Women's b-ball beat by No.23 Utah

By Darrell Copeland

For the women’s basketball team over the weekend, it was a case of the good, the bad and the youthful.

The Bulldogs lost in the championship of the Fresno State Classic by a score of 66-53 to No. 23 Utah, a night after defeating visiting Louisiana-Monroe 88-56. Also participating in the tournament was Western Kentucky, who placed third overall in the tournament.

Against the Utes, the Bulldogs gave up a 9-0 lead, forcing them to take what was already their second time out of the half at 17:14.

“ We were like a deer caught in the headlights,” Fresno State coach Stacy Johnson-Klein said.

The Utes opened up the game shooting 71 percent on five out of seven shooting to the Bulldogs’ 12.5 percent on 1 of 8 shooting.

“ The first five minutes was tough,” Johnson-Klein said. “That’s why I called a lot of timeouts. To try and control their emotions and their intensity.”

For at least the rest of the first half, that strategy worked. The Bulldogs outscored the Utes 31 to 24 the rest of the half.

“ I feel like they contained themselves,” Johnson-Klein said. “They got themselves together.”

Amidst all of the drama involved in a momentum changing game, Fresno State may have found a new diamond in the rough in Bulldog freshman Jasmine Plummer. Plummer came off the bench and contributed eight points, three steals, and 10 rebounds.

“ Right now she’s our sparkplug,” Johnson-Klein said.

The Utes turned it up in the second half, led by preseason all-American Kim Smith. Smith was held to just five points in the first half but exploded for 17 in the second, including five of six from the three point line.

Smith alone outshot the Bulldogs from three point land, making six of her seven attempts, one better than the five for 16 the Bulldogs made.

Fresno State was led by senior Aritta Lane, who’s leadership helped the Bulldogs creep back to within 13 by game’s end.

“ I think I’ve taken on a leadership responsibility,” Lane said.

Fresno State will need as much leadership as possible with all of the youth and inexperienced talent on the team.

“ We got good people, but we don’t have the maturity yet to follow through,” Johnson-Klein said. “We will though.”

Overall, Johnson-Klein was impressed with her team’s performance.

“ I didn’t think we would even be in the same realm at this point,” Johnson-Klein said. “So for the future, I think that is positive for us.”

Fresno State will take their 1-2 record into Stillwater, Oklahoma for the Cowgirl Classic hosted by Oklahoma State. The Bulldogs will play Western Illinois in the tournament opener. Fresno State is looking for its first tournament title on the road since the 1988-89 season when it won the Nevada Wolfpack Classic.