It was one of those nights for Fresno State guard Kevin Olekaibe, who knocked down every shot he put up, going 6 for 6 from the 3-point line and scoring a team-high 18 points.

But it also was one of those nights for the Bulldogs, another second-half run falling short in a 74-67 loss at Colorado State -- their ninth defeat this season by seven or fewer points.

The Bulldogs (9-18, 3-11 Mountain West) were within 53-51 with 10 minutes to go, but couldn't sustain at the offensive or defensive ends. Colorado State got into Olekaibe, limiting his looks at the basket, and the Rams would pull away.

After freshman Marvelle Harris hit a 3-pointer on an assist from point guard Allen Huddleston to get the Bulldogs to within two, they didn't score for more than 4 minutes.

"We clawed our way back to a one-possession game and we had a play at the rim that could have tied it, didn't get that," coach Rodney Terry said. "It just got back down to finishing our possessions. We had some possessions at the defensive end where we ended up fouling and putting those guys on the line or giving them second-chance points. When you play a team like this, they're going to make their free throws. You can't give them a second chance because they're going to cash those in.

"They're an older team, a really good team. I think they can play into the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament. That's how good I think they are."

Kevin Foster missed a shot from the 3-point line and Olekaibe turned it over as the Rams (22-6, 9-4) started to build their lead. Foster then missed in the lane and Huddleston missed a jumper. Braeden Anderson missed, then turned it over, which was followed by a turnover by Tyler Johnson.

And that was pretty much it.

Fresno State got back within seven but no closer against the Rams, who have won 28 of their past 29 at home, the only loss coming last Saturday against Mountain West-leading New Mexico.

Colorado State got to the line, going 22 of 32. And the Rams were able to pull four of their 11 offensive rebounds in that stretch when the Bulldogs were stuck on 51 points. Colorado State held a 13-4 edge in second-chance points at the end.

Olekaibe, who hit five of his 3-pointers in the first half, couldn't come up with an answer. He didn't get many looks at the basket in the second half, after the Rams switched Jon Octeus onto him.

"They came out and made a conscious effort to stay attached, much like we did with (Wes) Eikmeier," Terry said. "You have to stay attached to a shooter. When he did get a look, it wasn't going to be a clean look. But that's what an older team adapts and adjusts to and they did a great job.

"(Octeus) came in and that was his job -- to stay attached to KO and fight off screens and he did a good job of doing that."

UP NEXT

Fresno State vs. Air Force, 7 p.m. Saturday (KMJ AM 580)