Fresno State Men’s Basketball: Lights out shooting sparks 73-59 win over Cal Poly

Saturday, December 10

Fresno, Calif.

4 p.m. PT

Fresno State

6-3

Cal Poly

5-5

Cal Poly

Fresno State

Photo by: Kiel Maddox

Fresno State Men’s Basketball: Lights out shooting sparks 73-59 win over Cal Poly

12/10/2016 7:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Fresno State won its third-straight home game behind a dominant all-around effort in defeating Cal Poly 73-59 on Saturday. The Bulldogs close out their homestand with a nonconference game against Holy Names University on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. PT. Tickets start at $10.

By: By Stephen Trembley / Director of New Media

FRESNO, Calif. --- The Fresno State men's basketball team cruised to a 73-59 victory over the Cal Poly Mustangs late Saturday afternoon at the Save Mart Center. This was the Bulldogs' fourth win in their last five games and third consecutive home win.

How it happened: Fresno State (6-3) converted a season-high 58.8 percent of its field goal attempts, including a lights out 70.8 percent clip in the second half, and locked down on defense.

Fresno State junior guard Jahmel Taylor scored a game-high 17 points while making all six of his field goal attempts with a perfect 5-for-5 mark from beyond the 3-point arc.

Fresno State seniors Paul Watson (13 points and seven rebounds) and Cullen Russo (12 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals) also shined for the 'Dogs. Junior center Terrell Carter II delivered another strong game with 10 points and nine rebounds on 5-for-8 shooting. Redshirt junior guard Jaron Hopkins added 10 points and had eight assists for the second straight game.

The Bulldogs' defense held Cal Poly (5-5) to just a 37.3 percent field goal percentage for the game.

Fresno State built a 30-23 lead over Cal Poly at halftime and led by as many as 26 midway through the second half.

Quoteable:

Rodney Terry, Fresno State head coach

On the performance of his team today…
"I thought our approach from the very beginning of today was probably the best that we have had all year. Even in the locker room prior to the game, it was probably the best that we have had in regard to focus. We saw the results during the game. I think our guys were locked in to the scouting report in terms of offense and defense. I know, offensively, we wanted to play inside out. We knew we had an advantage and our guys established that early in the game by putting the ball in there. We had good things happen, and we had some not so good things happen. I thought they really followed the game plan, and I thought that they played hard. The thing that I really tried to hop on has been playing with toughness, effort, and alertness in every possession, and I think we did a pretty good job at that today. I was pleased with our effort today."

On winning 11 straight in its next game after a loss…
"I think it lends our guys an opportunity to really focus in on things that we can do better and things that we can fix. I think it brings them in a little closer to what we need to do in terms of the details."

On where they stand at this point in the season…
"I think we have grown a lot since the start of this season, including the exhibition and scrimmage games as well. We have really grown from a defensive standpoint. Our rotations have gotten so much better over the last three or four ball games. I think our team practices really hard. I don't think we have had a practice where I have walked out of the gym thinking that we had a bad practice. Sometimes, we have played harder in practice than we have in games. The challenge for us has been to get our guys to play the way that we play in practice in games. We have got to translate that over to games. I thought that we made a huge step in the right direction tonight in terms of having that effort carry over. If we do it in games the way that we do it in practice, we will be pretty good. I like that part of our development right now. I still think that, offensively, we can play with a faster pace. We are still not at the pace that we want to be, but we will continue to grow."

Paul Watson, Fresno State senior guard/forward

On shooting 3-pointers…
"I just try and stay up on their rhythm and let the game come to me and be ready to knock the shot down when the time comes. It is always about being ready. Like Coach Wainwright says, "always be shot ready". I just try and focus on that the whole game so when the ball comes my way, I will be ready to knock it down."

On beating Cal Poly after losing last year at their place…
"It was a big win for us. We try not to focus on the past. It did sting to take that loss down there last year, but we try to come in and approach this game like we have each and every one. We have to stick to our principles and just try to focus on what we need to do to get the job done."

Jahmel Taylor, Fresno State junior guard

On being one of the nation's best 3-point shooters…
"I just prepare myself. Each day I make sure that I get some shots up and make sure I go at game speed every time I practice so that way, when I am in the game, I am ready. Deep 3's are something that I work on. A lot of people say that I don't shoot those, so I try and get some range. I build up to it, and I practice more and more and I feel good about doing it in the game."

On the speed of the game…
"I would say that I feel a lot more comfortable as the season is going along. My biggest thing is making sure that I feel comfortable out there and I stick to the game plan. Early in the season, I was a little tense but after that, I got with the coaches and got with the game plan. I play without worry. I have learned to accept the coaches and know that if I do make a mistake, they aren't getting on me to get on me, they are trying to help me."

On his preparation…
"When I practice, I do it at game speed. So, when I am in a game, I don't feel like I am being rushed, I feel like how I feel in practice. I just have to keep my form and hopefully I will knock it down."

Team Notes:

Fresno State has now won 11 straight games in its next game after a loss, and is 12-1 in its next game after a loss since the start of the 2015-16 season. (Last back-to-back losses: at Cal Poly • 12/5/16; at Arizona • 12/9/16)
Fresno State now leads the overall series against Cal Poly 31-8, and 19-2 in games played in Fresno.
This was Fresno State's third consecutive home win. The Bulldogs are now 31-6 at home since the start of the 2014-15 (83.8 home winning percentage).
Fresno State has now won 12 of its last 13 and 22 of its last 25 home games.
Fresno State made a season-high 10 3-pointers in a single game – one more than its previous best single game mark this season.
Fresno State shot season-high 58.8 percent from the field.
Both teams attempted exactly 51 field goals.

Player Notes:

Jahmel Taylor (17 points, 2 assists and 1 steal)
Taylor scored in double-figures for the 10th time in his career and the seventh time this season … he led Fresno State in scoring for the fourth time this season … Taylor is 9-for-9 in his last nine 3-point field goal attempts – six shy of tying the national record of 15 consecutive 3-pointers in a season, set by Leslie Todd of Northwestern in 1990 (four-game span).

Paul Watson (13 points, 7 rebounds and 1 assist)

Watson has scored in double-figures for the 56th time in his career and seventh time this season ... he has grabbed at least five rebounds for the sixth time this season ... the senior has recorded at least one assist in seven games this season ... shot at least 50 percent from the field for the fourth time this season.

Cullen Russo (12 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 assists and 1 block)
Russo scored in double-figures for the 17th time in his career and fifth time this season … this was his third game this season with at least nine rebounds … he went 6-for-9 from the field … his three steals tied a season-best single game mark and has recorded a steal in each of the last five games.

Next Up: Fresno State hosts Holy Names University at the Save Mart Center on Wednesday at 7 p.m. PT.