No winter break for athletics
Hughes Views by Eddie Hughes
Excitement was plentiful in Fresno State sports during the winter break.
It’s just too bad not everyone got to take it all in with so many
people home for the holidays and enjoying the 34 consecutive days without
worrying about classes.
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Junior quarterback Paul Pinegar threw for five
touchdowns in leading the Bulldogs to a third straight bowl win
on Dec. 27. Photo courtesy of Athletic Media Relations |
You might have heard about most of the news tidbits, but for those of
you who didn’t, here’s a rundown of what you missed. And for
those who did, here’s a chance to relive the 10 most memorable memories
of the break.
10. Women’s basketball finally loses a road game
The Bulldogs’ four-point loss at Texas-El Paso ended a string of
10 straight road wins. Before Saturday’s loss, the last time Fresno
State dropped a road game was Feb. 12, 2004 against—surprise, surprise—UTEP.
9. Dreike Bouldin grabs 23 rebounds
Bouldin, one of just three returning players on this year’s men’s
basketball team, pulled in a career-high 23 rebounds in a road win against
Louisiana Tech.
Oh, and he did it while matching up with the nation’s No. 2 rebounder
in Tech’s Paul Millsap.
8. Wrestling draws crowd to Save Mart Center
Fresno State’s wrestling team hosted then-No. 8 Iowa on Jan. 9 at
the Save Mart Center. The Bulldogs lost 30-7 to the Hawkeyes, but provided
some early excitement for the 6,863 fans in attendance when Marcio Botelho
claimed a 15-4 major decision for the Bulldogs.
It was the second-biggest crowd in Bulldogs history, behind last season’s
west coast-record 9,750 fans who saw the Bulldogs take on Iowa State.
7. Men’s basketball loses for first time
The young team surprised everyone going into winter break undefeated with
a 6-0 record. But just two days after finals ended, the team lost a heartbreaker
to a good Oregon team at the Save Mart Center.
Oregon’s Bryce Taylor rebounded a missed Ducks shot and hit a turnaround
jumper for the 83-82 win as time expired.
6. Women’s basketball showdown
The Bulldogs jumped to a 10-1 start and looked like a WAC contender, heading
into a showdown week with home games against Southern Methodist and Louisiana
Tech.
But the Bulldogs dropped both games after it looked like they finally
had a good shot to knock off national power Louisiana Tech. The Lady Techsters
won 80-70 in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score
makes it seem.
5. Logan Mankins shows his strength
The Bulldogs let their Mankins be their guide in the postseason victory
over Virginia. The soon-to-be NFL draft pick personally paved the route
to the team’s 222 rushing yards and was named to Sports Illustrated’s
all-bowl team.
He went on to display his skill in Saturday’s East-West Shrine Game
in San Francisco.
4. A former ’Dog has his day
Tennessee Titans quarterback Billy Volek, who finished his Fresno State
career in 2000, threw for more than 400 yards in two straight games. He
threw for a career-best 492 yards against the Raiders.
Volek threw for eight touchdowns and one interception in the two games—both
Titans losses. Who can figure that one out?
3. Buzzer beater puts Fresno State in first place
Ja’Vance Coleman hit a 30-foot shot as time expired to give the
men’s basketball team a 66-63 win over UTEP. It was the Miners’
first WAC loss of the season and ended their 10-game winning streak.
The Bulldogs jumped into a tie for first place with Nevada, improving
to 11-4, 5-1 WAC.
2. Football finishes 22nd
The football team recovered from three straight midseason losses to win
its final six games and finish the season No. 22 in both major polls.
It’s the first time the team has finished the season ranked since
1993, when it was No. 24.
1. MPC Computers Bowl
Hands down the biggest happening of the break was the Bulldogs’
37-34 thrilling overtime win against then-No. 18 Virginia.
The Bulldogs won on Boise’s blue turf and refused to let the Cavaliers
pull away when they had a 14-point second quarter lead.
Quarterback Paul Pinegar threw for five touchdowns and no interceptions
in the game, including a touchdown pass to Jaron Fairman on fourth down
with 11 seconds left that sent the game to overtime.
Pinegar then hit Stephen Spach for the winning score on the Bulldogs’
first offensive play of the overtime.
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