely ready. It will be a good test and a good challenge to go on the road."
The Bulldogs hit the road this weekend as they travel to Wyoming on Saturday for a 1 p.m., PT tipoff in Laramie.
"Be Bold" - ESPN2 790 AM is the home of the Fresno State women's basketball team.
