Men nipped by Bulldogs
Members of the men’s basketball team traveled to the West Coast Saturday night to battle the Fresno State Bulldogs, hoping to claim a victory after a 73-59 loss in Nevada two nights earlier.
They fell just inches short.
SMU (9-10, 4-7 WAC) jumped out to a seven-point halftime lead over Fresno St. (13-7, 7-4 WAC) behind a 53.3 percent shooting percentage. The Mustangs also hit three-of-six from beyond the three-point arc while the Bulldogs managed only 3-of-15 in the half.
Fresno St. charged back in the second half, however, led by guard Donovan Morris and forward Ja’Vance Coleman. The pair combined for 32 points and seven rebounds.
Junior guard Bryan Hopkins made his second appearance since recovering from a right wrist injury that confined him to the bench against UTEP and Boise State. He finished with 13 points eight assists in a team-high 38 minutes.
Hopkins hit the ground running after halftime, scoring the Mustangs’ first five points to qualm the hot shooting of Coleman and Morris.
Senior Patrick Simpson then hit an offensive streak of his own, and his dunk with just under 13 minutes to play pushed SMU’s lead back to five.
In fact, it would not be until Devon Pearson made good on a field goal at 8:59 that a Mustang other than Hopkins or Simpson would score in the second half.
Missed opportunities beneath the basket would go on to hurt the Ponies, however, as the Bulldogs recorded 16 second-chance points to SMU’s six. Fresno State out-rebounded the Mustangs, 39 to 32.
The Bulldogs’ Mustafa Al-Sayyad did his part to stop the SMU offense, leading his team with three blocks in just over 27 minutes. The 6-foot-9-inch senior also pulled down nine rebounds and went two-of-two from the field.
With the Mustangs up 65-61, Al-Sayyad came away with the ball after freshman Derrick Roberts missed a jumper at 3:25. The possession led to a pair of Dominique White free throws, and Fresno St. pulled to within two.
After junior guard Justin Isham nailed a jump shot near the two-minute mark, however, the Bulldogs’ Coleman went on a tear, grabbing six points in a row to cut SMU’s lead to 70-69.
Hopkins missed a basket with 30 seconds remaining, and Fresno State’s Dwight O’ Neil pulled down one of his nine rebounds before the Bulldogs called a timeout.
Following the inbounds pass, Coleman let the game-winning shot fly with three seconds left, and Fresno State was up for good.
Roberts nearly sent Fresno St. fans home in a fury when his buzzer-beating lay-up flirted with the rim, only to roll wide and solidify a 71-70 Bulldog victory.
The men will take the court again on Thursday against the San Jose State Spartans (6-13, 3-7 WAC). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Moody Coliseum.
