By Josh Milton

Sports Editor

Suffering from road fatigue and a serious scoring drought of over 10 minutes, Tech (7-7, 1-3 WAC) endured its worst beating of the season Saturday night, as the Fresno State Bulldogs handed Tech a 61-40 pounding at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif.

After a 35-35 tie with 16:00 left to play, Tech could manage only five more points throughout the entire remainder of the game, connecting on just five of 20 shots from the field in the second half.

Tech's 40-point scoring was the lowest total for the Bulldogs since Mississippi State downed Tech 78-38 on Dec. 7, 2002, and the 11 points scored in the second half is the lowest point total for a half since Tech began compiling complete records in 1964.

Despite the shooting woes, Tech did manage to cut down on one of the season-killing statistics -- which is turnovers -- but the long scoring droughts down the stretch are also severely damaging the Bulldogs chances for victory.

Tech head coach Keith Richard quickly recognized this truth in Tech's loss to Fresno State, as did everyone else.

"They had a 17-0 run in the second half during which we had seven turnovers," Tech head coach Keith Richard said. "When you can't make shots and keep turning the ball over, you have problems. It's the same thing that's haunted us most of the season. Bad stretches made worse by turning the ball over."

Tech freshman standout Paul Millsap, ranked No. 1 in the NCAA in rebounds and No. 2 in the NCAA in field goal percentage, was slowed throughout the contest and spent much of the second half on the bench after being hit with his fourth foul with 12:33 left in the contest. Millsap had scored only two points and had seven rebounds at that point in the contest and added only one rebound before the final buzzer sounded.

"Paul just didn't get going tonight," Richard said. "I think their height bothered him and he just didn't have a good night."

Wayne Powell led Tech with 16 points and added five rebounds while Corey Dean ended up with 13 points, scoring all of those in the opening half.

The first game of the Bulldogs' grueling road trip was in Reno, Nev., where Tech dropped a heartbreaking 71-67 loss to the Wolfpack.

After being down 38-28 at the half, Tech began to ignite, cutting the Nevada lead to nine at 60-51 with 7:39 remaining as Millsap completed a three-point play with a basket and free throw after drawing the foul.

Then it was JueMichael Young's 3-pointer seconds later that cut Nevada's lead to 60-54 as the Bulldogs fought for the come-from-behind win. With under a minute to play and Tech down four, Dean made a move to the baseline and drained a jumper to pull the Bulldogs to within 69-67 of the Wolfpack. However, Nevada sealed the victory with a Garry Hill-Thomas 18-foot jumper with 10 seconds remaining on the clock.

"It was a good run for us at the end," Richard said. "We showed toughness and didn't quit, but it wasn't quite enough. In the last five minutes I can name four or five things we could have done to help us pull off the win, but we didn't get it done."

Millsap led Tech with 21 points and a career-high 21 rebounds, and Powell and Young had 16 points and 11 points, respectively.

The Bulldogs return to action tonight at 7 p.m. in the Thomas Assembly Center when San Jose State comes to town and then host Hawaii Saturday night at 7 p.m. in the TAC.