Bulldog point guard Isaiah Hill and center Eduardo Andre led Fresno State to victory, defeating the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), 76-63, on Jan. 21 at the Save Mart Center.
Andre held his own in the paint as the only big, with Isiah Moore out because of injuries. From the start of the game, Andre got the Bulldogs on the board and continued to score, earning him a season-high of 16 points.
Despite his offensive performance, he said he didn’t care about the stats he put up or if he is going on an offensive run. He told The Collegian his mind was on one thing.
“I just like winning. I do whatever I can to help the team win,” Andre said.
After a two-week hiatus due to an injury, Hill led Fresno State in scoring with a career-high of 28 points, shooting 7-for-12 from the field and 4-for-7 from the 3-point line. Although it was his first game back, Hill played 39 out of 40 minutes for the Bulldogs.
“When I’m out there my adrenaline is going and I just want to do whatever it takes to win,” added Hill.
UNLV won the jump ball and immediately both teams were firing offensively.
Although the Rebels scored the first points of the game with a 3-pointer, Bulldog center Eduardo Andre responded, scoring the first two buckets for Fresno State inside the paint. The Rebels were still up 6-4, with 17 minutes remaining.
After an offensive rebound, Andre tied the game up with a second-chance layup, 6-6. Fresno State found its rhythm and got the lead, holding it for the rest of the first half.
Rebel guards Luis Rodriguez and Keshon Gilbert always had a response offensively and kept the score close.
Bulldogs’ Hill and Andre scored 17 points combined in the first 10 minutes of the game. Although Hill has been a key leader for the Dogs’ starting lineup, Andre showed the Red Wave he’s ready to step up to a bigger role as Isiah Moore sits out due to injury.
“He plays with a nice spirit out there and a nice energy and it’s fun to watch, and he’s really eager to learn,” said Coach Justin Hutson.
Around the eight-minute mark, Fresno State held a small lead 26-23, but then went on a 6-2 run to expand it. UNLV couldn’t find an answer to lower the lead.
At the end of the first half Fresno State led 37-33.
In the first 30 seconds of the second half, Fresno State was sloppy on both ends of the court, making a turnover and giving a foul.
Yet, the momentum quickly shifted when Leo Colimero responded with a slam dunk off of a fast break that had the players and fans at the edge of their seats.
After coming back from a time-out around the 15-minute mark Jordan Campbell made two alley-oop dunks both assisted by Jemarl Baker, energizing the entire Save Mart Center filled with over 5-thousand fans.
“It’s nice to get a win in front of the red wave and at home,” said Coach Hutson.
In the final minute of the game, Hill was fouled from the 3 and made all three of his free throws, securing the win. Fresno State wins 76-63.
UNLV is ranked 10th in the Mountain West Conference while Fresno State is ranked 8th.
Fresno State is now 3-4 in conference play, with an overall record of 7-11. They will travel to Boise to compete against Boise State on Jan. 24.