Box Score

FRESNO, Calif. - Damon Jackson's lay-up with 10.7 seconds remaining lifted Fresno State past Hawai'i, 56-55, Thursday night at Selland Arena. The Rainbow Warriors (11-4, 4-3 WAC) dropped its second consecutive game and fell to third place in the Western Athletic Conference standings.

Hawai'i held Jackson, the Bulldog's leading scorer, without a basket for the first 35 minutes of the game but the senior responded with 11 of the team's final 13 points down the stretch. The 'Bows had chance to win but Carl English's 16-footer, hit the front rim as the clock ran out.

English finished with a game-high 19 points on 6-of-18 shooting. In his last five outings against the Bulldogs, the preseason WAC player of the year has averaged 22.8 points per game. Senior guard Mark Campbell added 11 points, including a clutch 3-pointer with 2:00 remaining to give UH its final lead at 55-54.

The 'Bows were in it until the end despite shooting only 31.8 percent (7-22) from the field in the second half. In contrast, Fresno State shot 50 percent (13-26) but committed 12 fouls, which resulted in a 15-to-1 differential at the charity stripe.

The second half was a game of spurts. Fresno State opened with a 7-2 run after the intermission to pull ahead 32-27. UH used a 7-0 run to regain the lead with 15:36 remaining. But the Bulldogs answered just as quickly with a 7-0 run of its own to take a five-point lead (39-34) at the 12:08 mark.

At that point, the Bulldogs went cold and the 'Bows took advantage. Fresno State did not score for the next 6:24 and Hawaii went on a 12-0 run, including five Nkeruwem Akpan free throws, to take a 46-39 lead with 5:54 remaining. The Bulldogs scored the next seven points, culminating with Jackson's first of three treys in the closing minutes.

After another Akpan free throw, Jackson was at it again, with his second trey to put the Bulldogs ahead 49-47 with 3:44 remaining. Two English free throws tied the game for the fourth time with 3:23 left. Terry Pettis answered with a baseline jumper but English responded with his third trey to give UH a 52-51 edge with 2:43 remaining.

On Fresno State's next possession, Jackson nailed his third trey for a 54-52 Bulldog lead but Campbell, whose scored in double figures for the second straight game, hit a 21-footer from the top of the key to give UH its last advantage. The 'Bows had two possessions to increase its lead but both resulted in missed opportunities. English was blocked by Felix on his way to a lay-up and turned the ball over on his way to the hoop with: 28 remaining.

The 'Bows head to Reno, Nev., for the final leg of its three-game, 11-day road trip, against Nevada, Saturday, Jan. 25. Tip-off is set for 7:15 p.m. PST at Lawlor Events Center.



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