March 17 2014

THE COLLEGIAN MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014

Photos by Khlarissa Agee • The Collegian

FROM LEFT: Fresno State coach Raegan Pebley and players Alex Sheedy, Jacinta Vandenberg, Jessy Saint-Felix and Raven Fox celebrate after the Bulldogs’ 77-68 Mountain West tournament championship game win over top-seeded Colorado State Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

HOOPS, WE DID IT AGAIN 77 68

Fresno State wins second Mountain West tournament title in two years, punches ticket to seventh-consecutive NCAA Tournament

By Daniel Leon @DanLeon25

LAS VEGAS – For the fourth year in a row, the Fresno State women’s basketball team is going dancing.

The No. 2-seed Bulldogs used their March momentum to hold off the No. 1-seed Colorado State Rams 77-68 Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center to win a second straight Mountain West Championship.

The ‘Dogs have secured the league’s automatic bid to the 2014 NCAA Tournament. In two days, Fresno State will find its opponent through a selection show that will be on ESPN Monday at 4 p.m.

Fresno State coach Raegan Pebley credits the team’s perseverance through the season in helping the Bulldogs hoist another trophy.

“We went through a lot of adversity,” Pebley said, “and that adversity made us so

See CHAMPS, Page 8

PHOTO GALLERY

==> Relive the sights of Fresno State’s Mountain West tournament win over Colorado State. [Online]

TODAY The Fresno State women’s basketball team poses with the Mountain West tournament trophy after its 77-68 win over Colorado State Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

CELEBRATING HOLI

-- PAGE 4

ASI PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE 12: 30 P.M. TUESDAY USU ROOM 312-314

==> Fresno State finds out which NCAA Regional it will compete in this year’s Big Dance.

ASI CANDIDATES

==> CANDIDATES PRESENT PLATFORMS: ASI candidate’s letters to students explaining their campaigns.

[Page 2]

VIDEO GAMES

==> DONKEY KONG COUNTRY: Sam Desatoff reviews one of the Wii U’s hottest games. [Page 5]

OPINION

GOT OPINIONS? We want to hear them.

COLLEGIAN-OPINION@CSUFRESNO.EDU MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014

2

VIEWPOINT

2014 ASI ELECTIONS

By Matthew Jimenez

EDITOR'S NOTE: With this year's Associated Student Inc. elections nearing, The Collegian reached out to this year's candidates, asking them to provide letters to the editor introducing themselves. We will continue publishing the voluntary responses from candidates as they are received in our Opinion section Mondays and Fridays leading up

Meet this year's Getting the best out of candidates the Residence Dining Hall Collegian Staff

As a student who has eaten at the Resident Dining Hall for the past four years, I can easily say that is has been difficult eating from the same menu year after year. However, I’m not here to bag on the RDH -- far from it.

Rather I’m here to help you, the student, survive the monotony.

Eating at the RDH for many students is considered a chore. Yet, nobody seems to do anything about it.

Remember, mom and dad aren’t here to make the food, so instead of complaining, be bold and try concocting something new.

Get creative with your food. There are no rules that say you can’t make your own creations using the already-prepared food at your hands. Consider making chili cheese fries with the chili beans located near the fried food section next to the clam chowder. Have the staff at the sandwich counter put toppings on the dish, or consider going to the salad bar to mix it up.

In between the refrigerator is a microwave. Try placing a brownie or piece of pie in the microwave for a few seconds, then place ice cream on top for brownie and pie a la mode. Another good dessert would be to place ice cream between two cookies for, you guessed it, ice cream sandwiches.

Many students don’t realize that the dining hall has an online menu. Use this menu to determine the good days from the bad. It can save you time and major disappointment.

Always check the counter at the far corner by the chips for freshly-made dishes. Here, on certain days you’ll find green or red tortilla chicken wraps, teriyaki bowls, buffalo wings, chicken nachos and carved meats.

