FRESNO, Calif. – Three days after falling at the buzzer in Laramie, Wyoming, it was Fresno State's turn to come out on the other end. With 4.4 seconds left, tied at 82-all, Isaiah Hill took the inbound pass down the sideline and put up a 3-pointer while fading away in front of his bench. Game.
In a contest that saw 22 lead changes, with 15 coming in the second half, Fresno State won its first Mountain West game of the season 85-82 on Tuesday night at the Save Mart Center in a seesaw battle between long time California rivals.
Hill scored a season-high 24 points along with dishing out a season-best nine assists. Sixteen of the senior's points came in the final 15 minutes. In total, five Bulldogs landed in double figures on the score sheet, including Enoch Boakye who recorded 10 points and 13 rebounds to post his first career double-double.
San Jose State got 53 points from Tibet Gorener (32) and Trey Anderson (21) who combined to go 12-of-14 from 3.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Enoch Boakye got the Bulldogs going early, scoring six of Fresno State's first eight points. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Myron Amey Jr. gave the Spartans an 11-10 lead six minutes into the game.
Over the next five minutes the Bulldogs outscored the Spartans 16-4 to take their largest advantage of the half at 11, 26-15. SJSU's Tibet Gorener trimmed that lead down to three with 10 straight points for the Spartans.
Behind 22 points from Gorener, SJSU grabbed a 40-39 lead at the half. The 'Dogs shot 56.3 percent from the field but the Spartans countered by going 9-of-17 from deep.
Down by five two minutes into the second, a 6-0 run with four coming from Isaiah Pope regained the lead for the 'Dogs. It was short-lived as back-to-back 3's from the Spartans moved their advantage back to five but Xavier DuSell and Isaiah Hill answered with their own to put the Bulldogs up 52-51. That started a 12-3 stretch in which Fresno State went from down five to up four at 58-54 with 12:27 on the clock.
The lead changes continued throughout the half to the tune of 15 during the final 17 minutes. Neither team led by more than five points.
A catalyst down the stretch, Hill scored or assisted on 17 of Fresno State's final 19 points. Prior to the game-winning bucket, the senior set up that opportunity by taking a charge against Amey Jr. in the lane with 4.4 seconds on the clock and the game tied at 82-82.
NOTES
85 points is the most by Fresno State against a conference opponent since the 2021 Mountain West tournament (85 vs. New Mexico).
Fresno State moved to 7-1 when scoring 70 points first.
Fresno State scored at least 40 points in the paint for the sixth time this season (4-2).
Fresno State moved to 2-0 when five Bulldogs reach double figures in scoring.
Fresno State's 11 made 3-pointers (11-of-25) was its most since hitting 16 against Pacific on Dec. 9.
Fresno State's seven turnovers was its lowest total in a game this season.
Isaiah Hill scored a season-high 24 points and matched his season high in assists (9) and rebounds (6).
His 24 points moved him from 28th to 26th on Fresno State's all-time scoring list, passing Ron Anderson and Kevin Bell. Hill now has 1,168 points in a Bulldog uniform.
Enoch Boakye earned his first-career double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds.
It was Boakye's fourth game this season with at least 13 rebounds.
With 12 points, Isaiah Pope reached double figures for the third straight game, and fifth in the last seven games.
With 13 points, Donavan Yap Jr. recorded his second straight game in double figures, the first time he has done that since mid-November.
Xavier DuSell reached double figures for the 10th time this year with 11 points on Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Fresno State will head to Logan, Utah on Saturday. Tipoff between the Bulldogs and No. 16/17 Aggies is slated for 2 p.m. MT/1 p.m. PT on the Mountain West Network.