Joseph Edgecomb / The Collegian
Men̢۪s Basketball
Saturday night̢۪s game at the University of Pacific came down to the wire. The men̢۪s basketball team improved its record to 3-4 with a game winning shot by Dwight O̢۪Neil.
The shot came off an inbound pass from point guard Bryce Cartwright with 0.9 seconds left in the game, and O̢۪Neil nailed the fall-away jumper to beat the buzzer and give Fresno State a 65-64 win.
“It was a good win, especially on the road,â€Â coach Steve Cleveland said. “We just tried to get a high percentage shot and made multiple stops down the stretch. A lot of guys played well.â€Â
The Bulldogs shot a season-high 56.3 percent from the field, while they limited the Tigers to shooting 42.4 percent. The road win was the Bulldogs̢۪ first win on the road this year.
“We’ve had a couple tough road games to start the year,â€Â Cleveland said. “We knew away games against teams like St. Mary’s and San Diego State would be tough games, but I like our team’s effort early on in the season.â€Â
While O̢۪Neil hit the game-winner, freshmen Paul George and and Mychal Ladd made big contributions as well. George led the Bulldogs with 23 points. Fifteen of those points came from beyond the three-point line as George shot 5-for-5 from three-point land. Ladd chipped in with a career high of 19 points and had a team-high nine rebounds.
“O’Neil, Seay and the freshmen class have played a big role so far, and will all season,â€Â Cleveland said.
The freshmen class has been a big reason the Bulldogs feel this season won̢۪t be a rebuilding year. With good showings against then-No. 23 St. Mary̢۪s, and an undefeated UNLV team, the Bulldogs have reason to believe.
“We lost a lot of players last year,â€Â Cleveland said. “However, if we can continue to elevate our play, I see no reason why we can’t compete for a WAC championship.â€Â
The Bulldogs̢۪ solid non-conference schedule should help for when conference play comes around.
“All we could do is take it one game at a time,â€Â Cleveland said. “Every game is tough.â€Â
Women̢۪s Basketball
Coming off a loss (84-70) at the University of Pacific Saturday, the women̢۪s basketball team knows they are capable of playing better. The loss dropped the Bulldogs record to 5-2.
“We have a lot to work on still,â€Â coach Adrian Wiggins said. “We need to play with more consistency.â€Â
Bailey Amundsen led Fresno State with 17 points and eight rebounds, but the Tigers were too tough on the boards, out-rebounding the Bulldogs 45-35. LaShay Fears had 13 points, Marnique Arnold had 10 and Taja Edwards contributed off the bench to score nine points and grab eight rebounds.
The Bulldogs shot just 41 percent from the field, but the rebounding factor was the difference.
“It’s a fact that we are a shorter team. It has its advantages and disadvantages,â€Â Wiggins said. “If we don’t shoot well, it’s more likely than not going to mean it will be a long night.â€Â
That was the case Saturday as the Bulldogs shot 5-for-18 from the three-point-line.
“The three is a big part of our game,â€Â Wiggins said. “I feel like our offense will only get better though.â€Â
Pacific led throughout most of the game, but the Bulldogs led 55-54 early on in the second half. The Tigers then went on a 10-0 run to put the game out of reach as it turned into a game of runs until the final buzzer.
“We had chances, but didn’t capitalize,â€Â Wiggins said. “If we shoot better, we probably win. However, our defense must improve.â€Â
It̢۪s no secret that the defensive end is the weak spot for the Bulldogs, but Wiggins feels they don̢۪t have to be perfect on defense.
“If we just play a little harder on the defensive end each night, we will improve greatly,â€Â Wiggins said. “We don’t have to be a great defensive team, because we are very capable of outscoring teams.â€Â