By Kavin Mistry:
There is no sense in turning your back on this season’s San Jose State basketball team. In years’ past, the men’s team has always been an afterthought for fans at SJSU because of the team’s abysmal Mountain West track record.
Now with four straight wins for the first time since 1996, being only three wins off the pace of the top spot in the conference, the feeling in the locker room is unlike anything in decades.
To put this in perspective, half the team’s roster wasn’t even born the last time the Spartans won four games in a row.
“We want to make this season memorable forever in our school’s history,” said forward Jaycee Hillsman. “It was different having what happened last year, but this year we just think ‘man, we are here, we can do this’ and realizing that we have the potential to beat teams and be special.”
It’s been anything but a normal season for the Spartans.
Just two and a half weeks ago, after SJSU dropped its third straight game, it seemed like the team was headed towards another season to forget.
While it may not be the sole reason the for resurgence, freshman Terrell Brown. The sharpshooting guard has emerged as one of the team’s go-to scorers, pairing well with sophomore forward Brandon Clarke. Since senior guard Gary Williams Jr. went down with injury five games ago, Brown has stepped up, scoring 69 points and dishing out 14 assists over those five games, including the game-winning shot with 13 seconds left in the Spartans win at UNLV on Saturday.
“What makes him so hard to guard is he can shoot the three and he’s quick so he can get to basket and get fouled,” said head coach Dave Wojcik.
Tonight, Brown and the Spartans have the opportunity to continue their streak and keep climbing the standings in a rivalry matchup against Fresno State. The Bulldogs have been reeling as of late, dropping three straight and are in dire need of a win.
Despite the skid, Fresno State sits one spot behind the Spartans in the standings.
“They are a really talented team,” Wojcik said. “Terrific in transition, very good offensive team and we are going to have our hands full because they are really desperate right now.”
Tonight the Spartans and Bulldogs face-off in Fresno at 7 p.m.