Feb. 15, 2017
Fresno, Calif. --- The San José State men's basketball team went into a tailspin during the second half and had a four-game winning streak snapped at the hands of Fresno State, 77-59, in Mountain West play inside the Save Mart Center.
The Spartans (13-11, 6-7 MW) turned the ball over a season-high 20 times, 12 of which came in the final 20 minutes. Jaycee Hillsman's layup with 14:01 left in the second half gave SJSU the 41-38 advantage, but from there the Bulldogs exploded for a 22-3 run over the next 7:16.
Fresno State (15-11, 7-7 MW) is the Mountain West leader and 17th in the country for steals per game (8.5), and the active hands of the Bulldogs stifled SJSU's after halftime. On top of the turnovers, San José State shot 33.3 percent (7-21) from the field in the final 20 minutes.
Paul Watson threw down a dunk and was fouled on the play. His free throw gave Fresno State an 11-point lead, 53-42, with 10:26 left. Ryan Welage's layup on the next possession was just the third field goal of the period, and at that point SJSU had scored just nine points after the break.
San José State's leading scorer Brandon Clarke was limited to a season-low four points and made just 2-of-8 attempts from the floor. It is Clarke's lowest point total since a four-point effort last season on Jan. 6, 2016, against Colorado State. Terrell Brown was on fire in the first half, matching his career-high with 17 points, but was held to just one point in the second period.
The Spartans led by as many as nine, 35-26, with 1:44 remaining in the opening half, but the Bulldogs closed the last minute with consecutive layups by Deshon Taylor - which was a sign of things to come for the Bulldogs in the second half. Fresno State shot 64.1 percent (16-25) in the second period.
Four Bulldogs finished in double-figure scoring, led by Taylor with 22 points. Jaron Hopkins added 19 points, and Jahmel Taylor and Paul Watson both had 11 points.
Welage, who scored his career-high 28 points in Fresno last year, led the team again with 19 points.
San José State returns home to face Air Force this Saturday, February 18, at 2:00 p.m. (PT).
Newspaper Box Score
San Jose State vs Fresno State
02/15/17 7 p.m. PT at Save Mart Center --- Fresno, Calif.
At Save Mart Center --- Fresno, Calif.
FRESNO STATE 77, SAN JOSE STATE 59
SAN JOSE STATE (13-11, 6-7 MW)
1-1 0-0 3; Schwartz, Cody 1-2 0-2 3; Hillsman, Jaycee 1-3 0-1 2; CHASTAIN,
Ashtin 0-0 0-0 0; Singer, Ryan 0-0 0-0 0; WILLIAMS, JR. GARY 0-1 0-0 0;
James, Jalen 0-1 0-0 0; Nichols, Isaiah 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-44 11-21 59.
FRESNO STATE (15-11, 7-7 MW)
TAYLOR, Deshon 7-13 7-7 22; HOPKINS, Jaron 8-14 3-7 19; TAYLOR, Jahmel 4-6
0-0 11; WATSON, Paul 4-10 2-4 11; BITTNER, Sam 2-4 0-0 6; WILLIAMS, Bryson
1-3 2-2 4; RUSSO, Cullen 0-2 2-2 2; CARTER II, Terrell 1-3 0-0 2;
MCWILLIAMS, Johnny 0-0 0-0 0; MCDOWELL-WHITE, D. 0-0 0-0 0; GRIMES, Nate 0-2
0-0 0. Totals 27-57 16-22 77.
San Jose State................ 35 24 - 59
Fresno State.................. 30 47 - 77
GARY 0-1; James, Jalen 0-1; Hillsman, Jaycee 0-1), Fresno State 7-17
(TAYLOR, Jahmel 3-4; BITTNER, Sam 2-4; WATSON, Paul 1-4; TAYLOR, Deshon 1-3;
RUSSO, Cullen 0-1; HOPKINS, Jaron 0-1). Fouled out--San Jose State-NICHOLS,
Isaiah, Fresno State-RUSSO, Cullen. Rebounds--San Jose State 29 (CLARKE,
Brandon 10), Fresno State 35 (HOPKINS, Jaron 7; RUSSO, Cullen 7).
Assists--San Jose State 9 (Clarke, Brandon 3), Fresno State 13 (TAYLOR,
Deshon 3; TAYLOR, Jahmel 3; RUSSO, Cullen 3). Total fouls--San Jose State
21, Fresno State 17. Technical fouls--San Jose State-None, Fresno
State-None. A-5914