Bulldogs crush Spartans 121-81 in record-setting fashion

Saturday, March 9

Fresno, Calif.

4 p.m. PT

Fresno State

22-8, 13-5MW

121

San Jose State

4-26, 1-17MW

San Jose State

Fresno State

121

Photo by: Keith Kountz

Bulldogs crush Spartans 121-81 in record-setting fashion

3/9/2019 7:23:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

The Fresno State men’s basketball team rewrote its record book and left its mark with multiple Mountain West records as the Bulldogs beat SJSU by 40 on a special Senior Night.

By: Stephen Trembley / Director of New Media

FRESNO, Calif. --- The Fresno State men's basketball team defeated the San Jose State Spartans 121-81 on a special Saturday night at the Save Mart Center.

The 121 points scored by Fresno State are the most points scored by a MW team this season and the most-ever by a team in a conference game in 20 seasons of MW basketball. It was also the fourth-highest scoring game in program history and the most scored in a game by the Bulldogs since 1997.

Fresno State (22-8, 13-5 Mountain West) will enter the 2019 Mountain West Basketball Championships as the No. 3 seed and open play in the MW quarterfinals in Las Vegas on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. PT. Fresno State is the only MW program to have earned a first-round bye for the MW Tournament in each of the last five seasons, including this season.

Fresno State senior guard Deshon Taylor scored a career-high 37 points with eight assists, while senior guard Braxton Huggins also added a career-best 34 points with a program-record 10 made 3-pointers, which also tied a MW record for most 3-point field goals made by an individual in a game and were the most-ever by a MW senior. This was the first time in program history that two Bulldogs scored 30 or more points in the same game.

Fresno State redshirt junior guard Noah Blackwell added a "quiet" 25 points while making a career-high seven 3-pointers (on just eight attempts) and also had eight assists.

With 23 made 3-pointers, Fresno State set new program and Mountain West records for most 3-point field goals made in a game.

SJSU (4-26, 1-17 MW) was paced by Michael Steadman, who had a team-high 21 points and nine rebounds for the Spartans.

How it happened: The Bulldogs opened the game firing from beyond the 3-point arch.

Huggins scored Fresno State's first nine points with three 3-point field goals, in a span of three minutes. In fact, the Bulldogs' first 10 field goals would be 3-pointers to set the pace for a high scoring night.

Back-to-back 3-point baskets from Deshon Taylor gave the Bulldogs an 18-14 lead with 14:01 left in the half. The Spartans managed to rally back and tie the game 21-21 with 11:44 to play in the half.

Fresno State then went on a 12-0 run to take a 33-21 lead over SJSU. The Bulldogs propelled to a 56-36 lead, their largest of the half, with 1:43 left in the half, and Fresno State would take a 59-40 lead into halftime. Braxton Huggins had 21 of his 34 points, including seven 3-point field goals, in the first half.

Fresno State opened the second half with six straight points, capped by a Huggins 3-pointer to take a 27-point lead over SJSU, early in the second half.

The Bulldogs then kicked it into an even higher gear to go on a 16-3 run, to take a 41-point lead over the Spartans for their largest lead of the game (116-75) and cruised to the final buzzer. All three Bulldog seniors – Taylor, Huggins and Sam Bittner – each got their own Save Mart Center curtain call in the closing minutes.

As a team, Fresno State shot 64.5 percent from the field for the game (40-for-62), including a 60.5 percent clip from beyond the 3-point arch (23-for-38). The Bulldogs had 26 assists on their 40 made field goals and nine steals in the 40-point rout. Fresno State also outscored SJSU 25-5 in points off the turnovers.

Quotes:
Fresno State Head Coach Justin Hutson
On the game…
"It was fun. It was fun to see that ball go in. It wasn't fun watching that defense that we played in the first half, but we made enough shots to make it fun and the guys locked down and they shared the ball. It was fun to see them share the ball."

On getting Noah going...
"If there's such a thing, he was a quiet 25 (points). You looked up and said, 'Wow, Noah has 25 ...' We know he can shoot the ball and play and when you have these guards that I'm with sometimes it's easy for them to defer, for Noah and New to defer, and we've been working on it lately. I don't want them to go in and force it, I want them to be aggressive and he did a good job tonight. We're going to need him next week."

On the seniors…
"What I told them in there, I couldn't have had a better group for our staff and myself in the first year because of what they're about character wise. The talent that they bring to the equation is obvious. We can all see that. But what you can't see is the leadership, the hard work, wanting to be at practice every day, listening, toughness. They willed us to a lot of wins on the road and all in their own way and they led by example. We're very appreciative and I told them me and my staff will always be very appreciative of our first year having these three seniors because they're very special."

On ball movement…
"One thing, we scored a lot of points, but if you look we've got Noah with eight assists, Deshon with eight assists, New (Williams) with three assists. You get 26 assists. Some nights we have to get the ball to DT and Braxton on iso a little bit, but for us to have that ball movement tonight, hopefully that continues."

