Four local cage fighters opened the evening with victories in the MMA Strikeforce Challenger Friday at the Save Mart Center.

Fresno's Casey Olson (11-3) scored a first-round TKO in 2:33 over Sacramento's Chris Culley (4-6) at 145 pounds; Clovis High teacher Ben Holsher (4-0) stayed perfect at 155 pounds with a 30-27 unanimous decision against Johnny Goh (1-3) of Sacramento; Fresno's Cole Escovido (14-4) took out Long Beach's Maurice Eazel (7-11) with a TKO at 1:47 of the first round at 135 pounds; and Madera's Zoila Frausto (4-0) pulled out a 30-27 unanimous decision over Elisha Helsper (0-2) of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, in a 135-pound women's match.

Emptying the notebook on the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony held Thursday at the Fresno Convention Center.

Boyd Grant, the legend from the Rocky Mountains who showed that Fresno State could compete at the highest level in college basketball, was typical Boyd Grant hours before his 1983 NIT championship team was inducted.

I asked him how his health was at age 76 and, with a twinkle in his eye, said: I had something a while back \[pointing to his head\] and went to the emergency room. They told me I was two ugly to die. So here I am."

Fred Litzenberger, an assistant on Grant's 1983 NIT champions, is in his third season as

It was nice to see Greg Smith back on the basketball court in Fresno last night.

The 6-foot-10 Fresno State freshman out of Edison High had no trouble fitting into a team that likes to run and gun. Twice he beat his Fresno Pacific defender downcourt for dunks, wasn't shy about catching and shooting and played some solid defense.

Coach Steve Cleveland said afterward that Smith (12 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block) has a bright a future here.

Mychal Ladd's 22 points on 8 of 12 shooting (5 for 6 behind the arc) broke open the 78-67 win early. Of course, the Bulldogs can't rely on that kind of shooting every game, but it he got open and hit shots, a credit to his teammates getting the ball in the hot hand.

The NCAA just won't stay off Emma Andrews' back.

Fresno State's junior guard had to sit out last season and the first three games this season as NCAA penalty for playing just a few minutes in an Australian professional league while she was in high school.

So, why didn't Andrews suit up for the Bulldogs' exhibition against Fresno Pacific last night? Coach Adrian Wiggins is wondering the same thing.

A bewildered Wiggins said Andrews couldn't play until the Dec. 22 home opener against St. Mary's -- the fourth game of the season.

Mychal Ladd scored all 17 of his points in the opening seven minutes and Fresno State raced to a 45-25 halftime lead on Fresno Pacific tonight in an exhbition at the Save Mart Center.

The Bulldogs shot 54.8% from the field and dominated the boards 23-13.

Paul George had seven points and seven rebounds for the Bulldogs and Sylvester Seay six points and four rebounds.

James Lewis led the Sunbirds, ranked No. 3 in the NAIA, with 10 points.

Sophomore guard Mychal Ladd held the early hot hand with 17 of Fresno State's first 22 points in the opening seven minutges and the Bulldogs broke to a 22-2 lead on Fresno Fresno Pacific in their exhibition at the Save Mart Center tonight.

Ladd was 6 for 6 shooting, making all four of his 3-pointers and hitting 1 of 2 free throws.

Jaleesa Ross scored a game-high 11 points with 11 rebounds and five steals, as the Fresno State women's basketball team beat crosstown rival Fresno Pacific 57-30 in an exhibition tonight at the Save Mart Center.

The Bulldogs didn't shoot well -- 35.5% overall, 6 fo 29 3-pointers -- but made up for it on the defense end, limiting the Sunbirds to 25.7% shooting and forcing 29 turnovers.

Taja Edwards had nine points and six rebounds for the Bulldogs, who won the boards 39-33 after building a huge lead. Hayley Munro and LaShay Fears each had eight points and freshman Rosie Moult from Australia added seven points, three rebounds and two assists in her debut.

Fresno State held Fresno Pacific to 16% shooting and used an early 18-0 scoring run en route to a 31-13 halftime lead in this women's exhibition at the Save Mart Center.

The Bulldogs scored most of their points on drives to the basket and transition baskets off 12 Sunbirds turnovers. Fresno State's top scorer, Jaleesa Ross, made only one basket but had 10 rebounds and two steals. Taja Edwards had seven points and five rebounds, and Marnique Arnold and LaShay Fears added six points apiece.

Fresno State, which led the nation in 3-pointers last season, hit just 3 of 17 -- two by Fears and one by newcomer Rosie Moult, a freshman from Australia.

The Fresno State women's basketball team is 10 minutes away from playing Fresno Pacific in an exhbition tonight and the Bulldogs will be short two short players.

Junior Emma Andrews must sit out until the Nov. 22 home game against St. Mary's, part of the NCAA penalty levied on the 5-foot-5 guard for playing in an Australian professional league.

Taylor Thompson, a 5-5 freshman, broke her foot in practice and could miss two to three months. Coach Adrian Wiggins said there's a good chance she will take a medical redshirt season and come in next season as a freshman again.

Mums the word around the Fresno Pacific volleyball program when it comes to discussing an unbeaten season.

The top-ranked Sunbirds are 28-0 -- 32 straight wins dating to last year's run to the NAIA title -- heading into Saturday's game against No. 2 California Baptist in Riverside.

"The closest I'll ever come to [talking about an unbeaten season] is tell the team if we x, y and z, nobody will get us," coach Dennis Janzen told me. "It's always conditional. I do think we've matured to a point that if we execute, nobody gets us."

Surprisingly, Janzen's never had an undefeated women's team in his 25 years as coach. That includes the four NAIA championship teams, including the last two that each lost once.