My personal favorites are the freshly made panini’s and mashed potato bowls, (a mixture of mashed potatoes, corn, cheese and sour cream). As far as I know, no complaints have arisen from this section.

Monday night omelets are always a crowd pleaser, but be prepared for a long line. Thursday is RDH pizza night, and just like omelet night, pizza night draws in an insatiable pizza-eating crowd.

Another popular day is Taco Night. I personally have no idea why. Maybe it is because I grew up on so-called Mexican food, but people do go insane for

Mexican-styled dishes.

Try not to go to the RDH 30 minutes before 11 a.m. or 4 p.m. There is very little fresh food as the staff is preparing to switch lunch dishes for dinner ones and vice versa. However, do go several minutes after 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. to get the freshest food of the day.

Get to know the staff. They are always willing to extend a helping hand. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or make requests such as boiling an egg.

Many of the staff members and chefs like talking to RDH guests and making new friends. In the long run, this will make going to the RDH much more enjoyable and easier to digest, not to mention possible perks.

The best dinner, hands down, is Thanksgiving night, held several days before Thanksgiving break.

The RDH goes all out with a plethora of holiday favorites like pumpkin pie, chocolate cake, cheesecake, cranberry sauce, pecan pie and holiday fixings of turkey, ham, stuffing and mashed potatoes.

Christmas dinner is good, but not exactly the same.

Somehow it falls flat but still surpasses most nights.

Go on vendor day to get new foods, critique ideas and make suggestions.

Staff meets with RHA, Residents Housing Association, housing-elected students chosen by dorm residents, to discuss food options. They hear about students' likes and dislikes, including suggestions. There is also a suggestion box located in the RDH, which is viewed on a weekly basis.

Go on $5 Fridays. Make an event out of it with friends. Pay for lunch and stay all day for dinner.

(Warning gets crazy hectic from 11 to 1 p.m.)

Fridays are not the best representation of what is offered on a routine basis, except for the fried food section, which is usually the same and most popular, even though students won’t admit it.

Don’t go all the time, and do give yourself a break.

Now students can sit up front and watch sports on the new flatscreen which is situated right above the fire place. It seems like a good idea, but how will it work? Not everyone likes sports or wants to watch news. I know I don’t.

Eating at the RDH might seem routine at times, but it sure beats the pink slime that makes up most of the meat found at Taco Bell and the unknown origins of Chick-Fil-A’s chickens,which could very well come from the same allegedly mutated, beakless, featherless and six-legged creatures bred by KFC.

SENATOR AT-LARGE

Jobanjot Aulakh I’m a local of the Central Valley. I attended Selma High where I served as a sophomore class officer and ASB vice president, and held board positions in clubs including National Honor Society, California Scholastic Federation, Indian club, and Interact.

Prior to CSUF, I attended Reedley College where I was involved in the Pete P. Peters Honors Program, Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society, and the Green club. Currently, I’m a business major, and am on the executive board for Beta Alpha Psi. My interests include traveling, shooting hoops, spending time with my grandpa & brother, along with watching movies!

During my term, I plan to get more students involved on campus whether it be joining a club or organization, the Greek life, or intramurals. Some concerns facing students are that some have yet to get involved on campus and students aren’t aware of the benefits of being involved.

Letter to the editor As the ASI Executive Vice President, it is important for me to clear up misinformation that was printed in the Collegian and circulated on campus about the ASI meeting that occurred on March 5.

During the meeting, I ordered the meeting room cleared after interruptions and other conduct from the audience made it impossible and unsafe for business to continue.

The Collegian’s article (on 3/12) suggested that the ASI somehow violated California open meeting law during that meeting. Such an assertion is completely false. When I temporarily adjourned the meeting because of the disturbances, campus law enforcement instructed all senators and executives to enter the ASI Senate Office (USU 316) for safety precautions. However, the Collegian’s article omits this. Moreover, the article stated that, “During this intermission, senators deliberated in a separate room closed to the public.”

