Bulldogs beat UNLV 72-59 in home finale

Saturday, March 4

Fresno, Calif.

4 p.m. PT

Fresno State

19-11, 11-7MW

UNLV

11-20, 4-14MW

UNLV

Fresno State

Photo by: Keith Kountz

Bulldogs beat UNLV 72-59 in home finale

3/4/2017 6:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery (by Keith Kountz)

The Fresno State men’s basketball team will enter the 2017 Mountain West Championships as the No. 4 seed after earning a 13-point win over UNLV to close out the regular season. Fresno State will next play on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. PT in the MW Quarterfinals.

By: Stephen Trembley / Director of New Media

FRESNO, Calif. --- The Fresno State men's basketball team defeated the UNLV Runnin' Rebels 72-59 on Saturday at the Save Mart Center.

How it happened: Fresno State (19-11, 11-7 MW) capitalized on a 19-3 run midway through the first half to build a 27-13 lead and the Bulldogs led for the rest of the game.

Fresno State's defense held UNLV without a field goal for a stretch of over seven minutes during the first half and limited the Runnin' Rebels to just 35.8 percent shooting from the field for the game. Fresno State also owned the paint with a 44-28 advantage inside while converting 45.3% of its total field goal attempts.

In the second half, Fresno State cruised to a 21-point lead when junior center Terrell Carter II made a lay-up for a 50-29 advantage with 12:33 left to play and the 'Dogs fought to the finish for its fifth double-digit win during conference play.

Bulldogs' redshirt sophomore guard Deshon Taylor scored a game-high 19 points with three rebounds, three assists and three steals. Fresno State redshirt junior guard Jaron Hopkins added 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists, while junior center Terrell Carter II scored 15 points on 7-for-9 shooting.

UNLV (11-20, 4-14 MW) was led by Kris Clyburn, who had a double-double with a team-best 18 points and 12 rebounds.

What it means: Fresno State will be the No. 4 seed for the 2017 MW Championships and begin play on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. PT in the quarterfinals against the No. 5 seed, which will be the winner of the New Mexico-San Diego State game later Saturday night.

Fresno State finishes fourth in the Mountain West standings and the Bulldogs have earned a first-round bye for the MW Championships for the third straight season.

Quoteable:
Head Coach Rodney Terry on his focus from here on out…
"We knew we were going to get a team who was going to get in here and try to get after us. We knew we were going to play a team that wasn't going to quit -- they were going to continue to fight and battle. We had to be ready to play a physical team today. I thought our guys really tried to lock down from a defensive standpoint. That is what we are going to have in Vegas. We are going to have to play every possession like it is our last and really work the defensive end of the floor."

Head Coach Rodney Terry on similarities on going in to the tournament compared to last year…
"We won some big ball games down the stretch and in difficult places last year. I think our defense has been really good, and it was pretty good at this time last year as well. When you go on the road in postseason play, you win with your defense. You will find a way to score. It is really predicated on the defensive end. Everything we have done here over the last five games that we have been able to win has been predicated on our solid defense and finishing possessions."

Head Coach Rodney Terry on Karachi Edo starting…
"We worked with UNLV prior to that. They were great for allowing us to start the game like that to recognize a guy that has done so much for us for four years and let him have that moment even though he is not able to participate in the game. They were very kind to let us do that and that was very nice to do that for him."

Head Coach Rodney Terry on seniors Cullen Russo, Paul Watson, and Karachi Edo…
"Time flies. Paul and Karachi have been with us for four years, and Cullen for two years. I remember when Paul and Karachi were freshmen; they had to start their first game here because we had some injuries. They never really looked back from that point on. They hit the floor and they really helped us continue to take this program to higher heights and do special things. Those guys have had the opportunity to be on two postseason teams already with the opportunity for a third. That is a pretty good career for guys who came in and were stumbling around as freshmen. I have seen those guys go from young boys to young men who are going to be productive guys and have a degree to show for it."

Head Coach Rodney Terry on going in to the tournament…
"We break the season down into three basic parts of the year. We finished up February and we always talk about that being a separation month where the good teams in the league start getting some separation. Teams execute more and they get excited about the third part of the season, which is postseason play. Postseason play starts for us in Vegas. This time of the year, you have got to finish and advance. That is what our slogan is at this part of the season. You have got to finish hard cuts, finish possessions, and finish everything that you do. If you are able to finish at a very high rate and execute at a very high level, then you advance. That is what this time of the year is about."

