Second-half surge lifts 'Dogs
The men's team advances to the semifinals with an overtime win against
Louisiana Tech
Staff Report / The Collegian
Things were looking glum for Fresno State before a second-half spurt
in Thursday night’s 84-81 overtime win over Louisiana Tech in the
quarterfinals of the Western Athletic Conference tournament in Reno, Nev.
Ja’Vance Coleman led fourth-seeded Fresno State to an 84-81
overtime win over fifth-seeded Louisiana Tech on Thursday with 24
points, eight rebounds and five assists. The Bulldogs face eighth-seeded
Boise State in the semifinals tonight at 8:30. Photo
by Joseph Hollak |
Fourth-seeded Fresno State trailed 42-32 at halftime before going on
a 15-6 run to open the second half, eventually taking a two-point lead
(52-50) when freshman Donovan Morris hit a 3-pointer.
Ja’Vance Coleman led Fresno State with 24 points on 8-of-18 shooting.
He was 4 of 7 from 3-point range and also added eight rebounds and five
assists.
Fresno State (16-13) managed to out-rebound fifth-seeded Louisiana Tech
47-45 despite a big-game performance from Tech sophomore Paul Millsap,
who grabbed 17 rebounds and scored a game-high 25 points.
Millsap had a chance to tie the game with 16 seconds left in overtime,
but missed a free throw.
At the end of regulation, Fresno State led by one point before Louisiana
Tech’s Donnell Allick was sent to the free-throw line when a foul
was called on Chris Berry.
Allick missed the second of his two free throws with 7.7 seconds left,
but Fresno State wasn’t able to get off a potential game-winning
shot.
Coleman scored seven of his team’s 10 points in overtime, including
a 3-pointer to tie the game after Louisiana Tech took a brief overtime
lead.
Fresno State took an 82-78 overtime lead on a Dreike Bouldin 3-pointer
with 1:10 left, but that lead was cut to one when Millsap hit three of
four free throws on the next two possessions combined. But Millsap missed
his fourth free-throw attempt and Louisiana Tech sent Coleman to the line.
Coleman connected on both free throws to put Fresno State ahead 84-81.
Allick put up a last-second 3-pointer that missed before getting the ball
back and hitting one after time had expired.
Fresno State faces eighth-seeded Boise State tonight at 8:30 in a semifinal
matchup. Boise State upset top-seeded Nevada 73-72 in Thursday’s
late game.
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