This assertion is wrong. I can assure Fresno State students that the meeting did not continue in the office and the Student Senate members did not discuss agenda items, as such conduct without notice would have been a violation of the Gloria Romero Open Meetings Act of 2000 (the law that applies to student organizations like ASI).

During this recess the audience (which included University faculty, community members, and students) refused to comply with my directives, the chair of the Senate, and remained in the room. In fact, I personally observed some audience members chanting and shouting obscenities towards students and staff of ASI. It was after I consulted with University police that ASI Senators were led back into the meeting room and the Senate reconvened. All members of the public were allowed to observe the meeting, though order had to be called five times and one member of the public approached the student table threatening violence.

I would like to reiterate, ASI did not violate State open meeting law. I personally discussed this matter with ASI’s outside legal counsel who is an expert on open meeting law. Because we followed law enforcement directives, were compelled to leave the room, and we did not discuss ASI business while in the Senate Office, the Student Senate did not violate the law.

ASI is committed to transparency and due process. We are glad when students and the rest of the public attend and participate in ASI meetings. Many times we disagree about issues both within the Student Senate and within our respective constituencies, but we do so with healthy discourse. However, these objectives are threatened when decorum breaks down, we are unable to conduct business, and senators are in fear for their safety. The other executives, Senators and I are committed to finding an equitable resolution to the concerns of our ASI membership but we must arrive at a resolution in a constructive way.

-- Justin Whisten, Associated Students Inc. executive vice president

THE COLLEGIAN The Collegian is a student-run publication that serves the Fresno State community on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Views expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or university.

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FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 2014

THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

PAGE 3

FRESNO STATE GETS HIGH MARKS IN AFFORDABILITY

But has second-largest student loan default in survey

By Matthew Criswell Collegian Staff

Fresno State ranked 18th out of 40 in a recent NerdScholar ranking of the best “bang for your buck” universities in California The average income for someone between the ages of 25 and 34 with a high school diploma is about $30,000, and the average income for someone with a college degree is about $45,000.

NerdScholar argues that the amount of money spent to attend a four-year university is worth it in the end, so it wanted to find out which colleges in California provide the best education for the respective amount of money.

NerdScholar looked at the top 40 colleges in California based on the Forbes ranking of America’s Top Colleges. It then tried to answer a few questions about each school to try to rank them in the best possible way.

The questions were: 1. Is the college generally affordable and does it offer aid?

Included in this was the average net price, or the price after grants and scholarships.

2. How does the college appear to the public eye?

This took into account the prestige and quality of the school according to the Forbes ranking.

3. Do students graduate within six years?

Six years is the average time it takes students to graduate.

4. Do students pay back their loans on time?

This added in the loan default rates.

After all of these questions were analyzed and added together, Fresno State ended up ranked as the 18th “best bang for your buck school” in California.

“The fact that we made the list is remarkable

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because, on that list, we are competing primarily with the UC system. Seven of the top 10 are UC schools with two being privates. The standards for entrance at a UC are significantly higher than at CSU, Fresno,” said Bernard Ogden, financial aid director.

Fresno State had the lowest net price out of all the schools, which was $5,805, but had the second largest loan default rate at 7.9 percent.

“Our default rate is higher because our population demographic is mostly urban and lowincome,” Ogden said. “The sophistication with financial matters is not significant.”

The graduation rate at Fresno State was the third lowest out of all the colleges in the ranking at 49.4 percent, coming in ahead San Jose State and CSU San Bernardino, which has a graduation rate of 44.6 percent.

While these statistics are lower than other schools on the list, many students at Fresno State feel like they are getting a quality education because of all the resources available.

“I feel like we have a lot to offer: things like the writing center, the library and things like that. I have a friend at USC, and he probably has more resources, but I feel like I get a quality education here,” Fresno State sophomore Alyssa Chavez said.

According to many students, the professors at Fresno State have a lot to offer and are very educated in their respective fields.

