Fresno State puts pieces together in rout of Cal Poly. ‘Having fun, people cheering’
The Fresno State Bulldogs have been propelled by their defense through a 9-2 start and in an 83-48 victory on Friday over Cal Poly at the Save Mart Center, the Mustangs had difficulty dealing with any and every part of it.
They hit just 31.3% of their shots and had as many turnovers as made baskets, 15, in becoming the sixth team in 11 games the Bulldogs have held to less than 60 points, double the number a year ago in 24 games.
But the Bulldogs also continued to evolve at the offensive end of the floor, since the return of guards Jemarl Baker and Junior Ballard. Defense and offense have not always gone with the other, even in the best start since 2006. But coach Justin Hutson said, “We played really good defense and shared the ball. It was a nice team victory.”
Ballard hit 6 of 11 shots including 5 of 7 threes in scoring 18 points with one assist. Baker was 4 of 8 and 2 of 3 in scoring 12, with two assists.
But the Bulldogs were better, more consistent, one almost through 13. They took care of and moved the basketball, with just nine turnovers and a season-high 18 assists. They knocked down shots, going 11 of 21 at the 3-point line, a season-high 52.4% after hitting just 28% through 10 games. They got to the rim easily and with consistency against the Mustangs, scoring 16 of their 30 baskets on layup or dunks.
Hutson got better minutes from point guard Isaiah Hill, who hit just 1 of 5 shots but had four assists and did not turn over the ball in 23 minutes.
Leo Colimerio had a game-high 10 rebounds including five at the offensive end, the Bulldogs with a 16-4 advantage in second-chance points.
Orlando Robinson, who was in early foul trouble and played only 20 minutes, finished with 18 points, six rebounds and three assists.
“It was a good team win and bringing in the energy and just the little things but most importantly having fun, people cheering,” Ballard said. “It just makes the games easier to play.”
Fresno State opened a double-digit lead at the 12:31 mark in the first half on a 3-pointer by Baker off an offensive rebound by Colimerio and the Bulldogs led by 10 or more from the 10:33 mark through the end of the game, the lead hitting as many as 23 points in the first half and 35 in the second.
Bulldogs notes …
Bulldogs guard Destin Whitaker will be out for at least a few weeks due to a right foot injury. There is no timetable yet for a return for the 6-foot-5 sophomore, who has averaged 15.4 minutes in 10 games. Whitaker is one of the Bulldogs’ better 3-point shooters, but is just 7 of 21 (33.3%) so far. …
With Robinson in some early foul trouble – he went to the bench at the 16:21 mark in the first half after picking up a second foul – Hutson went with freshman Robert Vaihola for the first time since an opening victory over Fresno Pacific. He pretty much had to, at that point. Braxton Meah, the first big off the bench, went to the scorer’s table, but had forgot to put his jersey top on before the game. …
Guard Deon Stroud scored 11 points with three assists and only one turnover in 21 minutes in the Bulldogs’ last game, a victory over UC Irvine. But he hasn’t been able to string games together and struggled again against the Mustangs. Hutson had a quick hook – Stroud entered the game at the 13:19 mark in the first half, missed a dunk and committed a lost ball turnover and was subbed out at 11:25, then entered at the 6:24 mark, missed a shot, made a shot and had another turnover and went back to the bench at 4:20. He finished 1 of 6 with one rebound and one assist but three turnovers in 14 minutes.
Next for Fresno State
Tuesday: at Utah, 4 p.m. (TV: Pac-12 Network)