Fresno State’s challenge is clear. What is coach Justin Hutson going to do about it?
Fresno State has difficulties scoring the basketball, which has long been established. It is ranked last in the Mountain West in field goal percentage, 3-point field goal percentage and scoring offense and it doesn’t get to the foul line much, just 14.1 times per game, fewest in the conference.
So, coach Justin Hutson didn’t break new ground after a 70-53 loss to Utah State on Saturday at the Save Mart Center when he dropped this post game: “We have to score more than 53 points. That’s the bottom line. We started off with great energy on the defensive end, guarding one of the top offensive teams. But we have to share the ball side to side and get a piece of the paint and kick out and when we do that, we’re really good.”
Really good is a stretch. Good, also a stretch.
As the Bulldogs (7-13, 3-6 in the MW) absorbed their worst loss at home this season, one thing emerged. Not only are they scoring at an abysmal level — they went in averaging 60.9 points per game, 347th of 352 in the nation — they are struggling to score against teams that are struggling to guard.
Utah State (17-5, 6-3) is one of them. As sharp as the Aggies can be at the offensive end, they went in ranked seventh in the Mountain West in field goal percentage defense and 10th (out of 11) in scoring defense.
They had allowed opponents to hit 43% of their shots and score 71.8 points per game and in two games now the Bulldogs have hit 37.3% and 34.5% of their shots against the Aggies and have scored 54 and 53 points.
That’s 17.8 and 18.8 points below their per game average allowed.
And, that’s just context. Fresno State has played teams ranked seventh (Utah State), ninth (Air Force), 10th (Colorado State) and 11th (Wyoming) in the conference in field goal percentage defense and in a total of five games the Bulldogs have hit just 36.9% of their shots and averaged 54 points.
That’s against teams that had allowed opponents to hit a combined 44.1% of their shots. And, the Bulldogs were at home for the games against Wyoming and Air Force and the second against Utah State.
There is a disconnect somewhere between the basket and the Bulldogs, who on Saturday made only 5 of 13 shots at the rim (38.5%) on layups and dunks, playing in front of a solid home crowd of 6,817.
But they get another shot at it on Tuesday at Wyoming, which has allowed an average of 78.4 points in seven games since a 58-53 loss to the Bulldogs to open Mountain West play.
“We’ll get to our strategy and get on that (Saturday night) for the coaches and (Sunday) for the players, but we’re going to have to score more points if we’re going to be successful on the road,” Hutson said. “Our defense tries to hang in there, but it’s tough when you’re not making any baskets.”
BULLDOGS NOTES
Center Isaih Moore and guard Jemarl Baker led the Bulldogs with 11 points.
Center Eduardo Andre started a fourth game in a row, but ran into early foul trouble, picking up a second at the 13:38 mark in the second half and going into halftime with three. He was on the floor for only 13 minutes, scoring one point with one rebound. Andre had scored in double-digits in four games in a row and five of the past six. Moore returned after missing three games while in concussion protocol, picking up those minutes, and had eight rebounds to go with those 11 points in 23 minutes.
Utah State forward Dan Akin hit a 3-pointer with 3:24 to go. It was the second career attempt and first career make from the 3-point line for the graduate transfer from Cal Baptist. Akin had played 146 career games and taken 673 shots before making his first from three. Akin finished with 23 points and eight rebounds in 29 minutes,
Fresno State trailed by six, 34-28, at halftime. It hit just 8 of 28 shots after the break (28.6%) including 3 of 12 from the 3-point line (25%).
NEXT FOR FRESNO STATE
Tuesday at Wyoming, 7 p.m. (FS1)