Jaron Hopkins on his mindset going in to the tournament…
"Our defense has really picked up and we are paying attention to our strategies from Coach Wainwright. He has done a really good job on those. Hopefully, we can take all of that down to Vegas with us."

Deshon Taylor on his defense tonight…
"We feel good. My teamates help me out on ball screens a lot so it wasn't just me, it was everybody."

Deshon Taylor on his mindset going in to the tournament…
"We have won five straight and got some big road wins, so we are confident. I feel like our defense is coming together so I feel good about it."

Player Notes:
Deshon Taylor (19 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals)
The redshirt sophomore has scored at least 15 points in his last 13 consecutive games … Taylor scored in double-digits for the 15th time in his career … led the Bulldogs in scoring for the 10th time this season … he was 4-for-5 from the free throw line and shot 50 percent (7-for-14) from the field.

Jaron Hopkins – 16 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal
The redshirt junior scored in double-digits for the 23rd time in his career … Hopkins led the team in rebounds with eight … made his 23rd start of the season.

Terrell Carter II – 15 points, 2 blocks, 2 steals, 1 rebound
The junior scored in double-digits for the 10th time in his career and fifth time this season … tied his career-high in steals with two … Carter went 7-for-9 from the field.

Team Notes:

Fresno State has finished the regular season on a five-game winning streak. Last season, the Bulldogs ended the regular season by winning its final six Mountain West games, and then won its next three games in Las Vegas to win the MW Championship and earn a NCAA Tournament appearance.
Fresno State has now won its last four games when playing UNLV and the Bulldogs are 6-3 when playing the Runnin' Rebels since Fresno State head coach Rodney Terry arrived in 2011.
Fresno State has won 20 of its last 27 games when playing a MW team.
Fresno State has won 47 of its last 50 games when leading at halftime.
Fresno State started all three of its seniors: Karachi Edo, Cullen Russo and Paul Watson. Edo started for the first time since Feb. 8 when he was injured in the Bulldogs' quadruple overtime game at Wyoming. Even though he is still out due to injury, Edo won an uncontested opening tip and dribbled out of bounds in a pre-arranged opportunity to play one last time at the Save Mart Center.

Protecting the Yard:

Fresno State finished the season with a 13-2 record at home this season (8-1 vs. MW opponents).
Fresno State has won 16 of its last 17 home games when playing a Mountain West opponent.
Fresno State has won 12 of its last 13 home games.
Fresno State is 29-4 overall at home since the start of the 2015-16 season.
Fresno State is 40-7 overall at home since the start of the 2014-15 season.
Fresno State has won 21 of its last 22, and 31 of its last 35 home games.
Fresno State has won nine of its last 10 home games played on a Saturday.
Fresno State has won at least 11 home games in four straight seasons.
Fresno State is 156-69 (69.3 percent) all-time at the Save Mart Center (225 career games).

Largest Margins of Victory in Conference Play
(Since Joining the Mountain West in July 2012)
26 - at Fresno State 82, San Jose State 56 (Feb. 8, 2014)
22 - at Fresno State 85, Nevada 63 (Jan. 6, 2016)
21 - at Fresno State 78, Colorado State 57 (Jan. 18, 2017)
20 - at Fresno State 76, Boise State 56 (Feb. 26, 2014)
18 - at Fresno State 77, San Jose State 59 (Feb. 15, 2017)
18 - at Fresno State 81, San Jose State 63 (Feb. 4, 2015)
17 - Fresno State 68, at Air Force 51 (Feb. 5, 2014)
15 - at Fresno State 85, Wyoming 70 (Jan. 4, 2017)
15 - at Fresno State 56, Air Force 41 (March 2, 2013)
14 - at Fresno State 87, Colorado State 73 (March 2, 2016)
13 - at Fresno State 72, UNLV 59 (March 4, 2017)
13 - Fresno State 69, at San Jose State 56 (March 8, 2014)
13 - at Fresno State 49, Wyoming 36 (Jan. 16, 2013)
11 - Fresno State 73, at San Jose State 62 (Jan. 14, 2015)
10 - at Fresno State 71, New Mexico 61 (Feb. 18, 2017)
10 - Fresno State 92, at New Mexico 82 (Feb. 27, 2016)

"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160.