Tark’s Bulldogs hit the skids

Steve Carp

Tuesday, Dec. 23, 1997 | 12:25 p.m.

It doesn't figure to be a Merry Christmas for Jerry Tarkanian, even if his Fresno State team picks up a pair of cupcake victories in the Bulldogs' annual Coors Light Classic.

Tark's team has dropped five straight for the first time since 1978, when UNLV lost five in a row on the road. The latest loss was a 92-72 debacle at Minnesota last Saturday. The Bulldogs finally were at full strength with the return of Chris Herren and the debut of Winfred Walton and the thought was that FSU was ready to turn the corner.

Instead, the Bulldogs crashed into the wall at Minnesota and fell to 3-5 before Monday night's 107-65 pounding of visiting North Florida, coached by former Rebel great Sidney Green.

"We're terrible right now," Tark said. "We never have everyone at practice. But I think we'll be really good once we get everyone in a practice."

The Bulldogs lost another player Monday as guard Willie Farley quit the team over lack of playing time. But Tarkanian said with Herren and Rafer Alston back, he's not too concerned about Farley bailing out.

"We'll be all right," he said.

But Fresno State needs to pull it together. Defensively, the Bulldogs are really struggling.

"We're lousy defensively right now," Tarkanian said. "We're lost. We really are."

Tark was really lost after the Minnesota game. He was talking to Fresno Bee beat writer Andy Katz when the lights went out at Williams Arena. Even though the two were standing right next to each other, neither could see the other.

The emergency generator kicked in a minute or so later, but it capped off one of the toughest nights the 67-year-old Tarkanian has had in quite awhile.

Bear nearing 700

It already has been quite a year for longtime Texas-El Paso coach Don Haskins. Last month, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. And if things fall right for Haskins this weekend, he could become only the 10th man to earn 700 coaching victories.

The Bear is at 698 after UTEP defeated Alcorn State 60-55 Sunday. The Miners host this weekend's Sun Classic, facing Penn State in Saturday's first round. If UTEP can get by the Nittany Lions, Haskins gets his shot at 700 Sunday against the Mississippi State-St. Joseph's winner.

UTEP, with a five-game winning streak, is playing well at 7-1, the lone loss coming to New Mexico State, 58-57 on Nov. 29.

The top 10 coaches for career victories are Dean Smith (879), Adolph Rupp (876), Jim Phelan (775), Henry Iba (767), Ed Diddle (759), Phog Allen (746), Ray Meyer (724), Bob Knight (706) and Norm Stewart (699). Stewart goes for No. 700 tonight against Illinois at St. Louis.

Ram tough

After playing five games in a 12-day span, Colorado State took time off for finals and to re-energize. Stew Morrill's team is looking strong at 9-1 after Monday's 58-41 victory at San Jose State.

The Rams are off to their best start in 25 years and they're doing it without one of their key performers, 6-foot-5 senior swingman Bryan Christiansen, who is out with a knee injury. However, senior James Smith has stepped up to fill the void.

Smith, who averaged 5.6 points a year ago, is second to Jameel Mahmud (13.9) in scoring with a 12.8 average.

Monday's game with San Jose State was one of those "crossover" games that do not count in this year's WAC standings. The Spartans will visit CSU Jan. 21. The teams agreed to play each other instead of trying to find other opponents when the schedule decision was made last spring.

Hoop du jour

* LONG BREAKS: Because of final exams and the holidays, many WAC schools have big gaps in their schedules. Rice played Sunday for the first time in 11 days, Colorado State played Monday for the first time in nine days. Air Force's game Monday at Texas-Arlington was its first in 12 days and SMU had an 11-day break before playing Prairie View last week. The Mustangs have this week off as well. Their next game is Sunday against Stetson.

* UNDEFEATED U: Life is good at the Huntsman Center these days as Utah's men's team is 10-0 and the women's team is also unbeaten at 8-0. Given the upcoming schedule, Rick Majerus' sixth-ranked Utes could be 17-0 by the time they come to the Thomas & Mack Center to meet UNLV. Utah's upcoming opponents include a trip to Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Rice at home, at BYU, home games with Colorado State and Wyoming and a road game at Air Force. ... The only other school to have unblemished men's and women's teams is Tennessee. The No. 1-ranked Lady Vols are 13-0 while Jerry Green's men's team is 9-0. ... Besides Utah, the only other undefeated WAC men's team is SMU at 8-0.