Fresno State
2-5, 0-1MW
UNLV
4-6, 1-0MW
'Dogs outlasted in double overtime
12/4/2019 10:27:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Fresno State senior forward Nate Grimes had 12 points and 12 rebounds with three blocks in the Bulldogs' 81-80 double overtime loss to UNLV.
FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno State men's basketball team battled the UNLV Runnin' Rebels to the final buzzer in an 81-80 double overtime loss for the Bulldogs on Wednesday night at the Save Mart Center.
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Fresno State (2-5, 0-1 Mountain West) and UNLV (4-6, 1-0 Mountain West) played a tightly contested contest in the earliest conference opener in program history for both schools.
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Fresno State senior guard Noah Blackwell scored a team-high 18 points with four 3-pointers, but he also committed three costly turnovers to stall the Bulldogs' offense in critical situations late in the game. Mustafa Lawrence added 16 points with five assists for Fresno State, who also got a double-double from senior forward Nate Grimes (12 points and 12 rebounds).
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UNLV was led by Utah transfer Donnie Tillman, who had a game-high 28 points, including 13 made free throws.
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How it happened: For much of first half, Fresno State and UNLV's defenses stole the spotlight as the offenses struggled to ignite.
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But the Bulldogs found their perimeter stroke late in the first half with Fresno State using a 12-0 run on four 3-pointers – two by Noah Blackwell and two by Mustafa Lawrence – in just over two minutes of action to take a 26-14 lead over UNLV with 2:51 to go before halftime.
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The Runnin' Rebels answered by scoring nine of the next 11 points before freshman forward Orlando Robinson drained a 3-pointer in the waning seconds of the opening half, which gave Fresno State a 31-25 advantage over UNLV at the break.
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Neither team led by more than six points in the second half. With the Bulldogs leading 65-60 entering the final minute of regulation, UNLV found a way to score the final required five points in the final 33 seconds to force overtime.
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In the overtime periods, UNLV outlasted Fresno State, who had a chance to tie the game after forcing a turnover with just over 14 seconds left in the second overtime, but the 'Dogs couldn't convert.
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The Runnin' Rebels outscored the Bulldogs 30-16 in the paint and 21-13 in second chance points, with UNLV grabbing 18 offensive rebounds en route to 51 boards in the 50-minute affair. Both teams were held to under 40 percent from the field and under 35 percent from beyond the 3-point line.Â
Player Notes
Mustafa Lawrence – 16 points, 5 assists, 1 rebound
- Scored a career-high 16 points.
- Scored in double-figures for the fourth time this season.
- Was 5-for-10 from the field.
- Was 4-for-8 from the three-point line.
- Was 4-for-4 from free throw line.
- Dished a team-high 5 assists.
Nate Grimes – 12 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks
- Led the team in rebounds with 12.
- Recorded a double-double for the fourth time this season.
- Scored in double-figures for the fourth time this season.
- Grabbed double-figure rebounds for the fourth time this season.
- Tied his season-high with three blocks.
Noah Blackwell – 18 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists,
- Led the Bulldogs in scoring with a season-high 18 points.
- Scored in double-figures for the first time this season.
- Was 4-for-7 from the 3-point line.
- Played a team-high 39 minutes.Â
Team Notes
- This was the Bulldogs' first loss to UNLV since Feb. 20, 2015 (73-61) and first home loss to UNLV since Jan. 1, 2014 (75-62).
- Fresno State is now 4-3Â (4-2 in MW games) against UNLV in games played at the Save Mart Center.
- Fresno State is now 19-4Â when leading at halftime during Fresno State head coach Justin Hutson's tenure.
- Justin Hutson is now 24-3 all-time as a Division I head coach (4-1) or assistant coach (20-2) when coaching against one of his former teams. Hutson was UNLV's associate head coach for two seasons (2011-13).
- Fresno State is now 183-79 all-time at the Save Mart Center, which includes an 80-23 record since the start of the 2013-14 season. Fresno State is 2-1 at home this season (15-5 in Hutson's tenure).
- This was the Bulldogs' second overtime game of the season (third in Hutson's tenure).
Next up: Fresno State will visit the 25th-ranked Utah State Aggies on Saturday at 3 p.m. PT to start a three-game road trip. Saturday's game will be broadcast on AT&T Sports Net and 940 AM ESPN Radio.
Fresno State's next home game is against IUPUI on Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. PT. Single-game tickets are on sale now through the Save Mart Center Ticket Office and www.Ticketmaster.com. Tickets for home men's basketball game are always free for Fresno State students.
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"Fresno State Athletics: The Pride of the Valley" – The Bulldog Foundation creates championship experiences for Fresno State student-athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in life. To become a BDF member, please call 559-278-7160.
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