“There are many professors here who do a really good job and give me a quality education,” Fresno State student Luz Rosales said.

“We have a great student life here. We get the best of both worlds: a big beautiful campus in a small town. I don’t feel like Fresno State gets enough credit,” Fresno State student Myles Alonzo said.

“

Photo Illustration by Matthew Vieira • The Collegian

Our default rate is higher because our population demographic is mostly urban and low-income.

-- BERNARD OGDEN

FINANCIAL AID DIRECTOR

IN BRIEF

”

Ethics lecture series begins Wednesday with New York Times bureau chief

concerts/ and are $10 for the public and employees and $5 for students and seniors.

For more information, call (559) 278-2654.

The Leon S. Peters Ethics Lecture Series kicks off Wednesday with Randy Archibold, New York Times bureau chief for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

Archibold will discuss ethical issues in reporting in Latin America at the Alice Peters Auditorium in the Peters Business Building from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

He will also discuss mass media and society from 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. Thursday.

The series, which will include four other talks, is free and open to the public.

For information about Archibold, contact Dr. Annabella España-Nájera at (559) 2783020.

Women’s Studies Brown Bag Events conclude this week

P.A.W.S. recruiting volunteers

Fresno State professor named Rehabilitation Educator of the Year

One-year volunteer positions are now available with the Health Promotion and Wellness Services in University Health Psychological Services.

Students may sign up at recruitment events Tuesday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Free Speech Area. The program will also unveil its new “Protect your ‘Dogs” alcohol poisoning/overdose prevention campaign.

For more information, contact Kathy Yarmo at (559) 278-6739 or kyarmo@csufresno.edu.

Music department hosts ‘Saxes at State’ Tuesday The music department will perform “Saxes at State” at 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Wahlberg Recital Hall in the Music Building.

Tickets can be bought online in advance at http://www.fresnostate.edu/artshum/music/

The annual women’s studies Brown Bag Events will conclude with two final talks Tuesday and Wednesday.

The talks are in the Henry Madden Library Room 3212 from noon to 1:30 p.m.

On Tuesday, Dr. Kathryn Forbes will present “Getting Even: Women Faculty and the Market Salary Increase.”

On Wednesday, Dr. Larissa MercadoLopez will talk on “Latinas and the Politics of Fitness: A Discussion on the Intersections of Size, Health, Culture and Citizenship.”

Dr. Jenelle S. Pitt received the 2014 Rehabilitation Educator of the Year Award Friday in Manhattan Beach.

The award by the National Council on Rehabilitation Education honors an individual demonstrating outstanding ability as a rehabilitation educator.

Pitt, who came to Fresno in 2009, is an assistant professor in the Kremen School of Education and Human Development and coordinator at Fresno State’s Rehabilitation Counseling Program.

Pitt also serves on the Disability Advisory Commission for the city of Fresno.

She also recently received Fresno State’s Rosa Parks Unsung Hero Award for her commitment to the success of students and devotion to inspiring students to achieve excellence in all aspects of life.

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MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Celebrating Friendship Through Color

Indian Student Club celebrated Holi, a traditional Indian festival uses color powders to showcase forgiveness and friendship

Photo by Katie Eleneke • The Collegian

Participants covered in a variety of colored powders throw more in the air to commemorate the Indian festival Holi on Sunday at J.E. O’Neill Park.

By Yvette Mancilla @yvette_mancilla

Fistfuls of colored powder were thrown all over students and participants to celebrate Holi at J.E. O’Neill Park on Sunday.

Fresno State’s Indian Student Club organized the event to commemorate the spring festival of Holi, a traditional Indian celebration that comes at the end of February or early in March.

What was once an ancient Hindu religious festival celebrating the god Krishna, Holi is now commercialized and is seen all around the world, said Dhruv Doshi, club president.

Holi celebrates the renewal of friendships and forgiving one another for past grievances.

