(KMJ) After knocking off San Diego State on Saturday in the MWC Championship, the Bulldogs are lacing up their dancing shoes for the first time in 15 years. On Sunday, Fresno State learned that they earned #14 seed in the Mid-West bracket of the NCAA Tournament and will face #3 seeded Utah this Thursday in Denver.
While the Bulldogs (25-9) are one of the hottest teams in the country, having won 9 straight, the Utes (26-8) are coming off a blowout loss to Oregon in the Pac 12 title game. The winner will take on the victor of the #6 Seton Hall / #11 Gonzaga game.
Cal State Bakersfield, which lost to the Bulldogs early in the season, qualified for its first-ever NCAA Tournament after upsetting NM State in the WAC Championship. The #15 seed Roadrunners will take on heavily-favored #2 seed Oklahoma in the Sooners backyard Oklahoma City.
Kansas, UNC, Virginia and Oregon earned the top seeds.
Fresno State is the only team from the Mountain West to earn a bid. The SDSU Aztecs were left out, despite another solid season, ending a streak of six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
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Recap of MWC Championship:
The Bulldogs are dancing again! Fresno State took down top seeded San Diego State on Saturday in Las Vegas 68-63 in a back-and-forth finale for the ages.
Mountain West Conference Player of the Year Marvelle Harris did not disappoint, finishing with a team-high 18 points. It’s the first NCAA Tournament birth for Fresno State since 2001.
A clutch Julien Lewis 3 pointer with 1:35 remaining put the Dogs back on top for good at 64-62.
The Aztecs committed a costly turnover with 1:03 to go in the game under the Bulldogs basket which ended in a tie-up. The possession went to Fresno State but the Dogs failed to score.
Lewis came up big again down the stretch, nailing four consecutive free throws in the final moments to seal the victory for Fresno State. It’s Coach Rodney Terry’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament in his five years on the job.
