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SALT LAKE CITY — A top-25 scoring offense came up against one of the top defenses in the Mountain West, and defense won out Monday night in the semifinals of The Basketball Classic.
Orlando Robinson poured in 20 points to go along with seven rebounds and three assists, and Fresno State held Southern Utah to a season-low scoring output in a 67-48 loss at the Save Mart Center, eliminating the Thunderbirds from the tournament.
Maizen Fausett had 9 points to lead the Thunderbirds, who shot just 19 of 61 from the field. Dre Marin and Jason Spurgin each added 8 points for the Thunderbirds (23-11), and John Knight III had 6 points and seven rebounds.
The Bulldogs (22-13) became the only team to hold Southern Utah under 50 points on the season. The Thunderbirds' previous low was an 87-50 loss to Michigan.
Sneaky pass from Marquis for the dunk by @spurgin_jason ! pic.twitter.com/tIXu8Axv9V
— SUU Men's Basketball (@SUUBasketball) March 29, 2022
Southern Utah entered the contest ranked 21st nationally, scoring 78.6 points per game, but came up against one of the country's elite defenses. And defense won out for a Fresno State side that allowed just 59.3 points per game.
The Bulldogs jumped out to a 34-16 halftime lead and never looked back, taking control early to advance to Thursday's tournament championship game against Coastal Carolina. The Chanticleers (19-13) held off South Alabama 69-68 in the earlier semifinal.