On the day of Holi, people come together to eat, dance and rub “gulal,” red colored powder and other colors on each other while wishing “Happy Holi.”

Some mention the phrase, “Buran a maano Holi Hail,” meaning “Please don’t mind, but it’s Holi!” while rubbing or throwing the colors at one another.

While the Indian Student Club has been on campus the past four years, Doshi said events like Holi help bring different people together on campus to learn more about the club and participate in some of the festivities the club celebrates in Indian culture.

“Events like these spread awareness about what Indian culture is about because Indian culture is very rich,” Doshi said. “It’s been around for a long time, and there’s a lot of deep meaning behind the

dances and festivals.”

Madhu Chowdhury, an Indian Student Club member, said it was her first time celebrating Holi at Fresno State, but she has participated in the past back home in Calcutta.

“I think it engages the student body in cultural awareness and kind of spreads diversity, informing students about different cultural norms,” Chowdhury said.

“It’s a very exciting tradition that we have, and over the years it has become more mainstream, which is good because it’s a festival of sharing happiness with your friends.”

Dancing, music, food and plenty of color throwing kept students and other participants entertained. Hoses, water balloons and water guns were also on hand to use against others for fun.

Fresno State student Kristina Vang said it was her first time participating in Holi and would do it again next year if the opportunity arose.

“I heard about it through International Coffee Hour this past week,” Vang said.

“It peaked my interest, and it’s really fun.

There’s a lot of excitement here.”

Vang also said similar cultural events brought on by the Indian Student Club or other Fresno State organizations would benefit the student population.

“It’s really beneficial for Fresno State,” Vang said. “One of our mottos is diversity, and I think it will be a lot of fun for all Fresno State students to enjoy themselves at these events.”

To learn more about the Indian Student Club and its upcoming events, visit the club’s website at www.iscfresnostate.com.

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5

‘Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze’ Review

SCORE: 9 out of 10

By Sam Desatoff Collegian Staff

When Nintendo decided to revive the “Donkey Kong Country” franchise in 2010, developer Retro Studios approached the project with a keen eye for platforming.

“Donkey Kong Country Returns” on the Wii offered difficult-yet-rewarding gameplay coupled with a colorful art style and a well-honed sense of humor.

The end result was one of the greatest platforming experiences available last generation. For the Wii U sequel, Retro adheres closely to the formula established in Returns, but kicks up the difficulty significantly.

“Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze” opens when an army of penguins uses a massive alpine horn to summon an ice storm and freeze DK Island.

Donkey Kong and friends are blown away and must traverse six separate islands filled with enemies and other obstacles in order to reclaim their home.

While there are fewer levels in Tropical Freeze than were in Returns, the levels

themselves are longer and offer more variety.

During my time with the game, I platformed through a massive tornado, scaled a mountain in the midst of an avalanche and rode a mine cart through an active sawmill. The action on screen is frantic and can be a little distracting, but the overall effect is absolutely charming.

Underwater levels also make a return to the series and are equally filled with many large-scale set piece moments.

Characters Dixie and Cranky join Diddy and Donkey Kong this time around.

With the exception of Donkey Kong, each character possesses a unique jumping ability that allows them to traverse levels in different ways – Cranky can pogo on his cane to move across spikes, Dixie’s hair can propel her higher than the other Kongs, and Diddy uses his jetpack to hover for a short time.

I found myself leaning heavily on Dixie and Diddy throughout most of the game, as the ability to adjust trajectory mid jump

See DONKEY KONG, Page 6

Photo courtesy of Nintendo

PAGE 6

THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014

FUN & GAMES

SUDOKU: Fill the 9×9 grid with digits so that each column, each row, and each of the nine 3×3 sub-grids that compose the grid contain all of the digits from 1 to 9.

