Sixth-year coach Steve Cleveland can talk all he wants about his Fresno State basketball team being young and inexperienced, but that has nothing to do with the fact that his Bulldogs have become a gang of bricklayers (right, photo of team's mascot) over the past four games.
The goal of most teams is to use the preseason to get better so you hit your stride in conference. But it's past midseason and his team's shooting is getting worse, a regular dead skunk in the middle of the road worse. Roll up the window and hold your nose from the stench.
Did the coaching staff bring in players who are lousy shooters? What's the explanation for the way they've regressed? I keep hearing, we're getting good shots, just not making them. It's getting to be a broken record.
The Bulldogs are 7-10 and have lost six games by 12 or fewer points. Most of those were closer until free throws stretched it out at the end. With smarter decisions and a little better shooting, the games become tighter and who knows what happens?
Over the past four games, this team has hit new lows.
Here's the numbers: In losses to New Mexico State, Idaho, Utah State and Hawaii, Fresno State has shot 79 of 221 (35.8%) overall, 22 of 94 (23.4%) on 3s and 34 of 64 (53%) from the free-throw line. Ouch!
The season numbers -- 42.5% FG, 31.9% 3FG, 67.8% FT -- still compare well to the previous five teams. When Fresno State is playing smart and shooting well, the players are sharing the ball, making the extra pass and getting it into the hands of the right players at good spots on the court. What we're seeing lately are guys rushing shots and hoisting 3s instead of using the shot clock and looking inside first, blowing layups, taking forced shots and acting at the free-throw line like the basket will blow up if they hit the rim.
It's getting painful to watch and I must not be the only one who thinks so. The Save Mart Center is getting more empty by the game.
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