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Game PreviewFresno State vs. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Point Guard The Bulldogs are in need of some leadership going into a pivotal road trip at Louisiana Tech and SMU. Senior Shantay Legans is just the man to provide it. He’s an experienced team leader who can serve as a coach on the floor and be the leading scorer if necessary. Shooting Guard Sophomore Terry Pettis leads the team in scoring at 13.8 points per game. But Pettis is shooting just 38 percent on the season, and he has eight more turnovers (36) than assists (28). The Bulldogs need Pettis’ shot to be on to win at Louisiana Tech. Small Forward Marcus West didn’t start against Nevada—one of just two games he hasn’t started in this season. But West will be back in the lineup Thursday, considering Renaldo Major was suspended indefinitely Tuesday for violating team rules. West has been in a slump of sorts in recent games, scoring just two points against Nevada. Pretty disappointing considering he is the most accurate 3-point shooter in the WAC. Dreike Bouldin is likely to see an increase in playing time with the absence of Major. Power Forward Without Jonathan Woods, who was also suspended indefinitely Tuesday, the Bulldogs turn to first-year junior college transfer Chris Adams. Averaging 18 minutes per game, Adams scores 3.6 points per game and pulls down 3.4 rebounds. Woods is the team’s fourth leading scorer at 10 points per game. Center Mustafa Al-Sayyad has been a rebounding phenom in the team’s past two games. He had 14 rebounds in a win over Tulsa and 12 in a loss to Nevada. The Bulldogs will need Al-Sayyad to turn in a similar performance in slowing down Louisiana Tech’s Paul Millsap—the WAC’s leading rebounder. The Bulldogs will need quality minutes off the bench from Jack Marlow—especially with the lack of depth cause by Woods’ suspension. Bulldogs Point Guard Donell Allick is Louisiana Tech’s second-leading scorer with 12.4 points per game. But the junior isn’t known for his ball-handling. He has 64 assists and 63 turnovers—not good for a point guard. But expect Allick to be ready to go when he faces Legans. The two jawed back and fourth throughout their first meeting, a 61-40 Bulldogs win. Edge: Fresno State Shooting Guard Junior JueMichael Young will share the assignment of limiting Pettis’ penetration—not an easy task. Young averages 8.5 points and shoots 37 percent from outside. Tech could use a few 3s Thursday. The team had was just 2-for-13 from outside in the first meeting against Fresno State. Edge: Fresno State Small Forward Corey Dean scored 13 points in the teams’ previous rendezvous.
Dean’s 11.3 points per game is third on the squad. The winner of
the Dean-West match-up should go a long way in determining which team
wins. Power Forward Watch out for Paul Millsap. The tenacious rebounder might be the nation’s most fabulous freshman, averaging a team-leading 14.9 points per game and 12.2 rebounds. Fresno State limited the freshman to two points and eight rebounds the first time around, but that was with Woods in the game. Edge: Louisiana Tech Center Wayne Powell was nothing short of sensational in the first half of his previous showing against Fresno State. Powell finished with 16 points and five rebounds and was nailing jumpers with hands in his face. Al-Sayyad can’t allow that to happen again. If it does, Fresno State might lose a game it shouldn’t. Edge: Even |