San Jose State win 85-79

Well, do you like Bulldogs done medium? Maybe Walt McPherson broiled? Stewed, or probably stewing is more appropriate? Do you want that with a double dip?

San Jose State completed a season sweep of Fresno State tonight with an 85-79 victory over the visiting 'Dogs. There definitely was an AO sighting as Adrian Oliver paced the Spartans with 29 points. He also contributed five assists. Robert Owens introduced himself handsomely to Fresno State by adding 17 points, on 6-12 shooting.

Three Spartans came close to having double figures in rebounding: Chris Oakes grabbed nine while C.J. Webster and Tim Pierce nabbed eight apiece.

SJSU started out strong, despite early foul trouble as Justin Graham incurred his second whistle with 16:03 left in the initial half. Oliver began the game en fuego with three made jumper in the first five minutes -- two on very good looks at the basket and the third on a difficult fadeaway from the right side.

At the 15:00 mark, San Jose State led 11-6.

With 7:35 showing, the lead had grown to 12, 29-17, as the Spartans were shooting 12-22 overall to Fresno State's 6-18.

SJSU enjoyed a 43-29 lead at the half as Oliver scored 16 and Owens 11. As a team, SJSU shot 44% in the opening 20 minutes (16-36) with 10 assists on those 16 baskets. San Jose also had a collective 21 rebounds and just five turnovers.

Fresno State made it big run opening the second half and it consisted primarily of an attack of the trey bombs. Sylvester Seay, Paul George and even freshman Bryce Cartwright took turns from long range. The Bulldog comeback coincided with five Spartan turnovers. FSU kept creeping closer until a Dwight O'Neill jumper in the lane tied the score at 57 with 8:28 remaining.

But San Jose fought back as it was C.J. Webster front and center.

Webster scored on a dunk while Fresno followed with an errant pass for a turnover. Sandwiched around a Sylvester Seay free throw, Webster twice fed Owens for three-pointers and also tossed a pass to Oakes for a layup after grabbing the rebound but before he landed on the ground.

But Fresno State fought back and closed the lead but with 45.9 seconds remaining, the Bulldogs were assessed a technical for calling a timeout when none were available.

NOTES

*** San Jose State pulverized Fresno on the boards by a 41-25 differential.

*** Whatever happened to the Red Wave? It was more like a mute puddle tonight?

San Jose State

Oliver 10-17 7-7 29
Owens 6-12 1-1 17
Oakes 4-6 3-4 11
Pierce 4-10 1-2 10
C. Webster 4-14 0-2 8
Graham 2-3 4-7 8
Peterson 0-2 2-2 2
Thomas 0-0 0-0 0
Caballero 0-0 0-0 0

Totals 30-64 7-22 18-25

Three-point field goals: Fresno State 12-27 (Golubovic 1-2, George 4-9, Seay 2-5, Cartwright 2-4, O’Neil 3-6, Ladd 0-1), San Jose State 7-22 (Pierce 1-5, Oliver 2-6, Owens 4-10, Peterson 0-1)

Rebounds: Fresno State 25 (Seay 12), San Jose State 41 (C. Webster 9)
Assists: Fresno State 19 (George 6), San Jose State 18 (Oliver 5)

Fouled out: none
Technical fouls: Fresno State bench
Total fouls: Fresno State 20, San Jose State 14

Points in the paint: SJSU 32, Fresno 26
Points off turnovers: Fresno 16, SJSU 13
2nd chance points: SJSU 15, Fresno 6
Fast break points: SJSU 4, Fresno 4
Bench points: SJSU 19, Fresno 2