Feb. 27, 2015
SJSU Game Notes
SAN JOSÉ STATE (2-25, 0-15 MW) at NEVADA (8-19, 4-11 MW)
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 3:00 P.M.
LAWLOR EVENT CENTER (11, 536)
RENO, NEV.WATCH
MW DIGITAL NETWORKLISTEN
STRETCH INTERNET RADIO
KLIV 1590 AMSTATS
SJSU.STATBROADCAST.COM
SPARTANS FALL SHORT AT COLORADO STATE
San José State cut a 25-point Colorado State lead down to nine with under seven minutes to play, but were unable to complete the comeback in a 72-56 loss. Jaleel Williams scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Spartans. Rashad Muhammad added 18 points.
HALFTIME LEAD FADES TO 74-56 LOSS TO #25-SAN DIEGO STATE
Rashad Muhammad's buzzer-beating half-court heave at the end of the first period dropped in to send San José State to the locker room with the momentum and a 36-35 lead over San Diego State last weekend. Muhammad and Darryl Gaynor II combined for 30 points in the half to pace the Spartans. Then slowly but surely, the Aztecs regained the lead and grew it up to 22 points at one point in the second half. Some relentless SDSU pressure coupled with a shorthanded bench wore the Spartans out down the stretch of the game. Muhammad ended with a season-high 27 points, while Gaynor finished with 23 points.
SCORING TRENDS IN THE LAST FIVE GAMES
San José State has three players averaging double-figures scoring over the last five games, led by Rashad Muhammad at 18.0 points. He heads into this week coming as the fifth-leading scorer in the conference during MW play. Darryl Gaynor II's 13.8 points over the last five have come on 42 percent shooting which is a 10 percent increase from his full-season mark. Jaleel Williams is averaging 13.6 points over the last five, aided by the three-ball of which he has made multiple in seven consecutive contests.
MUHAMMAD AMONG THE MW'S BEST
Rashad Muhammad's 14.0 points per game rank him 8th among all individuals in the conference. During Mountain West play, he averages 15.4 points per game, which ranks him fifth. At 2.3 made three-point baskets per game, he is in the MW's top-three alongside Rashad Vaugh (UNLV) and Hugh Greenwood (UNM). Finally, he is fifth in the MW for his 79.8 percent mark from the charity stripe.
SENIOR RISING DOWN THE STRETCH OF HIS CAREER
Jaleel Williams is playing the best basketball of his San José State career. The team's lone active senior scored a season-high 20 points last week against Utah State, and matched it Wednesday night at Colorado State. He has hit 10 three-point baskets over the last three games, and Wednesday night at Colorado State he extended his streak for multiple threes in a game to seven. Williams is averaging 15.0 points over the Spartans' last four games.
SJSU LETS NEVADA SQUEAK BY, 60-57
A few turnovers and missed opportunities during crunch time kept the Spartans from winning their first game in MW play this season in a tight, 60-57, loss to Nevada on February 7. SJSU hit 16 of their first 20 free throws in the game, but missed four in the final minute of the game. San José State hung around in the first half despite the Wolf Pack having more offensive rebounds (14) than total rebounds for the Spartans (11). Darryl Gaynor II had a season-high 25 points to lead the Spartans. AJ West scored 17 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in only 23 minutes to Nevada.
THE LAST TRIP TO RENO
Jalen James' last-second shot gave San José State a 66-64 win, its first and only Mountain West victory last season on February 18, 2014. The Spartans return to Reno again this season with the same circumstances, winless in conference play.
GAYNOR DROPS SEASON-HIGH 25 ON NEVADA
Freshman guard Darryl Gaynor II had his best game of the season against Nevada with a season-high 25 points on 7-of-14 shooting. He was a perfect 9-of-9 from the free throw line and achieved another season-best with seven rebounds. Gaynor has led the way scoring in five games this season.
RASHAD DOING WHAT HE DOES BEST
Rashad Muhammad showed everyone how quickly he can turn a game around when he scored 13 straight points for the Spartans in a matter of 2:19 during the first half of the Wyoming game. His burst included three consecutive hits from downtown. His points were part of a run, which cut Wyoming's lead in half from 12 to six. Muhammad also showed aggressiveness on the boards grabbing a career-high 10 rebounds.
Brandon Mitchell A TOP-10 REBOUNDER IN MW PLAY
Sophomore forward Brandon Mitchell is in the top-10 for his 5.9 rebounds per game during MW play and his 1.9 offensive rebounds per MW game also ranks inside the conference's top-10.
A SOPHOMORE IS CLIMBING THE ALL-TIME RANKS
Sophomore guard Rashad Muhammad knocked down five shots from downtown against San Diego State and vaulted into third all-time at San José State's for made three-point baskets. He currently has 130 makes from downtown in his career, trailing only Adrian Oliver (138) and the all-time career-leader Tim Pierce (153).
SPARTANS FALL TO UTAH STATE, 76-54
Jaleel Williams scored a season-high 20 points, but it wasn't enough for SJSU in the 22-point loss to Utah State Wednesday night in The Event Center. Trailing by 22 in the second half, the Spartans used a 12-2 run to cut the Aggies' lead to 12, but Utah State used a 14-1 run of their own to put the game away.
TWO HOME GAMES REMAIN
San José State has two home games remaining this season: March 4 versus Boise State, and March 7 versus UNLV. Tickets can be purchased for both contests today by calling the Spartan Ticket Office at408-924-7589. The March 7 game will feature a pregame senior ceremony honoring Jaleel Williams and Devante Wilson.
CONNECT WITH THE SPARTANS
Connect with the SJSU men's basketball team on Twitter @SJSUMBB and with all Spartans athletics teams @SJSUAthletics. Fans can keep track of in-game and news updates using #SJSU, #spartanup and #spartanstrong. If you are on Facebook, so are we! Check us outat facebook.com/SJSUSpartans
CATCH EVERY GAME ON STRETCH
Every SJSU men's basketball game can be heard live on Stretch Internet Radio. Head to the schedule page atwww.sjsuspartans.comand click the link to hear all the action called by play-by-play announcer Justin Allegri with commentary from Joe Boylan.
WEEKEND BROADCASTS ALSO ON KLIV 1590 AM
Every SJSU men's basketball game played on the weekend can also be heard live on KLIV 1590 AM Radio with Justin Allegri and Joe Boylan on the call.