The consistency of Colby Garland continues to shine for San Jose State (8-22, 3-16 MW). Unfortunately for the Spartans, the results around Garland remain stubbornly the same. Garland poured in a game-high 26 points. His ninth consecutive 20-plus performance, but San Jose State fell 82-68 to Fresno State (13-17, 7-12 MW) Tuesday night at the […]
The consistency of Colby Garland continues to shine for San Jose State (8-22, 3-16 MW). Unfortunately for the Spartans, the results around Garland remain stubbornly the same.
Garland poured in a game-high 26 points. His ninth consecutive 20-plus performance, but San Jose State fell 82-68 to Fresno State (13-17, 7-12 MW) Tuesday night at the Save Mart Center in the Spartans’ final road game before the Mountain West tournament.
For long stretches, Garland was again the engine that kept San Jose State within reach. The junior guard shot an efficient 10-of-18 from the field while adding three assists; yet again playing the full 40 minutes.
But while Garland delivered, Fresno State’s early shooting barrage and the Spartans’ struggles at the free-throw line proved too much to overcome.
Fresno State seized control early behind a blistering first-half performance from beyond the arc; hitting 8 of 14 three-pointers (57%). The Bulldogs carried that momentum into a 45-34 half-time lead as SJSU struggled to contain perimeter looks while trying to keep pace offensively.
Deshawn Gory led Fresno’s balanced attack with 14 points, while Jake Heidbreder added 20 and Wilson Jacques dominated inside with 19 rebounds.
Despite the deficit, the Spartans mounted a brief push in the second half.
After Fresno opened the half with a double-digit lead, San Jose State answered with an 8-4 run sparked by Garland’s second three-pointer, a Jermaine Washington triple, and an Adrian Myers dunk that briefly cut the margin to seven at 49-42.
Myers finished with 17 points and an impressive 16 rebounds for another double-double effort.
But as it’s been most of the season, each Spartan surge was met by a response that San Jose could not overcome.
A controversial technical foul on Garland during one key stretch halted momentum, and Fresno answered with free throws before Jac Mani’s three-pointer pushed the Bulldogs back into comfortable territory midway through the half.
San Jose State’s biggest statistical obstacle came at the foul line. The Spartans entered the game shooting roughly 75% from the stripe but managed just 9-of-19 (47%) on this evening; even finding Garland looking bewildered after uncharacteristic free-throw misses.
Meanwhile the Bulldogs capitalized, converting 19-of-24 free throws while maintaining their edge from deep with 11 made threes overall.
Even with San Jose State holding advantages in points in the paint (42-22) and forcing turnovers that led to 11 points, the Spartans could not erase the early deficit.
A late Fresno three with just over two minutes remaining effectively sealed the outcome; stretching the lead to double digits again and sending the Bulldogs to their 10th home victory of the season while snapping a four-game skid.
For San Jose State, the formula has become painfully familiar: Garland delivers, the Spartans compete in bursts, but defensive lapses, missed free throws and timely opponent shooting once again prove decisive.
The Spartans face Wyoming at home Saturday afternoon for their final regular season game before the conference tournament.
Category: General Sports
