Bulldogs win battle with Fresno foe

By NATHAN HATHAWAY

Fresno State’s Red Wave of support turned out to be more orange and blue in the Bulldogs’ 84-50 exhibition win over Fresno Pacific on Monday.

Of the announced 4,349 spectators at the Save Mart Center, more than half were cheering for Fresno Pacific—and cheering loudly at that. Sunbirds fans came complete with signs and bullhorns, even silencing a cheer-team-led “Fresno State” chant early in the second half.

“Obviously their program is more established. They outdraw the men. They win in their league. And they have a very good following. That’s one reason we like to play them,” coach Stacy Johnson-Klein said. “Our fans need to get on board and get up. They’re good fans, but we need to get them louder, make ’em louder.”

Bulldogs guard Chantella Perera looked at the noise as a good thing.

“The Pacific crowd was loud, and I think that’s a good example for our fans,” Perera said. “Having them loud, the atmosphere was good for our team and the game, and maybe that’ll bring more people to our games. They’re all Fresno fans, we need them all, so I think the louder the better for us.”

In the first half, after the Bulldogs had built a 10-point lead and looked to be in control, Fresno Pacific went on an 8-0 run.

But the Bulldogs took control again, outscoring the Sunbirds down the stretch to establish a 36-30 halftime lead.

To start the second half, the Bulldogs had significant trouble finding the basket. Fresno State didn’t score until more than four minutes into the half, time in which Fresno Pacific stole back the lead, 38-36.

That didn’t last long, however, as Fresno State went on a 25-4 run to re-establish a lead the Bulldogs never again lost.

In fact, Fresno State was so dominant down the stretch in the second half that Fresno Pacific was held scoreless for nearly seven minutes, a stretch that didn’t end until Sanger’s Anna Horn, who had 13 points, hit a free throw with 23 seconds left in the game.

“We finally denied the ball,” Johnson-Klein said. “We overplayed the passing lanes and didn’t allow a three. But the biggest thing is rebounding.”

The Bulldogs decimated Fresno Pacific in rebounding, pulling down 63 to the Sunbirds’ 25. Fresno State had as many offensive rebounds as Fresno Pacific had total rebounds.

“They really got on the boards and didn’t allow Pacific a second shot,” Johnson-Klein said, “and that’s tough. When you’re not allowed a second shot, it really takes the gas out of anyone to battle. And our girls are big and strong when they do battle.”

“Our philosophy is just to box your man out and let it hit the floor, and that’s what we did,” said Fresno State forward Brittani Green, who finished with 13 points and eight rebounds. “Everybody was just trying to reach their (rebounding) goal. So we were just eager to out rebound them. Because we know if we out rebound them, then we’ll win games.”

Johnson-Klein said her team was never really worried about losing the game, even when it was close.

“They’re not about to get beat right now. Losing was never even a thought,” Johnson-Klein said, “but how we won was a thought. We wanted to win by being the best defensive team and shutting people down defensively and rebounding. And I can’t stress that enough.

“It doesn’t matter who we’re playing. It all has to be about the same philosophy so at the end we can all accomplish the same goal.”