Take three on Fresno State loss at Cal: Bulldogs can’t get away from crushing offensive rebound
The Fresno State Bulldogs dropped a fifth game in a row and a fourth this season by six points or less, losing to Cal 69-63 on Wednesday at Haas Pavilion and again they had their chances down the stretch.
Here are three takes …
Hutson: it has to stop
The Bulldogs’ slide in the final three minutes started when Cal guard Kareem South went to the foul line for a 1-and-1 and the Golden Bears leading 59-58.
South had hit 85.7% of his free throws this season.
South, naturally, missed.
But forward Andre Kelly beat the Bulldogs to an offensive rebound and scored to give Cal a 61-58 lead.
The worst thing about it is that exact same thing has happened to the Bulldogs a few times. By now, it has to be part of the scouting report of every opponent they get the rest of the way – this team will allow you to steal some extra possessions down the stretch.
“It has to stop,” coach Justin Hutson said. “Bottom line. It happened at the end of the Winthrop game, happened at Northridge ... Saint Mary’s. It just has to stop … right during prime time.”
What followed at the offensive end were three turnovers, the missed front end of a 1-and-1 and a missed three and there went the Bulldogs’ chances.
Two not much better than three
The Bulldogs were leading the nation in 3-point rate, taking 54.9% of their shots this season from at least 22 feet, 1 ¾ inches.
But against the Golden Bears’ defense they saw lanes to the basket and used them.
“We have guys that can get to the rim and make decisions so we attacked them,” said guard New Williams, who led the Bulldogs with 21 points.
“We wanted to get to the basket and try to get fouls, make sure that we get paint touches and some good inside-out play. That was the focus for us.”
Fresno State had in its past two games put up 12 of 18 shots from the 3-point line in the opening 10 minutes at Utah State, 9 of 12 including eight in a row in the first 10 minutes against UNLV.
At Cal, the Bulldogs took only five 3-point shots in the first half and 19 in the game.
But they didn’t fare much better making shots inside the 3-point line, in the paint or even right at the rim.
In that first half they were 7 of 20 (35.0%) inside the 3-point line, and in the game they were 15 of 37 (40.5%).
They were just 13 of 28 (46.5%) at the rim, on layups and dunks.
Too often those possessions ended with a poor or contested shot, whether a post touch or a drive into the paint.
Fresno State had just six assists in the game and an assist percentage of 27.2%.
The 19 threes were a season-low for the Bulldogs, who have put up as many as 42 in a double-overtime loss to UNLV and 30 or more five times in nine games.
They still are leading the nation in 3-point rate at 52.4%
Blackwell’s status
Senior Noah Blackwell was on the bench in street clothes. He is expected to miss three to six weeks with a right knee injury, but at least he hasn’t been ruled out for the season.
With Blackwell down Hutson played Mustafa Lawrence a season-high 30 minutes – the JC transfer had played just three minutes at Utah State.
Williams played 35 minutes and freshman Jarred Hyder played 34 minutes.
Lawrence hit 6 of 11 shots in scoring 16 points with one rebound and two of the Bulldogs’ six assists. Williams has back-to-back games scoring 20 or more points – he had 26 in an overtime loss at Utah State. After struggling through some back issues at the start of the season, he is starting to get more comfortable on the floor.
Hutson is giving the senior guard plenty of opportunity to make plays.
“He just told me he sees my opportunities for me to attack,” Williams said. “He told me to be more aggressive off these side ball screens, because I get a lot of side ball screens with the offense that we run.
“He just told me to be aggressive, but make the right decisions. If I have a drive I take it, but if the help comes I kick it. It’s more about playing basketball, being more comfortable with what we’re doing, what we’re running and understanding my role in it.”