Time for Fresno State to move on from men’s basketball coach Justin Hutson | Opinion

Justin Hutson seemed like a great fit at Fresno State and his tenure began with a bushel of promise.

Six years later, that promise remains unfulfilled. By now it should be clear to Bulldogs athletic director Terry Tumey, university President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval and everyone else in the hierarchy that a change is needed.

The Bulldogs’ final handful of games, three in the regular season and probably one in the Mountain West tournament, should be Hutson’s last as Fresno State men’s basketball coach. If Tumey and Jiménez-Sandoval care at all about the state of the program, which they assuredly do, they’ll hand Hutson his walking papers sometime next week and begin a thorough search for his replacement.

Tuesday night was my first Bulldogs’ game of the 2023-24 season. Yet the scene felt oh so familiar.

The same sparse crowd (3,785, which must’ve included every usher, security guard and Break the Barriers performer) turned out at Save Mart Center on Tuesday night to see Fresno State play a second straight nationally ranked opponent.

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Though greatly outmanned, the ninth-place Bulldogs gave No. 22 Utah State all it could handle. Enough for their small but loyal fan base to get loud and excited in the closing minutes. Enough for them to start believing Fresno State not only had a chance for a big upset, but would actually see the job through.

When senior guard Xavier DuSell made two free throws to give the Bulldogs a three-point lead with 7.5 seconds left, the win should’ve been sealed. With Utah State down three and needing to go the length of the court, Fresno State’s strategy was obvious: Make it as difficult as possible for the Aggies to advance the ball past midcourt, then foul as soon as they do and before they can attempt a shot.

Do that, and the best Utah State can do is get within one. Fresno State would then get the chance to clinch the game at the free-throw line (where the Bulldogs were 10 of 12) or perhaps dribble out the clock.

Except the Bulldogs didn’t foul. Rather, they allowed Utah State’s Darius Brown to dribble up the floor and bank in a 30-footer that tied the game with 1.8 seconds left. The Aggies prevailed 77-73 in overtime.

It was a better effort than Saturday’s 73-41 disaster against No. 19 San Diego State, but still a bitter defeat for the Red Wave. Who have endured more of those than they care to remember over the last two decades.

Coach on the defensive

During the post-game press conference, Hutson was asked why so many potentially big wins like the one Tuesday night have slipped through his grasp. He was provided a couple examples.

Hutson looked annoyed with the question. Then sounded very much like a coach who knows his days are numbered.

“(Brown) hit a bank shot,” he replied. “What are you saying? Are you saying that I (expletive) up? … He hit a bank shot. He dribbled full court, we told them to foul and he hit a bank shot. What would you have done?”

In a subsequent response, Hutson reiterated that the Bulldogs were instructed to foul before the game-tying 3-pointer and implied they failed to do so. Way to take responsibility, coach.

Hutson may think that explanation takes him off the hook, but it actually makes him look worse. Because it means either the players aren’t listening to his coaching, or that his coaching isn’t getting through to them. Either way screams dysfunction.

Entering the final year of his contract, Hutson needed a turnaround to save his job. Instead, Fresno State is headed to its fifth straight losing season in conference play and third straight overall.

The problem hasn’t been coaching — Hutson hasn’t forgotten anything about defense these last few years — as much as talent. The Bulldogs simply don’t have the talent to compete in the MW, which claimed four NCAA Tournament bids a year ago and could get five this season.

In 2019-20, Hutson’s first season, Fresno State went 23-9 (13-5 MW) thanks in large part to Rodney Terry holdovers like Deshon Taylor, Nate Grimes and Sam Bittner. As soon as those guys left, the program went downhill.

Hutson arrived with the reputation as a good recruiter. But in six years, the only big-time recruit he’s managed to land (and retain) has been big man Orlando Robinson.

Aside from Robinson, no other Bulldogs during Hutson’s tenure have been named to the all-MW first, second or third teams. And aside from Robinson, in his second season with the Miami Heat, no other ex-Bulldogs during Hutson’s tenure are playing professionally.

Not much more needs to be said. Since Robinson’s departure following the 2021-22 season, the Bulldogs have slid into irrelevance.

The talent I saw on the court Tuesday night (which was missing two injured 6-11 starters) was the least-talented Fresno State team since Terry’s first season in 2011-12.

But you know what? That 2011-12 squad was scrappy and well-coached. Well enough, I’d venture to say, to know to foul with a three-point lead in the final seconds.