Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Boise State
Bulldogs Rally for 70-64 Win over Boise State
2/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Stephen Trembley
strembley@csufresno.edu
www.GoBulldogs.com
FRESNO, Calif. --- The Fresno State men's basketball team used a relentless defensive effort and the leadership of juniors Marvelle Harris and Julien Lewis to earn a 70-64 victory over second-place Boise State on Saturday afternoon at the Save Mart Center.
Fresno State (12-13, 7-5 Mountain West) improved to 9-2 at home this season and will host Colorado State on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. PT with a chance to post at least 10 home wins for the seventh time in the last nine seasons. The win also snapped the Broncos' eight-game winning streak.
"We guarded extremely hard on defense," fourth-year Fresno State head coach Rodney Terry said. "We knew we were playing one of the hottest offensive teams in the country in Boise State. Our guys dug in and we made some adjustments at halftime."
Those adjustments helped fuel the Bulldogs' first victory this season when trailing at halftime. The rally largely produced by the sharp-shooting of Harris (24 points, five 3-pointers and four steals) and Lewis (15 points, two 3-pointers and four assists) and post presence of senior forward Alex Davis (nine points, five rebounds, 5-for-7 at the free throw line) and sophomore wing Paul Watson (nine points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals).
"I'm happy with the way we all played," Lewis said of the team's effort. "Every time we play, we focus on defense. Defense wins games. And we did that tonight."
Fresno State limited Boise State's high-octane offense to just 35 percent from the field in the second half and outshot the Broncos 50 percent to 47.8 percent for the game. The 'Dogs are now 5-0 this season when making 50 percent or more of its field goals.
The Bulldogs took control for the first 10 minutes of the game - building as much as a 27-15 lead when powerful sophomore forward Karachi Edo showed off his incredible vertical leap on a two-handed slam dunk with 10:06 to play in the opening half.
The Broncos regrouped and rattled off a 13-0 run to retake the lead at 28-27 on a 3-pointer off the hand of Chandler Hutchinson. BSU's Rob Heyer swished a 3-pointer with eight seconds left in the first half to put the Broncos up 42-40 at the break.
"Our guys had to work this game," Terry said. "They stayed together tonight and really worked this game all the way through. They showed a lot of grit. We're playing hard enough defensively to get things done."
Even as both teams shot exactly 57.7 percent in the first half, the defensive aggressiveness was on display throughout the contest. Each squad swiped nine steals and forced double-digit turnovers.
In the second half, Boise State jumped out to a 48-40 lead to cap 11 consecutive points. Fresno State surged back with a 7-1 run and tied the game at 61-61 with 2:10 to play on a pair of free throws by Davis. The 'Dogs turned those clutch shots into a game-winning 8-0 run to pull off the upset.
"We went away from our switching defense in the second half," Terry said. "I like the way our guys have hung tough. They're trying to make the right choices. We are going to continue moving forward with hard work."
Senior Derrick Marks led Boise State (18-7, 8- MW) with 31 points, but committed five turnovers, as the only Bronco to score in double-digits.
The victory moved Fresno State into a tie for fifth-place in the conference standings with Utah State, who the Bulldogs defeated 61-52 earlier this season and will face in Logan in one week on Feb. 21.
Prior to the Bulldogs' win, Fresno State honored legendary Coach Jerry Tarkanian, who played for the 'Dogs from 1954-55 and later coached at his alma mater from 1995-2002, with a moment of silence. His son, Danny, also shared a heartfelt message with the Red Wave during halftime.
Up Next
Fresno State wraps up its two-game homestand on Wednesday at 7 p.m. PT when the Colorado State Rams visit the San Joaquin Valley for a Mountain West midweek game.
Tickets for Wednesday's 7 p.m. PT game versus Colorado State start at $10 and can be purchased at the Save Mart Center Box Office and online at www.Ticketmaster.com. All Fresno State students get free admission and can also bring one student guest for free.
Promotions for Wednesday's Game vs. Colorado State
• International Night
• Celebrate the diversity of the Central Valley
• Over $1,000 in Save Mart gift cards given away throughout the game!
• Super cool Sunglasses giveaway
• Honor International Students throughout the game
• Special hula dance performance at half-time
• Fresno State Dance team half-time performance
• One lucky student wins a Playstation 4
• One lucky student wins an IPAD mini!
• College Spotlight: Craig School of Business
• Game Sponsor: First Five Fresno County
"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.
