WHICH WAS WORSE, THE LOSS OR THE....UHHH.... WIN?

FSU Basketball


As scheduled, the Bulldog hoopsters crapped out in Reno. The final score was 85-75. Nick Fazekas did, in fact, play and he scored 20 points and pulled down 10 boards while still showing some tenderness from his recent injury. Dominic McGuire paced the 'Dogs with 19 points but that along with the rest of the crew's support wasn't enough in hostile WAC territory. The Bulldogs dropped to 13-5 overall and 2-3 in the WAC while the Wolfpack continued their march toward madness, improving to 17-1 and 5-0.

And that's the good news.

Remember how the Bulldogs lost on a last-gasp shot in San Jose not too long ago? Well shame on the Watchdog for not pointing out that the Spartans doubled their season win total with that victory. Oh, yeah, that was an ugly loss for FSU alright. And who might the other SJSU victory have come against? The mighty Cal Poly Mustangs of the Big West, of course.

Well, that's pretty sad. Yes, it was a road game in the wacky WAC and the 'Dogs weren't blown out, in fact they had a chance to win. But what the hell? At that point the Spartans "improved" their season mark to 2-14 overall. And FSU was in double-digits in the win column. Might some of those victories been a little suspect?

So Monday night was the night for revenge. The 'Dogs got the Spartans on the Save Mart Center court and.........trailed all the way until there were seven minutes left in the game. The home team pulled it out in the end, 67-64, but that wasn't exactly the revenge Steve Cleveland had in mind. A nail-biter over a ranked team would be a big victory for this program. Hanging on to send San Jose St. to its 16th loss in 18 outings.......ugly.

That makes FSU 14-5 for the year and breakeven in the WAC at 3-3. Even the good news is bittersweet. Cleveland got another spark out of Eddie Miller after Ja'Vance Coleman endured another miserable performance. The Coleman situation is mind-boggling. It's hard to remember a time when a pillar of a college basketball team has gone into such a funk after being so solid and dependable. But Coleman was 0-9 from the field and finished with 0 points. Meanwhile, all of Miller's points were on threes. It's time to ride the hot hand.

Off to Boise. Who knows how the squad will perform up there?

FRESNO STATE HITS THE ROAD......AND THE ROAD HITS BACK!

FSU Basketball

The Bulldog basketball team hits the hardwood in Reno on Thursday after a couple of bumpy spots on the current road trip that have left their record at 13-4, 2-2 in the WAC. All they have to do is knock off #13 Nevada at their place to salvage a win on this trip that included stops in Hawaii and San Jose. I can't see where there could be a problem.

The trip started in Hawaii when, seconds into the game, JaVance Coleman launched a three-point shot that clanged off the rim. The game was over less than a minute later. Hawaii drilled the 'Dogs by 17 points, 83-66, but it was a whole lot worse than that. There really isn't much to recap other than a shocking lack of structured play for FSU. Hawaii played their game, FSU got down early, got down on themselves shortly after, and featured some frenetic, out of control play as the players individually attempted to scramble their way back into the game at various times. It was a butt-whooping, and, honestly, quite a surprise from this team of solid performers to date.

Next was a stop in San Jose and it didn't go well either. A three-pointer was missed at the buzzer as the Spartans survived for a 64-61 win.

Now it's on to Reno on Thursday, with the San Jose St. rematch on the hallowed floor of the Save Mart Center looming on Monday. Advice for the 'Dogs from Follies Central is to stay at the Silver Legacy. It's a great hotel, right in the middle of all the action. Failing that, try to beat those nationally ranked guys opposite them on the Lawlor Events Center court. But I like their chances better at the tables. Or in the state lottery, for that matter.

Come Monday, San Jose gets payback when Fresno State returns home to where they play so well. After that it's Boise St. and I can't figure out what this team can do on the road well enough to predict that outcome. But they've had an alarming tendency to get drilled on the road (Santa Barbara, Hawaii) or just lose to a team that would appear to be inferior to them (San Jose).

Well, all the best to the boys, and here's hoping they don't get Fazekas-ed. But I like the Spartan Revenge option next week a whole lot better.

BOWL-MANIA

FSU Football

Well, Bulldog fans, how is the bowl season treating you? Something missing? It's one thing to have no fifth-rate bowl game berth for our beloved 'Dogs, something that's been pretty much a given in the Pat Hill era. But how do you like the taste of San Jose St., Hawaii and Boise St. racking up wins while Nevada plays Miami down to the final gun in a loss?

Now, that Boise St. game was something. I've heard a lot of talk about such a game around here over the past several years. It was such a beautiful story, too. So beautiful that it wouldn't even have hurt if it never happened. But what a fine holiday season it is to watch the Boise St. Broncos become the darlings of the college football world while our bitter asses are sitting here with a 4-8 record for the season. Chris Peterson is known to the world as a cold-blooded tactition with the guts of a burglar while Pat Hill is regrouping and rebuilding. While FSU is looking to plug holes and figure out who, if anybody, can play QB, ESPN and Fox are doing Boise St.'s recruiting for them.

On the brighter side, the clock is ticking on Boise St's exodus to a BCS conference so all FSU has to do to regain a stronghold is get Reno, Hawaii and San Jose St to leave with them.