Fresno State Athletics
Dogs Head to No. 22 Stanford
12/26/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 26, 2007
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State will make its first appearance in Maples Pavilion on Saturday when it hits the road for one more non-conference game leading up to the WAC opener. The Dogs play at No. 22 Stanford (10-1), the first time they've played on the Farm since 1954. The Dogs and Cardinal met last season in Fresno, a 69-67 Stanford victory. It will be Fresno State's second game in less than two weeks against a top 25-ranked opponent.
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Stanford Gametime Change
Fresno State's game with Stanford on Dec. 29 will be at 2 p.m. PT. It will be televised live on Fox Sports Net with Ted Robinson and former Stanford head coach Mike Montgomery calling the action.
Scouting the Cardinal
With a No. 22 national ranking and a 10-1 record, Stanford is off to its best start since the 2003-04 season, when the Cardinal won the first 26 games of the season and was ranked No. 1 in the nation. In what was Mike Montgomery's final season as head coach, Stanford finished that season with a 30-2 record and won the Pac 10 Championship. The Cardinal enter the game with a six-game winning streak and fresh off a 62-61 win over Texas Tech in Dallas. Stanford's margin of victory this season is nearly 22 points per game. Stanford is perfect at home (7-0) and led in scoring by four players averaging double figures, Anthony Goods, Lawrence Hill, Brook Lopez and Robin Lopez.
Against the Cardinal
For two schools that are withing a three-hour drive of each other, this will be just the ninth meeting in history. Fresno State and Stanford started a home-and-home series last year to resume a series that was dormant since 1954. Stanford has won seven of the previous eight meetings, including last season, a 69-67 thriller over the Dogs in front of over 15,400 fans at the Save Mart Center. Fresno State is 0-7 at Stanford.
Familiar Faces
The Stanford program has some individuals familiar with the Fresno State program. Coach Trent Johnson used to coach against the Bulldogs when he was at WAC-rival Nevada (1999-2004). He has taken Stanford to two NCAA appearances in three years. In addition, three other members of the Stanford program have ties to Fresno. Brook and Robin Lopez are Valley natives and graduates of Fresno's San Joaquin Memorial High School. Brian Risso, the media relations director for the Cardinal basketball team, is a Fresno State graduate and former assistant director in the Bulldog media relations office.
Miller Leads the WAC
Senior guard Eddie Miller continues to lead the Western Athletic Conference in three point goals made per game (3.58), just ahead of Utah State's sharp-shooting Jaycee Carroll. Miller has 43 treys this season and ranks third in the WAC in three-point field goal percentage (.483.)
Bell's Numbers
Senior point guard Kevin Bell is making a strong early season push for WAC Player of the Year honors. He ranks fifth in the league in scoring, leads the WAC in assists, third in assist to turnover ratio and ranks ninth in steals.
Looking Ahead to the WAC
After the Stanford game, the Dogs will stay on the road for arguably the most difficult road trip in the WAC, playing at Louisiana Tech Jan. 3 and at New Mexico State on Jan. 5. Both games will be televised by the Bulldog Sports Network. The Dogs open the WAC schedule with four of the first five games on the road. The lone WAC home game in the next four weeks is against Idaho on January 12.
Basketball Tickets Make Great Gifts
Red Wave Fans, looking for the perfect holiday gift? Look no further! Choose from a variety of Fresno State basketball mini plan packages including the popular four game WAC pack! For more information, log on to gobulldogs.com.
Join the State - Fresno State! - The Fresno State men's basketball team will be on the road for their next three games starting at Stanford on Saturday, December 29 at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs will return home to the Save Mart Center on Tuesday, January 8 against Saint Mary's at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com, by phone at (559)485-TIXS, or in person at the Save Mart Center box office.
