Boxscore Louisiana Tech suffered its worst loss of the year Saturday as Fresno State pulled away in the second half to take a 61-40 win before a crowd of 13,890 at the Save Mart Center.
Tech fell to 7-7 overall and 1-3 in the Western Athletic Conference while Fresno State moved to 8-5 and 4-0.
The previous largest margin of loss for Louisiana Tech on the season had been by 12 points to three teams, Arkansas, Alabama-Birmingham and Rice.
Tech's 40-point scoring was the lowest for the Bulldogs since Mississippi State downed the Bulldogs 78-38 on Dec. 7, 2002.
Fresno State led 31-29 at the half after connecting on 46.9 percent of its shots from the floor (12-of-27) while Louisiana Tech made good on 39 percent (13-of-33) of its field goal attempts before intermission.
The home team made a move four minutes into the second stanza, stretching its lead to 44-35 with 13:33 remaining after hitting five of their first eight field goal attempts after intermission. The score was tied 35-35 with 16:00 remaining, but Tech managed only five points after that.
"They had a 17-0 run in the second half during which we had seven turnovers," Tech coach Keith Richard said. "When you can't make shots and keep turning the ball over, you have problems."
Tech freshman standout
Paul Millsap, ranked No. 1 in NCAA rebounds and No. 2 in NCAA field goal percentage, was slowed throughout the contest and spent much of the second half on the bench after being hit with his fourth foul with 12:33 left in the contest. Millsap had scored only two points and had seven rebounds at that point in the contest and added only one rebound before the final buzzer sounded.
"Paul just didn't get going tonight," Richard said. "I think their height bothered him and he just didn't have a good night."
The visiting Bulldogs had trouble finding the basket in the second half, finishing with a .340 shooting percentage after hitting on 5-of-20 after intermission.
"It's the same thing that's haunted us most of the season," Richard said. "Bad stretches made worse by turning the ball over."
Wayne Powell led Louisiana Tech with 16 points and added five rebounds while
Corey Dean ended up with 13 points, scoring all of those in the opening half.
Shantay Legans and Terry Pettis topped Fresno State with 13 points each.
Tech returns to action on Thursday as the Bulldogs play host to San Jose State at 7 p.m. in the Thomas Assembly Center.
