Bulldogs’ Paul Watson expanding game – at both ends of floor

Wyoming had inched closer, down three with 4:20 to play and again with 3:56 remaining before Fresno State just took off again to post an 85-70 victory, and Paul Watson played a major role at both ends of the floor.

The senior forward had scored a season-high 25 points while holding Jason McManamen, whom the Bulldogs saw as the Cowboys’ primary threat, to a 1-for-7 night for just six points and that one had come on a busted play in the first half when Alan Herndon whiffed on a dunk attempt and the ball bounced right to the Wyoming guard in the corner.

And when it was over, Watson was given a choice of topics. He chose defense.

“I take pride in my defense,” he said. “Defense is always going to come first with me.”

But with the Bulldogs 10-5 overall and 2-1 in the Mountain West Conference, Watson also has added dimensions to his game at the offensive end and that is not to be discounted.

Primarily a jump shooter early in his Fresno State career – as a freshman, 49.2 percent of his shots were beyond the 3-point line – Watson over the past four games has started to aggressively attack the rim in transition and in the half court.

In three conference games, 10 of his 17 baskets have come on layups or dunks, and in getting into the lane more often he also is getting to the foul line more often.

In the victory over the Cowboys, Watson hit 7 of 9 foul shots. He had taken only 15 in a seven-game stretch starting with a Nov. 22 loss at Bakersfield and ending with a Dec. 14 blowout victory over Division II Holy Names.

“He has done that the last few ball games,” coach Rodney Terry said. “He has been aggressive with two-foot plays and either created something for himself or for someone else. We’ve got to a point now that we can play through him as well, as much as we do (point guard Jaron Hopkins) because Paul has really improved in that area.

“We know he’s a guy that is a capable shooter out there, but he has really improved putting the ball on the deck.”

That, Watson said, all stems from his play at the defensive end. But it also starts well before tip, watching tape and digesting the scouting report. Much like it has offensively, that has evolved for a player who for most of his first three seasons at Fresno State played the four.

“Film,” Watson said. “That’s where the preparation starts. Watching guys, trying to pick up on tendencies, things they like to do in the game. You continue to study each and every day. The time that I have, if I have a little down time, I have to sit down and be disciplined and pick up on tendencies.

“We put a lot of time into the film as a team and any down time that I have, if I’m by myself, I’ll pick up my tablet and watch some film.”

Whatever was gleaned on McManamen obviously worked. He had come in averaging 10.6 shots and 14 points per game but nothing came easily against the Bulldogs.

McManamen was 1 of 4 in the first half and 0 of 3 in the second when dealing with foul trouble – he had scored less than 10 points four times in 15 games with a low of four.

When they came down the stretch, he wasn’t a factor.

Fresno State, once challenged inside of five minutes to play, allowed only five points in the final 4:20. Wyoming hit one of its last eight shots and McManamen got the last of his seven off with 12:16 to go, a missed jumper.

“You know what, Paul has really bought into making our team successful, but things that are going to be able to help him with his basketball future,” Terry said. “He can really guard out there on the perimeter when he really wants to and he has done that for the better part of the year for us. But he has completely bought in. I said that back in Game 2. He’s about winning. He’s not about anything else.

“He’s probably our best defender out there on the perimeter and that’s huge. Paul is 6-foot-7 out there. He has good instincts out there, as well. Talk about a guy that has come a long way on that end of the floor, he really has.”

This story was originally published January 5, 2017 at 4:25 PM with the headline "Bulldogs’ Paul Watson expanding game – at both ends of floor."