Fresno State starts a key man down in bid for NCAA Tournament return
Fresno State, with designs on a return trip to the NCAA Tournament, will have to go at it without forward Karachi Edo through the fall semester.
A key piece in the tournament run a year ago when averaging 10.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, Edo will be ineligible after falling short of NCAA continuing eligibility standards when carrying a heavy academic load last spring.
“He’s a great kid, a kid that takes his education very seriously,” coach Rodney Terry said. “He had a setback last spring, but he’s turning it into a positive. He’s off to a great start this semester and he has every intention of graduating this spring.”
When Karachi joins us again he will be an impactful guy to start conference play or whenever that start time is. He’ll be a guy that will come in and be ready to go and hopefully won’t miss a beat from last season.
Fresno State coach Rodney Terry
The Bulldogs play Cal State San Bernardino in an exhibition Tuesday at the Save Mart Center and open Nov. 11 at home against Texas-San Antonio.
Edo, who is practicing with the team, could make his debut as early as Dec. 17 at Pacific depending on when his fall semester grades are certified. Finals run Dec. 12 to Dec. 15, so if Edo is not available against Pacific, then a Dec. 20 game at Oregon is a possibility as is the Mountain West Conference opener at New Mexico on Dec. 28.
The 6-foot-6 senior last season hit 12 of 22 shots (54.5 percent), had 14 rebounds and blocked eight shots in conference tournament preliminary-round victories over UNLV and Colorado State and the title game San Diego State.
In an NCAA Tournament loss to Utah, he hit 7 of 9 shots and finished with 14 points, one off his season high, and had three rebounds, two steals and three blocked shots.
Terry will have some options, including 6-8 freshman Bryson Williams, who has added close to 20 pounds since he arrived on campus over the summer from Roosevelt High and has made a strong impression in practices.
“We always say in our program next man up,” Terry said. “We have some other guys that will get opportunities early in their careers to get a chance to make an impact and when Karachi joins us again he will be an impactful guy to start conference play or whenever that start time is. He’ll be a guy that will come in and be ready to go and hopefully won’t miss a beat from last season.”
Robert Kuwada: @rkuwada
Fresno State men’s basketball
2016-17 SCHEDULE
NOVEMBER
- 1 vs. Cal State San Bernardino (exhibition), 7 p.m.
- 11 vs. Texas-San Antonio, 7 p.m.
- 14 vs. Prairie View A&M, 7 p.m.
- 19 vs. Lamar, 11 a.m.
- 22 at Cal State Bakersfield, 7 p.m.
- 25 at Oregon State, 6 p.m.
- 30 vs. Menlo College, 5 p.m.
DECEMBER
- 3 at Drake, TBA
- 6 at Marquette, 4:30 p.m.
- 10 vs. Cal Poly, 4 p.m.
- 14 vs. Holy Names, 7 p.m.
- 17 at Pacific, 7 p.m.
- 20 at Oregon, 8 p.m.
- 28 at New Mexico*, 7 p.m. or 8 p.m.
- 31 vs. Nevada*, 4 p.m.
JANUARY
- 4 vs. Wyoming*, 7 p.m.
- 7 at San Jose State*, 2 p.m.
- 11 at Air Force*, 6 p.m.
- 14 vs. Boise State*, 4 p.m.
- 18 vs. Colorado State*, 8 p.m.
- 21 at Nevada*, 3 p.m.
- 28 at Utah State*, 6 p.m.
FEBRUARY
- 1 vs. Air Force*, 7 p.m.
- 4 vs. San Diego State*, 4 p.m.
- 8 at Wyoming*, 6 p.m.
- 11 at Colorado State*, 1 p.m.
- 15 vs. San Jose State*, 7 p.m.
- 18 vs. New Mexico*, 3 p.m.
- 22 at San Diego State*, 8 p.m.
- 28 at Boise State*, 7 p.m.
MARCH
- 4 vs. UNLV*, 4 p.m.
- 8-11 Mountain West tournament, TBA
*Mountain West game
This story was originally published October 29, 2016 at 4:54 PM with the headline "Fresno State starts a key man down in bid for NCAA Tournament return."