LAS VEGAS – Forcing overtime with an 8-0 stretch during the final 4:20 of regulation, Fresno State saw its run in the 2024 Mountain West Championships end in overtime to top seed No. 18 Utah State, 87-75, in the quarterfinals on Thursday at the Thomas & Mack Center. It was the second straight meeting in which the Aggies defeated the Bulldogs in overtime.
Senior Isaiah Hill led the Bulldogs' effort with 17 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. It was just the third double-double of his career. He concludes his four-year career in Fresno as just one of two Bulldogs to record 1,300 career points and 500 career assists.
Junior Jalen Weaver finished with a career-high 19 points and eight rebounds.
Utah State's Great Osobor, the 2024 MW Player of the Year, posted 29 points and 17 rebounds. The junior was 15-of-24 from the free-throw line while drawing 20 fouls on the 'Dogs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Pulling one-point leads early in the game on triples from Xavier DuSell and Isaiah Hill, Fresno State saw Utah State grab control in the opening eight minutes. An 11-2 run had the Aggies up 16-8. The Bulldogs counter punched with a 12-0 spurt, capped by back-to-back 3's from Donavan Yap Jr. and Isaiah Pope to put Fresno State up 20-16.
The Bulldogs held the lead for the next seven minutes, growing it to as much as seven at 33-26 with 2:52 on the clock.
With under three minutes to go, Utah State used a 9-1 run to regain the lead at 35-34 with 47 seconds on the clock. Jalen Weaver dropped in a pair at the line to give Fresno State a 36-35 advantage at the half.
The Aggies came out of the break attacking the Bulldogs. The result was the lead and Enoch Boakye, Xavier DuSell and Leo Colimerio all being saddled with their fourth fouls just over four minutes into the half.
USU's advantage grew to eight with 14:41 on the clock following a triple from Darius Brown II. That started a string of four consecutive made 3-pointers as the teams went shot for shot. Hill's 3 with 13:50 on the clock cut the Bulldogs' deficit to 54-48.
With under 12 minutes to play, Fresno State hit its run. A triple from Pope leveled the contest at 57-57.
Without a bucket in two minutes, and Brown II giving USU a three-point lead, DuSell, fresh off the bench, dropped in a deep 3 on the wing. The Aggies answered with eight unanswered in 62 seconds.
But the Bulldogs' defense clamped down, forcing seven missed shot attempts during the final four-plus minutes. In turn, Fresno State rattled off eight unanswered and came up with a stop on Utah State's attempt at the buzzer to force overtime.
Fresno State shot just 2-of-7 in the overtime and saw its two turnovers result in four Aggie points. USU outscored the 'Dogs 17-5 in overtime.
NOTES
Fresno State wraps up its season at 12-21.
The Bulldogs dropped to 0-6 against Top 25 opponents in 2023-24 (3 losses to Utah State).
The Bulldogs dropped to 1-3 on the year in overtime games, losing their last two to Utah State.
Fresno State attempted 30 3-pointers, tied for its second-most on the year. The 'Dogs were 0-3 attempting 30 or more.
Fresno State had 22 fewer free-throw attempts than Utah State (36-14), its largest differential in a game this season.
Fresno State dropped its fourth game of the year when leading at the half.
Fresno State dropped to 0-16 when its opponent reached 70 points first.
Jalen Weaver posted career highs of 19 points and eight rebounds.
Isaiah Hill recorded the third double-double of his career, and second of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Hill matched his career high on the glass with 10 rebounds.
Hill finishes his Bulldog career No. 21 in points with 1,345 and No. 3 in assists with 505.
Hill is one of 21 players in program history to score more than 1,300 points, and one of three players with more than 500 assists.
Hill joins Dominick Young as the only Bulldogs to post 1,300 points and 500 assists in a career.