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Date Posted: 09:23:35 03/01/02 Fri
Author: Jon Ralston
Subject: 19-2 run the difference for the Tigers
In reply to: Jon Ralston 's message, "Mike Hahn Article" on 07:36:52 02/28/02 Thu

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Originally Published Friday, March 1, 2002
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Tigers feeling good

Intensity pushes them past Aggies

By Bob Highfill

Record Staff Writer

Eli Nolan took a page from Brandi Chastain's book on how to celebrate when he ripped off his jersey and waved it in the air in exultation.

It wasn't the World Cup, but University of the Pacific enjoyed its thrilling win over Utah State like it was just as big, and added another page to what is rapidly becoming one of the most interesting rivalries in the Big West.

Nolan, a junior forward, sparked the Tigers' 55-51 win on Thursday with a 3-point shot late in the game, and his teammates played with toughness and poise after trailing by as many as 10 points in the second half.

Nolan's excitement was genuine and warranted, and the 3,241 fans at Spanos Center, who cheered wildly throughout, were just as delighted.

"I was in the moment," said Nolan, with sweat soaking through his jersey and a smile crossing his face. "It felt good. When you're going up against Utah State, there's a little more excitement, a little more bounce in your step during the day on campus, knowing you're going up against a team like that."

Now, the Tigers (18-9, 10-7 Big West) have to root for Utah State (21-5, 13-4) to beat Cal State Northridge on Saturday. If it does, and the Tigers beat Idaho on Sunday, Pacific would earn the No. 3 seed for the Big West Tournament.

The Tigers hadn't beaten the Aggies since January 1999, when Mike Hahn and Mike Preston, the Tigers' big men, were freshmen. The Nebraskans combined for 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds, and they frustrated Aggies star forward Desmond Penigar, who picked up two quick fouls to start the game and never seemed to find his rhythm.

"When they call fouls early in the game, it takes you out of the game, and you can't play defense the way you want to,' said Penigar, who was held seven points below his average with 10. "I couldn't play post defense the way I wanted, or the way my coaches wanted."

Nolan and guards Maurice McLemore and Demetrius Jackson each scored 11 points and combined for 18 rebounds, with Jackson, the shortest player on the court, grabbing a game-high eight. Neither team shot well. In fact, their shooting percentages were identical -- 38 from the floor and 16.7 from behind the arc. The difference came at the free-throw line, where the Tigers made 10 more.

"To win the game and shoot 3-for-18 in 3s was amazing," said Pacific coach Bob Thomason, whose team has beaten the top two teams in the conference as part of a four-game streak. "Our toughness picked up from the 10-minute mark of the first half, and our rebounding was sensational the last 30 minutes."

Thomason switched to a box-and-one defense in the second half. The Tigers shadowed Aggies guard Tony Brown and doubled Penigar when he stepped in the lane. Brown finished with 16 points, but he wasn't efficient. He made 6-of-14 from the floor, including 2-of-6 from behind the arc. He burned the Tigers for 20 points when they played earlier this season. Penigar scored 26 on 8-of-10 shooting in that game. He made 5-of-13 on Thursday. Neither scored in the final six minutes.

"The box-and-one slowed down Brown, and Penigar didn't step up and hit some shots, and our kids rebounded really well," Thomason said. "You worry sometimes about rebounding in that defense, but our kids did a great job."

Thomason can't remember what he told his team when it was trailing 37-27 with 17:16 left in the game.

"I wish I had a microphone in there, so I could say it again," Thomason said. Whatever he said, it worked.

The Tigers went on a 19-2 run and led 46-39 with 7:47 left. The Aggies closed within 51-49 with 2:09 remaining, then McLemore drew a foul on a baseline drive and made both free throws. Jackson made two free throws with 15 seconds remaining, then Jeremy Vague, who blasted Jackson as he drove to the basket and landed on him midway though the second half, tipped in a missed shot with one second remaining to close the scoring. The Tigers inbounded the ball, then rejoiced.

"We were going back and forth and that's part of their game," Jackson said about the incident with Vague. "I had to hold my composure. It was something we were ready for."

Jackson made all eight of his free throws and had six assists. Utah State lost for the first time this season when it held its opponent to fewer than 60 points. The Aggies still earned the No. 1 seed in the Big West Tournament because UC Irvine lost at Long Beach State on Thursday.

* To reach reporter Bob Highfill, phone 546-8299 or e-mail bhighfil@recordnet.com

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