Fresno State Athletics
Saturday, January 4
San Jose, CA
2:00 PM PT
Fresno State
11-4,4-0Mountain West
85
at
76
San Jose State
9-6,3-1Mountain West
1
2
3
4
OT 1
F
Fresno St.
11
15
22
24
13
85
San Jose St.
24
12
21
15
4
76
Photo by: Keith Kountz
'Dogs move into sole possession of first in MW with overtime win in San Jose
1/4/2020 7:54:00 PM | Women's Basketball
SAN JOSE, Calif. – With two of the last three unbeaten teams in the Mountain West squaring off at the Provident Credit Union Event Center on Saturday afternoon, Fresno State rallied from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to leave the Bay Area with an 85-76 overtime thriller over San Jose State. Pouring in a game-high 24 points, Hanna Cavinder was clutch in crunch time, tying the game with a floater with 11 seconds in regulation before opening up overtime with a 3-pointer from the top of the key that put the 'Dogs up for good.
Hanna scored 14 of her points during the final 15 minutes of game. With the freshman leading the way at the end, the Bulldogs' starting five was again the difference. With Gamez back in the lineup for a second straight game, Fresno State saw four players finish in double figures with the junior captain scoring 16 points to go with five assists and five rebounds.
Maddi Utti and Haley Cavinder became the first Bulldog teammates since the end of the 2018 season to record double-doubles in the same game. With 12 points and 15 rebounds, Haley posted her second in a row while Utti put together a complete performance with 18 points, 15 rebounds, six assists and three steals.
How It Happened
After giving up a pair of buckets to open up the game, the Bulldogs took a brief lead three minutes in through a 6-0 spurt. San Jose State responded with 15 unanswered points to race out to a 19-6 advantage with 2:50 on the clock in the first quarter. Fresno State pulled to as close as seven early in the second period but a pair of three-pointers from Ayzhiana Basallo kept the 'Dogs at bay late in the quarter to help the Spartans maintain their double-digit lead at 36-26.
Despite an increase in its shooting percentage, Fresno State still trailed by double-digits throughout until late. The Cavinders provided a 5-0 spurt within a 22-second span late in the quarter to bring the 'Dogs within six, their smallest deficit since the opening quarter. SJSU answered though, pushing the lead back to nine at the end of the period. Head Coach Jaime White was then assessed a technical to close the period and Basallo gave the Spartans an 11-point edge to start the fourth.
Trading points in the first 90 seconds, the Bulldogs then began to turn the tide. Forcing six missed shots and four turnovers during the next five minutes, Fresno State pieced together a 15-0 run with six players chipping in. Haley ended the stretch with a jumper with 3:37 on the clock to give the 'Dogs their first lead since early in the first. The lead swung back and forth during the ensuing two minutes until Basallo sank a 3 with 52 seconds to give the Spartans a 72-70 lead.
Despite a missed attempt from Wytalla Motta with the clock winding down, Utti tied up Fieme'a Hafoka to give the ball back to the 'Dogs with 19 seconds to play. The junior then found Hanna in the corner and the freshman drove into the paint across the face of the bucket and tossed up a floater over the outstretched hand of Cydni Lewis to knot the game up with 11 seconds remaining. SJSU had once chance left to but Hafoka's attempt from inside the left wing was off the mark.
After sending the game to overtime, Hanna wasn't done as the freshmen buried a triple from the top of the key open the period. Back-to-back missed shots from the Spartans allowed Fresno State to lengthen its lead to five through pair of layups from Utti. Leading by five with 1:18 remaining, Gamez got to the bucket to push the advantage to seven with under a minute on the clock.
Team Notes
Hanna Cavinder – 24 points, 3 assists
Fresno State returns home to face New Mexico on Wednesday. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. PT at the Save Mart Center.
Hanna scored 14 of her points during the final 15 minutes of game. With the freshman leading the way at the end, the Bulldogs' starting five was again the difference. With Gamez back in the lineup for a second straight game, Fresno State saw four players finish in double figures with the junior captain scoring 16 points to go with five assists and five rebounds.
