Nevada hounds 'Dogs in blowout fashion

By Jeff Christian
The Collegian

Fresno State kept it close in the first half, but No. 12 Nevada’s 21-7 run to open the second half helped the Wolf Pack runaway from the Bulldogs 81-68 Thursday night.

The Bulldogs came out with energy and had a chance to build a lead in the first half after Marcelus Kemp was saddled with two early fouls and was forced to sit on the bench until halftime.

But the Bulldogs couldn't take advantage of Kemp's absence.

Dominic McGuire and Quinton Hosley proved no defender on the Wolf Pack could prevent them from taking the ball to the basket as the two helped put Fresno State in the double-bonus with more than five minutes left in the first half.

Unfortunately, yet another opportunity was lost as the Bulldogs shot a woeful 7-17 from the free throw line in the first half.

The missed free throws cost Fresno State a chance of having at least a seven-point lead in the first half.

Instead, Nevada was able to take confidence and a two-point lead into halftime.

Fresno State failed to attack the basket in the second half, but the free throw woes did continue. The Bulldogs finished shooting 10 of 25 from the free throw line for the game.

Nevada used its size and strength to dominate the Bulldogs on the glass. The Wolf Pack out-rebounded the Bulldogs 56 to 27.

Bulldogs head coach Steve Cleveland said the difference between Fresno State and the competition is the physical play.

"We're not physical enough to compete at the highest levels in this conference," Cleveland said.

Every time the Bulldogs made a run, the Wolf Pack seemed to have an answer.

Nevada’s Nick Fazekas was the ultimate answer to the Bulldogs attack.

Fazekas looked unstoppable around the basket as he punished the Bulldogs in the paint with 33 points and 15 rebounds.

For every defensive approach that Cleveland and the Bulldogs defense tried, Fazekas seemed to have an answer. The two-time WAC player of the year showed his complete arsenal: put backs, hook shots, 3-pointers, you name the shot and Fazekas probably made it.

The absence of Ja’Vance Coleman, who was dismissed from the team on Monday, required Cleveland to dip deeper into his bench. Tyson Parker scored 10 of Fresno State’s 12 bench points.

"They kind of wore us down," Cleveland said. "When we did have a chance to energize and get back in it we missed free throws."

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