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis / McClatchy-Tribune

Across

1 Bambi’s mom, e.g.

4 First grade lessons 8 Father-son actors Robert and Alan 13 Essence 14 Sodium hydroxide, in chem class 15 Deserve 16 Tricky situation to deal with 18 Chicago airport 19 Smitten 20 Piper’s son of rhyme 22 Radio switch letters 23 End 24 Salon styling stuff 26 Santa’s laugh sounds 27 Victrola corp.

29 Govt. intelligence gp.

30 Dr. of rap 31 Division word 33 Taiwanese-born director Lee 35 Asked God for guidance 37 Former NFLer with a season record 23 touchdown receptions 40 JFK’s vessel 43 Soft slip-on 44 Norse trickster 48 “I got it!”

49 “Norma __” 51 Approves 53 Flying Peter 54 Flying socialite 57 Start of a fitness motto 59 Curved foot part 60 Minor league rink org.

61 “Just watch me!”

62 “Politically Incorrect” host Bill 64 Hearty meal often made with mutton, and, in a way, what the ends of 16-, 24-, 37- and 54-Across comprise 66 “Not __ out of you!”

67 Casino freebie 68 Chile’s Cape __ 69 Methods: Abbr.

70 “Ghost Hunters” channel 71 Two-time loser to DDE

Down

1 Talk and talk and ...

2 Show more staying power than 3 Old Montreal team 4 Poker game starter

5 Sheep’s sound 6 Terra __: pottery clay 7 Surefire winner 8 Latin “I love” 9 “The Merry Widow” composer Franz 10 Serious-and-funny show 11 Orbitz quote 12 Originated (from) 13 Oh-so-stylish 17 Finished for good 21 Logical guy with pointy ears 24 Ranch worker 25 Auto dealer’s inventory 28 Bach composition 32 Gold, to Gomez 34 Workout place 36 Communication for the deaf:

Abbr.

38 Swiss river 39 Othello, for one 40 Pillow fight garb 41 Psychologist’s treatment 42 Cookie dough units 45 Summer shoe style 46 Former German leaders 47 Back home after traveling, say 50 Moral principles 52 For instance, with “as” 55 Piece of paper 56 “The Jetsons” boy 58 Malia Obama’s sister 61 Cosby/Culp TV series 63 Rotation meas.

65 Global currency org.

Game difficult, but rewarding

Photo Courtesy of Nintendo

DONKEY KONG from Page 5 is invaluable.

My biggest complaint about the game lies with its difficulty. Tropical Freeze offers some of the most testing gameplay this side of the Dark Souls franchise.

Retro has blurred the line between difficult and frustrating in a way that might discourage some. Jumps require high levels of precision and expert timing, and Retro has designed some levels to encourage trial and error.

By placing horned enemies directly where your character is expected to land or moving a platform out from under your feet, memorization becomes an important method of finishing a level.

Most times, this feels like the devious product of a finely tuned gaming experience more than a device to frustrate the player.

The resulting effect is two-fold: some levels become a slog and an exercise in muscle mem-

ory, but the feeling of accomplishment when you finally complete a stage is nearly unrivaled.

Luckily, controls are very tight and responsive – I recommend playing with a Wii U Pro Controller and using the directional pad – and most of my deaths felt like they were my fault, not the game.

Retro also provides enough extra lives that finishing the game never feels impossible, and Funky Kong returns to sell additional bonuses like extra hearts and temporary invincibility to help you along.

In addition, each level features more than one checkpoint, which goes a long way in alleviating many frustrations.

“Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze” showcases Retro Studios’ ability to produce an extremely polished platformer.

I hope it continues to develop such fine-tuned adventures, and I certainly hope the difficulty is not too discouraging, as those who stick it out will find the most rewarding platforming experience the Wii U has to offer.

MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014

Bulldogs grab wins against Buckeyes, Aggies in Classic

THE COLLEGIAN • SPORTS

PAGE 7

BASEBALL IN REVIEW

CLASSIC from Page 8 Fresno State vs. Cal Poly In Day 3 of the Classic, the Bulldogs fell to the Mustangs 6-1.

