March 2, 2003

Box Score

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) - Damon Jackson scored 28 points, including 6 of 12 three-pointers, as Fresno State outlasted Nevada 107-99 in double overtime Saturday night.

With the victory, the Bulldogs clinched the Western Athletic Conference regular-season title and top seed in the WAC postseason tournament.

Terry Pettis added 21 points and 10 assists for Fresno State (20-6 and 13-3). Noel Felix had 14 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks for the Bulldogs.

Nevada's Kirk Synder led all scorers with 29 points, and had 10 rebounds. Terrance Green added 24 points, including four three-pointers in overtime.

Fresno State celebrated its regular-season championship in coach Ray Lopes' first season by cutting down the nets. Lopes is the Bulldogs' first rookie coach to claim a conference title since Ed Gregory in 1965.

"This feels very good," said Lopes. "We really had to fight to get this victory. Nevada is such a good team that we had to earn everything we got. But I'm very happy for our seniors, because they've worked very hard to make this a possibility. I thought the leadership we have showed late in the regulation and in the overtimes."

Synder had a chance the win the game at the end of regulation but missed an 18-footer at the buzzer.

Fresno State scored the first five points in the first overtime, only to watch Green answer with eight straight. Green's three-pointer with 37.4 seconds left put the Wolf Pack ahead 81-78.

After the teams traded free throws, Jackson curled around a screen and hit a long three-pointer with 2.1 seconds left, forcing a second overtime and sending a sellout crowd into hysterics.

Travis DeManby's three-pointer with the shot clock winding down gave Fresno State a 96-90 lead with 1:24 left in the second overtime. Ronaldo Todd made 7 of 8 free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

Nevada (15-11, 10-6) led by as many eight points early before the Bulldogs pulled to within 37-35 at halftime. Pettis keyed Fresno State's run with eight straight points.

Snyder led all scorers with 13 first-half points.

In a halftime ceremony, Fresno State commemorated the final regular-season game at Selland Arena, the Bulldogs' home since 1967-68. Next fall, Fresno State moves into the new on-campus Save Mart Center, which will seat 16,500.