Dec 9, 2001
San Diego St. 93, No. 21 Fresno State 78
By BERNIE WILSON
AP Sports Writer
SAN DIEGO (AP) - It isn't often that San Diego State's fans chant "Over-rated!" at a Top 25 opponent that the Aztecs are blowing out, then get to rush the court after a rare upset.
It happened Saturday night, when Al Faux matched his season high with 25 points, including five 3-pointers, and the Aztecs beat No. 21 Fresno State 93-78 to snap a 10-game losing streak to the Bulldogs.
It helped that Fresno State, coming off a 10-point loss to Gonzaga, played without Melvin Ely, its leading scorer and rebounder. He was benched again while the school investigates whether he received an improper benefit.
Ely, averaging 19.9 points and 9.3 rebounds, missed two games earlier this season, then was cleared to play in the Bulldogs' previous two games.
School officials obtained new information during their investigation and decided to hold out Ely indefinitely, spokesman Steve Weakland said before the game.
The crowd of 8,438 was the second-largest in five seasons in Cox Arena.
"The atmosphere was great," San Diego State swingman Brandon Smith said. "That helps us. I think that's why we play pretty well at home and struggle on the road.
"It was a big win for us," said Smith, noting that Fresno State was playing its third game in a week. "We were in a good situation. The big fella was out, and we're at our home. We don't want to lose at home, no matter who comes in."
Fresno State coach Jerry Tarkanian was disappointed Ely had to sit out again.
"We had no idea this was coming. We really don't believe there was any new evidence that supported it," Tarkanian said. He wouldn't say which school officials made Ely sit out.
"He's the heart and soul of our team," Tarkanian said. "It was tough playing with the crowd fired up and Melvin out. At the end, I guess we just ran out of gas."
The victory was a huge turnaround for San Diego State (5-3), which was outhustled in a five-point loss to San Diego on Wednesday. The Aztecs came out inspired against Fresno State (7-3), and won for just the second time in 29 games against a ranked team since beating No. 7 BYU on Feb. 18, 1988.
The Aztecs' last win over a ranked team was 81-72 over No. 21 Hawaii on Jan. 10, 1998. Since moving up to Division I in 1969-70, San Diego State is just 10-64 against ranked teams.
San Diego State hadn't beaten Fresno State since March 8, 1995, in the first round of the Western Athletic Conference tournament, and has won just twice in 19 games against the Bulldogs dating to 1978.
With Ely out, Chris Jefferies scored a career-high 27 points for Fresno State, beating his old high of 25 set against Montana State in the Preseason NIT on Nov. 13.
San Diego State led 41-40 at halftime, then took control by going on a 15-5 run opening the second half for a 56-45 lead with 15:40 to play.
Faux hit two 3-pointers, and after the second one he stole the ball and fed Tony Bland, whose pull-up jumper gave the Aztecs the 11-point lead and forced Fresno to call timeout.
The closest Fresno got after that was 69-64 after Damon Jackson made a fastbreak layup with 7:33 left. Bland answered with a fastbreak layup of his own, after a block by Chris Walton.
Starting with a bucket by Smith, the Aztecs outscored Fresno State 22-12 over the final 5:06.
San Diego State's Randy Holcomb, who spent the first two years of his career at Fresno State, scored 19 points and Mike Mackell had 17. Bland, the Aztecs' leading scorer with a 20.9 average, had just three at halftime and finished with 15.
Jackson scored 19 and Hiram Fuller 12 for Fresno State.