After Cal Poly scored five runs in the top of the third inning, Fresno State senior right fielder Michelle Solomon doubled in center fielder Brenna Moss in the bottom half of the frame.

Hannah Harris (3-4) was charged with the loss after pitching 2 1/3 innings with no strikeouts and three hits.

Taylor Langdon and Kiley Shae Aldridge pitched in relief.

Fresno State vs. New Mexico State In the nightcap of Saturday’s doubleheader, the Bulldogs beat the New Mexico State Aggies.

The game was back-and-forth with four lead changes – all within the final innings.

The Aggies began the scoring when leadoff hitter Devon Thomey scored on a wild pitch by Aldridge in the first inning. They added another run through a sacrifice fly by Lacey Rother, scoring Brennalyn Nakamura.

The Bulldogs answered in the second inning when Brazil slugged a 2-run game-tying home run, bringing home Solomon in the process. They took the lead in the fourth frame when Solomon smacked a homer of her own to left field.

Nakamura’s center-field single scored the game-tying run for the Aggies in the fifth inning. The next frame, Brazil had an RBI single, and Whitney Smith brought two Bulldogs home to break the tie.

New Mexico State added a run in the top of the seventh, but the Bulldogs got the three outs they needed to win the contest.

Now that the preconference tournament slate is over, the Bulldogs will open up Mountain West play with a trip to Boise, Idaho, to face the Boise State Broncos on Friday at 2 p.m.

Photo by Matt Vieira • The Collegian

Fresno State outfielder Jordan Luplow swings at a pitch during the Bulldogs’ home contest against the New Mexico Lobos.

Bulldogs swept at home against Lobos Collegian staff report The Fresno State baseball team (13-7) fell victim to a 3-game sweep by the New Mexico Lobos (12-7) over the weekend.

The sweep came after the Bulldogs won four straight games, including a sweep of the Big Ten’s Penn State Nittany Lions earlier in the week.

Two of the games – Friday’s 9-7 and Sunday’s 6-4 losses – were the result of New Mexico’s last-minute rallies.

In Game 1, the Bulldogs went into the top of the ninth with a 3-run lead.

After New Mexico’s Chase Harris

reached base on an error, the Lobos hit five straight singles that scored four runs to make it 8-7. Then, they added an insurance run to secure the victory.

Saturday afternoon’s contest saw a pitching duel between New Mexico’s Colton Thomson and Fresno State freshman Jimmy Lambert. Both pitchers threw six shutout innings apiece, but Lambert left the game in the top of the seventh after allowing a run with no outs. The Lobos added three more scores afterward – one of for which Lambert was charged – to take a 4-1 lead.

The Bulldogs scored runs in the seventh and ninth innings, but it

wasn’t enough to come back against the Lobos.

Sunday’s Game 3 saw New Mexico jump out to an early 4-0 lead before the Bulldogs answered with three runs in the bottom of the third.

Fresno State’s Jordan Luplow doubled in the game-tying run in the bottom of the seventh inning.

A Fresno State throwing error and wild pitch were costly, leading to two runs for New Mexico from which the Bulldogs couldn’t recover, thus sealing the sweep.

The Bulldogs will be back in action Tuesday when they face the California Golden Bears at Pete Beiden Field at 6:35 p.m.

SPORTS

MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014

8

Fresno State punches ticket to 7th consecutive NCAA Tournament

CHAMPS from Page 1 much stronger and so much better.

“This was a great game. It never felt comfortable. It always felt like Colorado State was right on our heels.

That’s because Colorado State is such a good team, a smart team and they play good defense.”

The ‘Dogs started the game on an 8-1 run and led by as many as 10, but Colorado State rallied to cut Fresno State’s lead to four (30-26) at halftime.

Fresno State led the whole way. The Bulldogs began the second period with a 15-8 run and every time the Rams got within reach, the ‘Dogs answered with a big play.

