LAS VEGAS – Holding a six-point lead with 1:42 remaining in regulation, Fresno State saw its season end in overtime to Nevada, 65-53, in the first round of the Mountain West tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center.
The Bulldogs were outscored 22-4 during the last 6:30 of the game.
Following a 3-pointer from Amiee Book with 4:15 in the fourth quarter that put the Bulldogs up 45-41, Fresno State missed its final 10 field goal attempts of the game, a span of nine-plus minutes.
Amaya West led Fresno State in scoring with 18 points in her final game as a Bulldog. Amiee Book, another of the Bulldogs' five fifth-year seniors, joined her in double figures with 15 points.
How It Happened
Knocking down her first two jumpers from the mid-range, Amaya West got herself and the 'Dogs going. With a lull into the media timeout, and trailing 8-6, Fresno State hit a 9-0 run. Started by West on a reverse layup, her sixth points of the quarter, the junior added the Bulldogs' first triple of the game with 1:43 to go in the period. The run gave the 'Dogs a little cushion as they led 17-10 after one.
The Wolf Pack climbed back into the game, cutting the Bulldogs' lead to one three minutes into the second. A layup from Imani Lacy was followed by a corner 3 from Franka Wittenberg extended Fresno State's advantage back to six at 23-17. Nevada turned up the pressure and hit a 7-0 stretch to take its first lead since midway through the first. The two sides ended the half locked up at 26-all.
Lacy opened the third with a jumper 90 seconds in but three straight missed attempts led to the Wolf Pack taking a 32-28 lead. West ended the near-four-minute drought with a steal and getting to the line for a pair. Down five with under 90 seconds remaining in the period, Fresno State needed a bucket to stay close. Amiee Book answered with a pair of 3's on back-to-back possessions to end the quarter and regain the lead for the 'Dogs at 38-37.
Fresno State turned up the defense in the fourth, forcing five straight missed attempts from Nevada. It resulted in a 7-0 stretch as the 'Dogs took a 47-41 advantage with 3:37 in regulation. A 3-pointer from Book with 4:15 though was the Bulldogs' last field goal of the day. Leading by six with 90 seconds remaining, Nevada got six unanswered from Alyssa Jimenez, including a jumper with one second on the clock to tie the game at 49-49.
Fresno State was 0-of-8 from the field in overtime and was outscored 16-4.
Notes
Fresno State shot its fifth-lowest percentage of the season at 32.7 percent (17-of-53)
The Bulldogs were 6-of-12 from the free throw line during the final eight minutes of the game. They shot 14-of-22 overall (63.6%).
Amaya West recorded her 21st game in double figures, scoring 18 points.
It was West's third straight game in double figures against Nevada.
Amiee Book reached double figures for the 13th game this year with 15 points.
Quotes
Head Coach Jaime White
"Obviously, had a chance to win at the end there in regulation, and I thought our kids played hard. Not perfect. Had a few too many turnovers early. Rebounded okay. I thought we rebounded okay with them. Let them score inside the paint a little bit too much, but really just a couple of free throws away from finishing it off. Thought we had a good lead there going into the last two minutes and just, kind of frustrating and similar to the way a lot of games went in our season.
"So proud of these two seniors. You know, main players for us that we've relied on throughout the year. You know, I thought we put it all out there"