Maddi Utti and Haley Cavinder became the first Bulldog teammates since the end of the 2018 season to record double-doubles in the same game. With 12 points and 15 rebounds, Haley posted her second in a row while Utti put together a complete performance with 18 points, 15 rebounds, six assists and three steals.
How It Happened
After giving up a pair of buckets to open up the game, the Bulldogs took a brief lead three minutes in through a 6-0 spurt. San Jose State responded with 15 unanswered points to race out to a 19-6 advantage with 2:50 on the clock in the first quarter. Fresno State pulled to as close as seven early in the second period but a pair of three-pointers from Ayzhiana Basallo kept the 'Dogs at bay late in the quarter to help the Spartans maintain their double-digit lead at 36-26.
Despite an increase in its shooting percentage, Fresno State still trailed by double-digits throughout until late. The Cavinders provided a 5-0 spurt within a 22-second span late in the quarter to bring the 'Dogs within six, their smallest deficit since the opening quarter. SJSU answered though, pushing the lead back to nine at the end of the period. Head Coach Jaime White was then assessed a technical to close the period and Basallo gave the Spartans an 11-point edge to start the fourth.
Trading points in the first 90 seconds, the Bulldogs then began to turn the tide. Forcing six missed shots and four turnovers during the next five minutes, Fresno State pieced together a 15-0 run with six players chipping in. Haley ended the stretch with a jumper with 3:37 on the clock to give the 'Dogs their first lead since early in the first. The lead swung back and forth during the ensuing two minutes until Basallo sank a 3 with 52 seconds to give the Spartans a 72-70 lead.
Despite a missed attempt from Wytalla Motta with the clock winding down, Utti tied up Fieme'a Hafoka to give the ball back to the 'Dogs with 19 seconds to play. The junior then found Hanna in the corner and the freshman drove into the paint across the face of the bucket and tossed up a floater over the outstretched hand of Cydni Lewis to knot the game up with 11 seconds remaining. SJSU had once chance left to but Hafoka's attempt from inside the left wing was off the mark.
After sending the game to overtime, Hanna wasn't done as the freshmen buried a triple from the top of the key open the period. Back-to-back missed shots from the Spartans allowed Fresno State to lengthen its lead to five through pair of layups from Utti. Leading by five with 1:18 remaining, Gamez got to the bucket to push the advantage to seven with under a minute on the clock.
Team Notes
- Fresno State has started 4-0 in Mountain West play for the fifth time and second in a row.
- The Bulldogs are the last remaining unbeaten team in the Mountain West.
- The 'Dogs grabbed 57 rebounds, their most against a Division I opponent this season. It is the second time in the last three meetings that they have grabbed more than 50 against the Spartans.
- Fresno State overcame a 15-point second half deficit, its largest comeback win of the season.
- The win was the Bulldogs' first in San Jose since 2016.
- The 'Dogs moved to 2-4 when trailing at the half.
- Fresno State is 11-0 when scoring at least 70 points in regulation.
Hanna Cavinder – 24 points, 3 assists
- Scored 14 points in the final 15 minutes of the game, shooting 5-of-6 from the field.
- Shot 9-of-14 from the field.
- Third double-double of season, first since Nov. 29.
- Grabbed a career-best 15 rebounds.
- Tied a career-high in assists with six.
- Third double-double in the last four games, second in a row.
- Grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds.
- Third Bulldog since 2017 to post back-to-back double-doubles (Bego Faz Davalos, Maddi Utti).
- Scored a season-high 16 points.
- Dished out at least five assists for the four time this season.
Fresno State returns home to face New Mexico on Wednesday. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. PT at the Save Mart Center.
Team Stats
Fresno
SJSU
FG%
.388
.380
3FG%
.143
.346
FT%
.800
.583
RB
57
43
TO
11
13
STL
6
3
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
24
FGM
9
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
18
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballF
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