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The Fresno State Bulldogs certainly made their last game in front of the home crowd Wednesday night a memorable one.
Marvelle Harris, the preseason pick for the Mountain West's player of the year, played like it for the Red Wave, 9,978 strong, one last time, recording 22 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Fellow senior Julien Lewis exploded for his best game of the season with 30 points on 11-of-16 shooting, while junior Cullen Russo collected a game-high 10 rebounds and 6 assists as the 'Dogs ran the Colorado State Rams out of the Save Mart Center by a final score of 87-73.
The high-flying Rams, who came into the night averaging 76.8 points while allowing 78.3 per game in conference play, struggled to keep up with Fresno's hot shooting. Though they more or less matched their MWC field goal percentage in shooting 41 percent from the floor, the 'Dogs outpaced CSU's defensive average by shooting 53.3% as a team. Fresno State also had 9-0 and 17-2 runs in the first half and raced out to a 20-point halftime lead, an advantage they would never relinquish.
Colorado State did have three players finish with double-digit scoring, led by Antwan Scott and Joe DeCiman, who had 15 apiece. Emmanuel Omogbo and Tiel Daniels, who entered the night among the conference's top rebounders, combined to haul in 17 rebounds, as well.
The win brings Fresno State's 2015-16 home record to a staggering 16-2, which not only paces the conference on the season, but now represents the program's high-water mark since the Bulldogs' move to the campus arena in 2003. Boise State's home win against Nevada, however, means that Fresno State (21-9) will need a road win at Utah State on Saturday night for an opportunity at the 2-seed in the conference tournament next week in Las Vegas. Colorado State (15-15, 7-10), meanwhile, will attempt to regroup in their home finale Saturday against Air Force.