Braxton Huggins, Senior, Guard
On his teammates helping him break the program's 3-point record…
"It was good. That's what family is. Family is together and they realized that I only needed two threes to get it and we all came together and said let's figure out how to get it and find the best shot and that's what we did."

On his mom being at the game…
"It was super special. I can count on my hand how many games she has been to. For her to be here to experience that performance and for us win like that, it's surreal. It's a dream come true. I'm happy to be in this position right now."

Sam Bittner, Senior, Guard
On senior day…
"It was an amazing experience. It's not every often you get to be honored for all the work you've done. It has been a long four years and I appreciate all the fans and everyone who has supported me throughout the time here, coach (Rodney) Terry and his staff and coach Hut and his staff. There has been a lot of connections and networking and family that has been built here. This is my home now, so I just want to say thank you to Fresno and thank you to Fresno State."

On the team's confidence…
"We've always been confident. Our guys, coach Hutson likes to use the word 'swag. We have to have swag on our team.' I think we have a lot of swag on our team between our guards and our post men. Once we're firing on all cylinders we're a scary team to beat, but oftentimes we beat ourselves so if we can just avoid that, avoid the silly mistakes avoid the turnovers, we're a tough team to beat."

"I think our confidence comes with our preparation. When we're prepared and we know what we're going into, have the right mindset, we're really confident and we're a really strong team. But when we get big heads sometimes, when we second guess our opponent, that's when we end up tripping up on our own shoelaces. If we go out there and we're prepared and have grit and show how valley tough we are then we'll be all right."

Deshon Taylor, Senior, Guard
On senior day…
"It meant everything. It was amazing to be a walk on and then that first year not being able to play so much in the beginning and then things just opened up and coach gave me a chance to play and I just took advantage of everything that was thrown my way. To be able to stay here my senior year, get this crowd and that performance, it means everything."

On the team's confidence…
"I feel like everybody got their confidence today. Everybody was making shots. We haven't really played a game where everybody was hitting, everybody was playing confidently. But today we showed what can happen if everyone is playing how they can play. We feel real confident - three in a row we've got and now we have to get three more in a row."

Player Notes:
Deshon Taylor – 37 points, 8 assists, 2 steals, 1 rebound

Taylor scored a career-high 37 points.
Taylor scored 30 or more points for the sixth time in his career, third time this season.
Taylor scored 20 or more points for the 30th time in his career (11th time this season).
Taylor scored in double-figures for the 67th time in his career (22nd time this season).
Taylor tied his season-high with nine three-point field goal attempts.
Taylor tied his season-high with eight assists.
Taylor was 13-for-14 from the free throw line.

Braxton Huggins – 34 points, 2 assists, 1 steal

Huggins scored a career-high 34 points.
Huggins made a career-high 10 3-point field goals.
Huggins broke the program record for most 3-point field goals made in a single-game (10) and tied the MW record.
Huggins scored 30 or more points for the fourth time this season.
Huggins scored 20 or more points for the 11th time this season.
Huggins scored in double-figures for the 25th time this season.

Team Notes:

Fresno State set a new program record for 3-point field goals made in a single game with 23 made 3-point field goals (previous record: 18 made 3-pointers at Georgia in the first round of the NIT in 2007.
Fresno State set a new program record for 3-point field goals made in a season with 321 3-point field goals made (previous record: 303 made 3-point field goals during 2006-07 season).
Fresno State set a new Save Mart Center record for most points scored with 121 points (previous record: 111 vs. UNLV on Feb. 6, 2016). This is also a new MW record for most points in a MW game and the fifth-highest scoring game ever by a MW team.
Fresno State set a new Save Mart Center record for most points in a half with 59 in the first half (previous record: 58 points in the 2nd half by UNLV on Feb. 6, 2016).
Fresno State set a new Save Mart Center record for most 3-pointers in a game with 23 made 3-point field goals (previous record: 16 by Fresno State vs. Cal Poly on Dec. 23, 2006). This is also a new MW record.
With the win, Fresno State first-year head coach Justin Hutson has tied the program record for most wins (22) by a head coach in his first season (Jerry Tarkanian – 1995-96 season).
Fresno State has won the second-most MW games (35) in the last three seasons of any MW team.
By scoring 62 points in the second half, Fresno State scored the most points in a half since scoring 62 points in the second half of a 108-56 victory over UTEP on Jan. 25, 2001.
With Deshon Taylor scoring 37 points and Braxton Huggins scoring 34 points, this was the first time in program history that two Bulldogs scored 30 or more points in the same game.
With the 40-point victory, this was Fresno State's largest margin of victory ever in a MW game and eighth by 20 or more points (30th MW win by double digits).

Up Next: Fresno State will face the winner of Wednesday's first-round game between No. 6 seed Air Force and No. 11 seed San Jose State in the MW Quarterfinals on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. PT at the Thomas & Mack Center.

"Just the Ticket to Build our Community" – 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.