Men's Basketball Preview

By Jeff Christian
The Collegian

Fresno State head coach Steve Cleveland has described this week as the most important week of the Bulldogs’ season. Sitting on the bubble for postseason play, the ’Dogs host Hawaii and travel to Idaho this week.

Two wins would put them in great shape and bolster Fresno State’s postseason résumé as they head into next week’s games against WAC leaders Nevada and New Mexico State.

The Bulldogs’ first step to strengthening that résumé will come this Thursday when they host Hawaii. Fresno State vowed to restrict itself from the extra-curricular activities and distractions that accompany the annual trip to Honolulu every season.

Yet in their first meeting, the ’Dogs were dismantled and embarrassed on their trip to the islands as they lost 83-66.

The team has battled adversity over the past week, due in large part to the Ja’Vance Coleman saga, but the ’Dogs have also started to jell and play together as a team during that same time period.

Fresno State must get key contributions from its role players — like it did with Tyson Parker last game — and control Hawaii’s athleticism in the low post if it is to sustain the momentum of last Saturday’s win.

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