Bulldogs WAC'd by Broncos

Fresno State's season ends with 71-54 loss to Boise State in WAC tourney's quarterfinals

By Nathan Hathaway

The American Heritage Dictionary defines defense as “The act of defending against attack, danger or injury: protection.”

The Fresno State men’s basketball team might want to read it.

The dictionary defines carve as “to divide into pieces by cutting; slice.” To dissect.

Boise State apparently read that before Thursday’s 71-54 Western Athletic Conference tournament win over the Bulldogs at the Save Mart Center.

The Broncos found every hole that could be found in the Fresno State defense.

And then they found some more.

Boise State moved the ball with precision and consistently found a man open, often under the basket for an easy layup.

“ When we push the tempo, we get better shots,” Boise State coach Greg Graham said. “We had some very good interior passing tonight.”

Very good may be an understatement.

On multiple Boise State possessions, especially in the second half, there seemed to be a white jersey everywhere there wasn’t a red one.

“ They did a great job passing and finding cutters,” Fresno State coach Ray Lopes said. “They just moved the ball and found guys. And then when they found open guys, they made them.”

Fresno State’s team leader, Shantay Legans, playing in his last college game, had 10 points and five assists.

“ We just didn’t make shots tonight, and Boise did,” Legans said. “When we did get shots, we didn’t do well.”

Fresno State opened the game and kept it close. For about five minutes. After Fresno State tied the game at 9 with just under 15 minutes to go in the first half, the Broncos went on a 15-3 run and never again gave up the lead.

When Fresno State got within 13 points early in the second half, Boise State outscored the Bulldogs 11-2 over a three-minute stretch.

Fresno State shot itself in the foot, one of the few shots it hit Thursday, turning over the ball 11 times in the first half en route to 14 turnovers for the game. Boise State, meanwhile, turned over the ball five times in the first half and only twice in the second.

“ Eleven turnovers in the first half and we just don’t give ourselves a chance to win,” Lopes said. “Definitely, turnovers hurt.”

Fresno State’s Marcus West led all scorers with 16 points on 5-of-12 shooting, including 3-10 from 3-point range. Francis Koffi added 11 for the Bulldogs, and Mustafa Aql-Sayyad and Legans had 10 apiece.

“We just got outplayed by a good basketball team,” Lopes said. “Eight minutes into the first half, they just took it to the next level, and we couldn’t get an offense going.”