’Dogs edged in defensive dogfight

Saturday, March 6

Fresno, Calif.

8 P.M. PT

Fresno State

11-11, 9-11MW

Utah State

18-7, 15-4MW

Utah State

Fresno State

Photo by: Samuel Marshall

’Dogs edged in defensive dogfight

3/6/2021 11:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Fresno State sophomore guard Isaiah Hill scored a game-high 16 points with eight rebounds and five assists in the Bulldogs’ 57-51 loss to Utah State late Saturday night.

By: Stephen Trembley / Director of New Media

FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno State men's basketball team lost 57-51 to the Utah State Aggies in a physical dogfight on Saturday night at the Save Mart Center.

Despite the close loss, Fresno State (11-11, 9-11 Mountain West) secured the No. 6 seed for the 2021 Air Force Reserve Mountain West Men's Basketball Championship, which will be played in Las Vegas at the Thomas & Mack Center. Utah State (18-7, 15-4 MW) will be the No. 2 seed in the single-elimination tournament.

The Bulldogs are slated to open with No. 11-seeded New Mexico Lobos in a first-round match-up on Wednesday at 4 p.m. PT on the Mountain West Network and 940 AM ESPN Radio.

How it happened: Fresno State held USU to a season-low 17 first-half points on just 25 percent from the field (6-for-24) before halftime in another solid defensive effort in March, which featured the Bulldogs leading for nearly 30 minutes of the 40-minute affair.

Fresno State sophomore point guard Isaiah Hill scored a game-high 16 points with eight rebounds and five assists, two steals and a block for the Bulldogs, who did not attempt a free throw in the second half.

Meanwhile, sophomore forward Orlando Robinson produced his ninth double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds in the regular season finale, which finished out the Bulldogs' full 20-game conference schedule.

Fresno State was one of three MW programs, along with Air Force and Boise State, to play a full league schedule this season.

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