RENO, Nev. — Utah State's bid to play for a berth in the NCAA Tournament came up one shot short as the upset-minded Aggies fell, 57-54, to top seed Fresno State in the Western Athletic Conference semifinals.
Behind a ferocious second-half rally, the Aggies (16-15) climbed back into the game from as many as 12 points down to take a lead in the second half, but couldn't hold it as the Bulldogs scrapped back to advance.
"We believe in ourselves," USU coach Reagan Pebley said. "Unfortunately it didn't result in a victory for us."
It nearly did, though.
The Aggies had a 6-point lead at 52-46 with 5:10 to play when Ana Pares hit a 17-foot jumper. But Utah State scored just two more points down the stretch and the Bulldogs escaped with the win only after a potentially game-tying 3-pointer by Chelsea Burns bounced short off the rim with one second left.
A 28-10 rally to open the half put USU in a position to win. But Fresno State, playing confidently down the stretch, patiently worked its offense and found Hayley Munro for a 3-pointer to beat the shot clock with 26 seconds to play.
Utah State had a pair of chances to either tie it or win it, but came up empty both times.
First, point guard Danyelle Snelgro, who found herself heavily guarded while trying to work for a 3-pointer, took the option to drive for a layup with 15 seconds left that would have made it a 1-point game and forced the Aggies to foul. But Snelgro's contested layup missed.
USU fouled FSU's LaShay Fears on the rebound to stop the clock and Fears missed the ensuing free throw. The Aggies got the rebound and hustled downcourt.
Instead of calling a time out and allowing the Bulldogs (23-8) to set up their defense, USU worked the ball around and found Burns who pump faked, stepped back and lofted a shot that drew iron, but didn't settle into the net and the Aggies' season came to a close.
"It's a play that has worked for us in the past," Pebley said. "But they defended it really well."
The Aggies were led by Snelgro's 11 points while Alice Coddington had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Fresno State was paced by 21 points from Jaleesa Ross and 18 from Fears. Former Taylorsville High and University of Utah player Joh- Teena Filipe was held scoreless, but grabbed 11 rebounds for the Bulldogs.