Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
No. 25 Wyoming
Bulldogs Fall in Triple OT to No. 25 Cowboys
1/17/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 17, 2015
By Stephen Trembley
strembley@csufresno.edu
www.GoBulldogs.com
FRESNO, Calif. - The Fresno State men's basketball team never backed down in a true Battle Royale showdown with No. 25 Wyoming, but it was the Cowboys who muscled out a hard-fought win and handed the Bulldogs a 70-65 loss in triple overtime on Saturday at the Save Mart Center.
The energy from the season-best crowd of an announced 8,118 was an X-Factor for Fresno State (9-10, 4-2 Mountain West), who ferociously competed against a deep and veteran Wyoming squad and neither team led by more than six points in the 55-minute game. This was just the sixth triple overtime game in Fresno State's program history.
"We had a great crowd behind us today," Fresno State head coach Rodney Terry said. "They kept our guys energized throughout the game. We wouldn't have been in the position that we were in if it wasn't for the crowd."
Larry Nance Jr. scored 21 points and Josh Adams added 16 to help No. 25 Wyoming survive the triple-overtime thriller. Nance missed two free throws with a second left in the second overtime for the Cowboys (16-3, 5-1 Mountain West), but recovered to hit the go-ahead basket that gave Wyoming the lead for good in the final overtime period.
Nance's jumper with 1:05 left put Wyoming up 67-65 with 1:02 left and Charles Hankerson Jr. sealed the win with a 3-pointer with 14 seconds to play as Wyoming bounced back from a home loss to San Diego State on Wednesday night.
"That was a hard-fought game for both teams," Shyatt said. "Every time we got together, after a miss or a make, I reminded them to put pressure on your defense. Put pressure on your defensive rebounds. I'm thrilled we finished on the high end of it."
After Harris tied it for Fresno State with 14 seconds left in the first overtime, Riley Grabau missed a 3-pointer that would have won it. Cezar Guerrero then tied it for the Bulldogs with six seconds left in the second overtime before Nance missed his two foul shots.
Paul Watson scored 19 points and Marvelle Harris added 13 for the Bulldogs.
Fresno State made just 35.7 percent of its field goal attempts while Wyoming converted 44.6 percent from the floor, including a game-winning 61.5 percent in the three overtime sessions.
"They made shots at the end and we didn't," Bulldogs coach Rodney Terry said. "We had great open looks. They threw one or two in and we didn't.
The loss snapped the Bulldogs' four-game winning streak and dropped Fresno State to 6-2 at home this season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Next Up
Fresno State will host Nevada on Jan. 24 at 4 p.m. PT.
"We're going to have our hands full next Saturday," Terry said. It's going to be an extremely physical game."
"Be Bold!" --- Mini-plans for the 2014-15 Fresno State men's basketball season are available starting at $36 through the Bulldog Ticket Office at the Save Mart Center, over the phone at 559-278-DOGS and online at www.GoBulldogs.com.
