By Haddy Barghouti (HB_SportsBeat) – Spear Reporter | Sophomore guard Jermaine Washington looks to drive past Bulldogs freshman center Wilson Jacques during SJSU’s 70–55 loss. (Photo by Alex Stoev — The Spear)
San Jose State men’s basketball (5–10, 0–4 MW) lost its fifth straight game, extending its longest losing streak of the season, with a 70–55 home loss to Fresno State (7–8, 1–3 MW) on Tuesday night.
The Spartans continued to deal with injury issues as junior guard Colby Garland exited the game with 5:59 remaining in the first half after taking a hard hit to the head. Garland, who leads SJSU in scoring at 18.9 points per game, did not return.
Without Garland, getting to the free-throw line proved challenging for SJSU. The Spartans attempted seven free throws, while Fresno State attempted 14.
Redshirt freshman guard Ben Roseborough returned after missing six games with a hand injury. He played limited minutes and scored five points, his lowest output of the season, entering the game following Garland’s injury.
SJSU trailed by 13 points at halftime, and Fresno State extended the lead to as many as 21 in the second half.
The Spartans struggled to find a rhythm offensively, shooting 38.2% from the field and 28.6% from 3-point range.
Fresno State shot 51.9% from the field and controlled the paint, outscoring SJSU 42–24. The Bulldogs shot 33.3% from beyond the arc.
The Spartans made a push midway through the second half, going on a 12–0 run to cut the deficit to nine points after a 3-pointer by sophomore guard Jermaine Washington. He finished with 10 points and a team-high six assists.
“I know we’re down on bodies, but the guys we put out there, I want to see a fighting spirit,” SJSU head coach Tim Miles said. “That’s the most disappointing part.”
SJSU was also without senior forward Yaphet Moundi, who missed his second straight game.
Moundi ranks second on the team in scoring and leads the Spartans in rebounding. Rebounding proved to be a key factor as Fresno State won the battle 39–21.
“The thing I worry about is when you have so many critical injuries, guys can kind of lose belief,” Miles said. “We can’t ever go down that path. We’re not going to accept that.”
Freshman guard Melvin Bell Jr. was a bright spot for the Spartans, scoring a career-high 16 points and also led the team with six rebounds. He has now scored in double figures in four straight games, his longest streak this season.
“Melvin’s just getting better and better,” Miles said. “We keep seeing a career high, then another career high, then another double-figure night. He’s growing into that role.”
SJSU committed 11 turnovers compared to Fresno State’s 16, but the Bulldogs capitalized, scoring 20 points off Spartan turnovers. The Spartans, meanwhile, managed just 13 points off Fresno State’s giveaways.
Fresno State freshman forward Deshawn Gory led all scorers with 16 points, while junior guard Zaon Collins added 14.
SJSU will return to the road to face Grand Canyon at 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, at GCU Arena in Phoenix, Arizona.
