Take three on Fresno State loss to Boise State: Did the Bulldogs just hit rock bottom?

Fresno State absorbed its worst loss ever at the Save Mart Center, blasted out of its own building 87-53 on Saturday by Boise State.

It’s the Bulldogs’ fourth loss in their past five games.

The Bulldogs were without senior forward Nate Grimes, who has been suspended indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team.

But no matter who was and wasn’t on the floor, the Bulldogs were nowhere from the start.

Fresno State’s worst loss at the Save Mart Center had been 26 points, falling 69-43 to Utah State on Jan. 21, 2010.

Here are three takeaways from the game …

WHAT WAS WORSE, THE OFFENSE …

Fresno State coach Justin Hutson spent some time before practice on Friday discussing with the Bulldogs about their decision-making, shot selection and everything else that was and wasn’t happening at the offensive end.

It didn’t quite stick.

The Bulldogs had one of the worst games anywhere in the conference this season, scoring at just 0.768 points per possession (advanced analytical basketball statistic).

It was the second-lowest in a Mountain West game this season – Air Force was 0.681 on Tuesday in a 72-47 loss at Utah State.

Air Force at least had more made baskets than turnovers, which is something the Bulldogs did not do in losing to Boise State.

It’s the first time for the Bulldogs since a 73-52 loss at Northern Arizona on Nov. 20, 2014, when they had 18 turnovers and shot 16 of 43 (37.2%).

Fresno State hasn’t been efficient. It hasn’t helped that playing rotations have been so jumbled with injuries and now a suspension for its third-leading scorer, but six times in the past nine games the Bulldogs have had more turnovers than assists.

“We didn’t get to the second penetration nearly enough,” Hutson said. “When we did, we looked like a basketball team. We drove in there and kicked it out. Niven Hart drove in there and he got fouled or made a basket. Or Jarred (Hyder) goes baseline and he kicks it out.

“We go one more (pass) and get a 3-point shot. Orlando (Robinson) got double-teamed a little bit, also. We were hoping we could get some threes out of it. ... They should not be able to play him one-on-one and cover out to our shooters.”

Here are some lowlights …

▪ The Bulldogs were 16 of 43 (37.2%), their fewest made baskets in a game since that 2014-’15 season when they had 16 three times.

▪ In the first half they made just 4 of 12 shots at the rim, missing eight layups, and ended up 9 of 18 on layups and dunks.

▪ Fresno State went in ranked second in the Mountain West with 10.8 offensive rebounds per game but didn’t get one against Boise State until the 19:39 mark in the second half and finished with just four, matching a season-low.

▪ The 19 Fresno State turnovers led to 31 points for the Broncos, the most points off turnovers for any Mountain West team this season against a Division I opponent.

▪ It is not as if Boise State was a stellar defensive team – it came in ranked eighth in the Mountain West in scoring defense, ninth in field goal percentage defense, seventh in steals, 11th (last) in blocked shots.

“We talked about making decisions,” Hutson said. “When we get in there and drive do we make the extra pass? When we’re backing people down, did we make the extra pass?”

Noah Blackwell led the Bulldogs with 14 points, all in the first half. Robinson, the 6-foot-10 freshman who is leading the team in scoring (12.9 points per game), shot just 1 of 4 from the field and totaled eight points.

... OR THE DEFENSE?

Fresno State went into the game ranked third in the conference in scoring defense, allowing just 66.7 points per game.

But on Saturday and in an 86-68 loss at Colorado State on Wednesday a lack of communication crushed the Bulldogs.

Boise State took 59 mostly-wide open shots with 28 coming from the 3-point line and another 21 on layups and dunks.

Colorado State had 63 shots with 18 threes and 25 at the rim.

In the Bulldogs’ first five conference games at the start of the year opponents had averaged just 14.6 layups and dunks.

So the Bulldogs have allowed opponents to hit 54% and 54.2% of their shots in the past two games, one season-high followed by another.

“Defensively, bad communication,” Hutson said. “It starts there. It wasn’t very good in the first half, either, but the coaches were sitting down on that side of the bench helping.”

WHAT ABOUT NATE?

Grimes’ suspension was to be one or two games, sources said. He could be back on Tuesday when the Bulldogs play at Air Force, which has dropped three games in a row including a 90-81 loss Saturday at San Jose State.

“I’ll talk to him (Sunday),” Hutson said. “He had a few things that I asked him to do for him to get back on the team.

“It wasn’t anything that was too major, but these are life lessons that we’re making. It was something that he warranted not being here for a while. But he’s doing what he’s supposed to be doing, so we’ll have a chat and discuss whether he’s going on the trip next week.”

The incident that led to the suspension happened Wednesday after the Bulldogs lost at Colorado State, a game Grimes matched a career-high with 23 points and had nine rebounds, two blocked shots and one steal.

This story was originally published January 25, 2020 at 10:04 PM.