Rod Higgins No. 22 jersey retired by Fresno State

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The best player during the best period of Fresno State basketball, Rod Higgins, finally got his no. 22 jersey retired by the Bulldogs during halftime of Saturday's game against San Diego State.

A 2x All-American during his tenure with Fresno State, Higgins was taken 31st overall in the 1982 draft before a 13-year NBA career.

Action News spoke to the Bulldog legend just before the ceremony.

"You know the day has been slow in terms of the anxiety that you go through," Higgins said. "Then, when you see all the people that have been so involved in your journey, it's an exciting time."

Higgins' jersey is just the third in program history to be retired, joining current Los Angeles Clippers' All-Star Paul George and legendary Bulldog Head Coach Jerry Tarkanian.

Higgins led the Bulldogs to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances. In 1982, Fresno State went 27-3, reached the Sweet 16 before falling to Georgetown and finished 11th in the AP's final rankings (the highest in program history).

"Rod Higgins' tremendous contributions to Fresno State and the game of basketball make him more than deserving of this honor," athletic director Terry Tumey said in a statement. "As a student-athlete, Rod led our program to arguably the most profound era in Bulldog Basketball history and at the professional level, Rod achieved a long and successful career as both a player and an executive. We are proud that Rod Higgins' name will forever hang from the rafters of the Save Mart Center."

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