Toward the end, the Rams dug into the Fresno State lead by going on several runs and got within 5 with 5:48 to play. However, three consecutive baskets from the ‘Dogs prevented the Rams from taking over.

The game ended with the ‘Dogs shooting free throws to hang on for the win.

Senior guard Bree Farley, one of three Bulldogs in double figures (26 points), said that knowing what to do in those situations is a huge advantage.

“I think [having experience] does help a lot, especially when teams go on runs,” Farley said, “because if you’re not experienced you can get really frazzled in that type of situation.

“Experience definitely helped us today.”

Taylor Thompson, the tournament’s most valuable player, had a impressive all-around game. She tallied 23 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

“We definitely came into [the game] knowing what we needed to do,” Thompson said. “We came in confident tonight. We knew that we needed to hit [shots].

Our team just did a great collective job inside and out.”

Junior Alex Sheedy added 12 points and six boards in her 24 minutes on the floor.

Fresno State outdueled UNLV and Nevada to get to this point, while Colorado State came out on top against Utah State and edged Wyoming in a tripleovertime thriller to earn a berth in the title game.

Rams Gritt Ryder and Elin Gustavsson were named to the All-Tournament Women’s Team along with Fresno State’s Bree Farley and Taylor Thompson. The other player to earn the honor was Wyoming forward Kayla Woodward.

The Bulldogs will enter the NCAA Tournament on an eight-game win streak.

With another championship to hoist, Farley and Thompson have won conference tournament titles every year that they have been at Fresno State.

“It’s certainly a great feeling. It definitely never gets old. It’s awesome every year,” Thompson said. “It’s something that you’ll remember for the rest of your life.

“I definitely won’t forget it. It’s definitely as awesome, awesome feeling.”

Photo by Khlarissa Agee • The Collegian

Fresno State senior Taylor Thompson cuts down a piece of the net after the Bulldogs’ 77-68 victory over the Colorado State Rams. The victory gives the Bulldogs their second consecutive Mountain West Championship and seventh straight NCAA Tournament berth.

FRESNO STATE CLASSIC

Bulldogs beat Gaels to finish home tourney 3-2

By Christopher Livingston @senorlivingston

The Fresno State softball team wrapped up the Fresno State Classic Sunday with a 3-0 shutout over the Saint Mary’s College Gaels.

The victory brings the Bulldogs to a 3-2 finish in the tournament and 14-10 overall.

In Sunday’s contest, the Bulldogs did not score until the sixth inning, when Taylor Green’s single plated Maria Sio. Paige Gumz followed with a two-RBI single, bringing home Stesha Brazil and Kiera Willis.

Fresno State pitcher Jill Compton (10-4) struck out four batters and allowed as many hits.

The tournament began last Thursday with the Bulldogs losing at home for the first time in 2014 to the Pacific Tigers.

In that contest, the Bulldogs had a 3-1 lead heading into the seventh inning, but the Tigers rallied to score four runs off two hits and a Fresno State error.

Fresno State third baseman Vonnie

Martin was responsible for all of the Bulldogs’ three runs in the game. She smacked a two-RBI single in the third inning and a solo home run in the sixth.

Fresno State vs. Ohio State On Friday, the Bulldogs beat Ohio State 3-1 behind Brooke Ortiz’s game-winning RBI single.

The game was dedicated to Ortiz’s father Joe, who passed away the week prior.

“It was an emotional day,” Ortiz said, “but having my teammates and family all around really helped. He had coached me from T-ball to Little League and up until high school.

“He still had followed me every game since then, so he’s always been there, and it felt like he was here again today.”

Compton was in the circle and struck out nine batters – her season-high – and allowed the Buckeyes’ sole run in the first inning.

See CLASSIC, Page 7

Photo by Matt Vieira • The Collegian

Fresno State third baseman Vonnie Martin prepares for a pitch during the Fresno State Classic this past weekend. The Bulldogs finished their home tournament 5-2 and will head to Boise.