Fresno State Athletics
First-Place Bulldogs Visit Aggies on WSN
1/7/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 7, 2011
LAS CRUCES, N.M. - As winners in six of its past seven outings, the Fresno State men's basketball team visits New Mexico State on Saturday (6 p.m. PT).
The game can be heard live on KMJ Radio 580 AM. The contest in Las Cruces can be seen on the WAC Sports Network (KAIL) and www.espn3.com.
About the New Mexico State Aggies
The New Mexico State Aggies are 7-9 on the season, 5-3 at home and 1-1 in WAC play. The Aggies are led by Hernst Laroche with 11.2 ppg. Fresno State trails the all-time series record 21-12, yet are looking for their first win in Las Cruces, N.M. since 1985.
Fresno State Starts Strong, Opens WAC Play with 3-0 Record
For the second straight season, the Bulldogs opened WAC action with a 3-0 record. Fresno State defeated San Jose State (75-62) and Nevada (80-74) at home before beating Louisiana Tech (63-56) on the road. During the three conference victories, the Dogs were led by Tim Steed (18.0 ppg/6.0 rpg) and Greg Smith (15.0 ppg/9.7 rpg). However, Steed did not play against Louisiana Tech after he injured his left ankle in Monday night's win over the Pack. He is listed as day-to-day, but will not play against New Mexico State on Saturday night.
Smith Stepping Up as a Sophomore, Dominating Low Post
Sophomore Greg Smith, the 2009-10 WAC Freshman of the Year and a 2010-11 Preseason All-WAC selection, is the Bulldogs' leading season scorer with 10.9 points per game. He helped the Dogs pound Louisiana Tech while grabbing a career-high 12 rebounds, including nine in the first half. Smith's aggressive approach continues to dominate the low post.
Olekaibe Scoring Double-Digits on Nightly Basis
Freshman guard Kevin Olekaibe (pronounced O-lay-key-bay) earned his way into the Dogs' rotation for his ability to score and dynamic style of play. He is averaging 10.3 points per game with 10 or more points in eight of the past 11 games. Olekaibe, a native of Las Vegas, is the team leader in assists (29, 2.2 apg), steals (20, 1.5 spg) and 3-pointers (24).
Shepp Dishing and Dashing His Way Back on the Hardwood
Junior point guard Steven Shepp, who missed the first nine games of the season academically ineligible, is back on the hardwood and hasn't missed a beat. The veteran has produced an extremely efficient performance through his first four games with 16 assists and only a pair of turnovers. Shepp's experience and maturity have been key factors in his 5.33 assist-to-turnover (A-TO) ratio.
"We Are Your Team!" --- Fresno State will be back in the Save Mart Center on Jan. 15 to host defending WAC regular season champion Utah State at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com.
