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2004 WAC Tournament tips off on campus...It’s back to the WAC tournament for the Bulldogs, and this time they won’t have to travel far. Fresno State opens its Western Athletic Conference tournament play against Boise State at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday. The teams split their season series this year, with each team winning on the other’s home court. Coach Ray Lopes said the team’s primary focus as it enters Thursday’s game is keeping up with the Broncos’ fast-paced running offense. “ I think the biggest key for us is getting back in transition defense,” Lopes said. “We’ve got to get back and play 5-on-5. They may be the best team as far as getting out and running.” But the Bulldogs are known for controlling the tempo of a game and making it play out at their pace—slow. Fresno State (14-14, 10-8 WAC)is averaging 63.1 points per game this season, second to last in the WAC. But the Bulldogs offset it by boasting the best scoring defense in the conference, holding opponents to 61.4 points per game. “ We’ve done a good job of that all year long, controlling the tempo,” Lopes said. “But the reason we’ve been able to control the tempo is our point guard. When you have a really good point guard, you can control the tempo. I’ve got a lot more confidence in our ability offensively and our decisions offensively.” That point guard is second-team All-WAC selection Shantay Legans. Legans is the Bulldogs’ leading scorer (16.7 points per game), and his 5.33 assists per game lead the WAC. On the other side of the court, Boise State (20-8, 12-6 WAC) brings in a team averaging 74.2 points per game, though the Bulldogs limited the Broncos to a 58-point average in the two games the teams played. Boise State is led by senior forward Aaron Haynes. Haynes, a Fresno High graduate, was selected to the All-WAC first team this season after averaging14.4 points per game. Lopes, however, sees no need to do anything special to defend Haynes. “ I think we’ve played Aaron well all four games he’s had against us at Fresno State,” Lopes said. “So we’re not going to do anything different. We’re just going to go out there and guard him, and guard him hard.” Fresno State has limited Haynes to 33 total points in the teams’ two games this season. The Bulldogs are hoping to carry over the momentum from the final two games of the season, both wins at the Save Mart Center. Fresno State’s last two games of the season, against San Jose State and Hawaii, saw Legans (30) and Mustafa Al-Sayyad (24) post career highs in points, and the Bulldogs scored their highest number of points all season in Thursday’s 81-76 win over San Jose State. “ We’re going to play the way we’ve been playing lately, which is try to seek as many scoring opportunities as we can,” Lopes said. “Now how you control it defensively is how well you get back in transition defense. That’s always been an emphasis for us all year long. “ I’m really been happy with everybody stepping up. The more point production we can get outside of Shantay and Marcus (West), the better off our chances, because we’re going to guard. We’re going to be solid defensively, we’re going to rebound solidly and we’re going to go out there and compete, so the more offense the better.” — Joshua D. Scroggin contributed to this report |