If you would like evidence for why this blog, and columnist, does not do predictions, scroll down to the previous blog.

Halftime score: Utah State 44, Fresno State 31.

So no, it doesn't look like Fresno State's going to give them much of a game. The crowd, which I suspected would have a decent local atmosphere (ie, Nevada fans) rooting for the upset, isn't here. Or the game just got so out-of-hand so quickly that they've been snuffed out. Utah State fans travel well, and I've heard the state of Utah is all but touching the state of Nevada. I haven't checked.

(Remind me some time to tell you about the stupidest promotion in halftime history, involving "The Jiffy Lube Cheetah." Ugh. Make it stop.)

Utah State came out and made every shot, every 3-pointer, every free throw. The Aggies shot 143% in the first half. I haven't checked the official stats, but that seems about right. It was 16-2 before the first timeout. It is somewhat easier to shoot when no one guards you, and the Bulldogs defense was man-to-man, although which Fresno State man was was covering which Utah State man was not always easy to decipher. The Bulldogs then switched to a zone, causing half of the crowd to ask, "Weren't they already in a zone?"

The zone worked even less, and coach Steve Cleveland switched back. Maybe. It's hard to say. Putting Buchanan graduate Brandon Sperling at point guard, which I've been supporting, absolutely failed because he just didn't handle the ball well at the beginning and made at least two terribly lazy passes. If the Bulldogs weren't shooting pretty well, this game would have already been switched to the running clock, the way they do for soccer and JV girls hoops when things get out of hand.

Cleveland's plan to pound the ball in low was either changed before the game, or just abandoned because of the start. Fresno State is taking a lot of tough shots. There was no doubt the last shot of the half was going to be a fadeaway 3-pointer. Even when Dwight O'Neil was dribbling it up near halfcourt, waiting for the clock to count down, you just knew it would be a tough shot. Sure enough, Mychal Ladd's fadeaway 3 wasn't close.

Second half prediction: This blog will not predict anything else.