Bulldogs, with Taylor but without Huggins, beat up San Jose State

Fresno State got Deshon Taylor back, the senior guard logging 26 minutes in the Bulldogs’ 73-53 victory over San Jose State in their Mountain West Conference basketball opener.

With Braxton Huggins out due to the flu, they needed them.

But the Bulldogs also got highly productive minutes from forward Nate Grimes and that, too, could prove large as they make their way deeper into conference play. One game after playing a career-high 33 minutes (by six minutes) in a loss to Utah Valley, the 6-foot-8 junior had a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds and also had two blocked shots, one steal and one assist packed into his 26 minutes.

The 19 points and 12 rebounds were both game-highs. The double-double was Grimes’ second this season, fifth of his career.

“Nate had a great game tonight and I think he played great defense early that really helped us, he finished on the pick and rolls and then he attacked the basket in the post,” coach Justin Hutson said. “If he can mix that in where he attacks the basket and shoots his little jump shot then he’ll be a better player.

“That’s something we’ve been working on since I got here. Patience is a virtue, because he did it good tonight.”

The Spartans’ bigs didn’t really have much chance when Grimes attacked off the dribble – seven of his nine baskets were layups or dunks, and the Bulldogs regained an inside presence missing in that loss to Utah Valley with 30 points in the paint.

“My advantage is speed, because you know I’m little,” said Grimes, who had played an average of 23.3 minutes through the first 11 games.

“It’s working and Coach Hut believing in me, trying to get me to sweep and drive like I was doing today and it just worked out … No settling for jumpers, sweeping and going, that’s what he told me to do.”

The going will get tougher – San Jose State is not at the top of the conference, obviously. But the Bulldogs (10-3, 1-0 in the MW) no doubt benefit with Grimes on the floor – he had a plus-minus against the Spartans of plus-24, highest on the team.

“We know he can do that all the time,” guard Noah Blackwell said. “Nate Grimes, that’s what he does. He could lead the league in rebounds and we know he can score. Not many bigs could guard him because he’s kind of quick. He’s quicker than most bigs. We just look to find him and I know he’s going to do good things.”

Grimes had six of his points down the stretch in the first half, when the Bulldogs blew the game open with a closing 18-0 run.

Fresno State hit seven of its last eight shots in the half, and ended it hitting 17 of 28, 60.7 percent. In that loss to Utah Valley, the Bulldogs had 18 baskets all game.

Grimes had a lot of company. Blackwell was 3 of 4, all from the 3-point line in the first half and finished with 17 points. Johnny McWilliams had 13 points, New Williams had 11 and Taylor in his first game since suffering a dislocated left elbow had nine.

“It’s a little nerve-wracking for the coaching staff when you find out you’re not going to have Braxton Huggins and you’re wondering what Deshon Taylor is going to do,” Hutson said. “I think the Red Wave knows how important those two guys are to me and our staff and our program, but it was great to see everybody step up and have a great team effort and come in and get a tough road win.”

Taylor, a first-team all-conference selection last season, didn’t start the game, but entered at the 12:44 mark in the first half.

He hit 4 of 10 shots, only 1 of 7 at the 3-point line. But he had four assists and one of the Bulldogs’ nine steals in the game.

“We were going to feel it out,” Hutson said. “We really didn’t know. We didn’t have a minutes restriction, but he’s not very comfortable yet, so we just wanted to feel it out and play it by ear.”

This story was originally published January 2, 2019 at 10:50 PM.