The Fresno State women’s basketball team secured its sixth straight win against the Utah State Aggies on Wednesday night with an 86-56 victory.
After dropping a game on the road against Grand Canyon University over the weekend, the ‘Dogs returned to the Save Mart Center hungry for a win.
“I think the ladies are doing a much better job of making the extra pass, but more so creating an advantage out of a mistake that the defense makes,” said Head Coach Ryan McCarthy.
Swarming defense, combined with an aggressive mindset on offense, gave the Bulldogs an early lead.
“We’re going to put the refs in a hard position sometimes, and we’re not going to change,” McCarthy said. “I think that’s one of the reasons why this team, like I said, three players that had Division One scholarships out of high school can beat teams that, maybe, have better resumes than them, because of how hard they play.”
After the dominant opening quarter, the ‘Dogs played with a comfortable lead for most of the contest.
Entering Wednesday’s game, guard Emilia Long was just eight points shy of 1,000 career points. Against the Aggies, Long hit the mark but didn’t slow down.
Long scored 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field. She also added five assists and four rebounds.
“It has truly been an honor for me to coach a player that’s that loyal, that hard working and treats her teammates with kindness,” McCarthy said. “I just think Millie embodies everything of what we want to be as a program.”
Forward Indiya Clarke started off slow but was able to put together a near double-double performance. She ended with nine points and 10 rebounds.
“I’m really happy for that, but I thought she did a really good job of responding after getting pulled out and coached hard there in the first half,” McCarthy said.
Despite the win, Coach McCarthy is eager for the team to prove themselves on the road.
“I’ve told our team that, you know, like this is cute, this is cool but, like, we got to win a road game if we’re going to get any respect in this league,” McCarthy said.
The ‘Dogs will be back on the road for the next two games as they will take on the Nevada Wolf Pack on Jan. 17 and then the Boise State Broncos on Jan. 21.
The Bulldogs will put their three-game home winning streak on the line on Jan. 24 when the Colorado State Rams come to town.
