Poor shooting woes were the name of the game on Saturday as Pepperdine (6-2) handed Fresno State (5-4) its first home loss of the season, defeating the Bulldogs 65-45.
The ‘Dogs had plenty of opportunities, Fresno State managed to pick up 17 steals. But between poor shooting (17-of-63 FG, 1-8 3PT FG), and being outrebounded 49-28, the Bulldogs were simply overmatched.
Head Coach Ryan McCarthy spoke after the game on what he described as a ‘come to Jesus moment.’
“Our effort tonight was unacceptable and so ultimately this one falls on me,” McCarthy said. “The effort was a product of what we’ve allowed and moving forward, what we’re not going to allow.”
One big cause for the Bulldogs struggles on offense and the boards was the absence of star forward Ashlyn Rean, who is out for the foreseeable future with an undisclosed injury.
“Ashlyn is a difference maker. I’ve not coached many players that can get 20 or more points on 10 or 11 shots. Because she’s got a big motor, we can play her for long periods of time,” McCarthy said.
He added that her presence down low serves as a “zone buster” to open things up on the outside, something that wasn’t going for them tonight.
Key stats
- Emilia Long (FS): 23 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals
- Shorna Preston (PEP): 14 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks
What happened
Pepperdine jumped out to a 7-2 lead early on thanks to five points from guard Lina Falk. A Fresno State turnover then led to an easy layup for former Bulldog point guard Taija Sta. Maria. Avery Watkins responded with a pair of jumpers as part of an 8-2 run for the Dogs.
Pepperdine took over however, going on a 10-0 run in the final five minutes to close out the first quarter with a 19-10 Waves lead.
A pair of free throws from Watkins and a layup from Emilia Long cut the deficit to 22-16 2.5 minutes into the second quarter, but then the Bulldogs shooting woes continued, failing to convert another field goal in the quarter. Pepperdine had six players score at least four points in the first half to give themselves a 28-19 lead.
The Waves extended their lead to 45-29 after three quarters. The Bulldogs offense struggled to establish any sort of rhythm and consistency. As a team, they had just two assists in the entire game (16 for Pepperdine).
Long attempted to single-handily bring the Bulldogs back into the game late in the second half. The Port Angeles, Washington native had 23 points on the night, including 16 after halftime, though the efficiency was still missing.
“It’s called bravery and thank God for Millie,” McCarthy said.
Coach McCarthy added that film is going to be a huge emphasis in the week ahead as the team looks to correct some of the struggles it saw on Saturday, particularly offensively.
What’s next
The Bulldogs stay in California next week as they head north to Moraga, California to take on the Saint Mary’s Gaels on Wednesday, Dec. 10. That game is set to begin at 6:30 p.m.
Fresno State will host Chicago State next Saturday at 5 p.m. before beginning Mountain West Conference play at home on Dec. 17 versus San Diego State.
Recap written by Al Scott, cover photo by Ryan Sepulveda (Fresno Sports Magazine)