Fresno State Athletics
'Dogs Take Final WAC Road Trip
2/7/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 7, 2012
FRESNO, Calif. - The end is approaching for the Bulldogs as a member of the Western Athletic Conference and Fresno State will wrap up its final two regular season road WAC contests this week at San Jose State and Hawai'i.
The 'Dogs and Spartans will square off on Thursday night at 7 p.m. PT before a national audience on the WAC Sports Network (KAIL 7.1/53/Comcast 13).
The Bulldogs will then make one last visit to the 50th state on Saturday for a 9 p.m. PT date.
Both contests will also be featured on the Bulldogs' flagship radio station, KMJ 580 AM.
PREVIEW: GAME 26 • WAC GAME 10
• Fresno State (Game Notes) 
• San Jose State (Game Notes)
Fresno State (11-14, 3-6 WAC) at San Jose State (7-16, 0-8 WAC)
Date: Thursday, February 9, 2012 (Tip Off: 7 p.m. PT)
Site: The Event Center (4,600); San Jose, Calif.
Radio: KMJ 580 AM (Paul Loeffler/Randy Rosenbloom)
TV: WAC Sports Network - KAIL (Rich Cellini/Dave Bollwinkel)
Online: www.espn3.com
Quick Bulldog Bites
• Fresno State leads the WAC in turnover margin (+3.6), fewest turnovers per game (10.6)
• Olekaibe (O-LAY-key-bay) ranks in the top 5 sophomores, 2nd in WAC in scoring (18.0 ppg)
• Olekaibe (O-LAY-key-bay) has scored 784 points in 54 career games played
• Olekaibe (O-LAY-key-bay) is second the nation in 3-point attempts (207) and three shy of tying former Bulldog Shantay Legans (2004) for the tenth-most 3-point field goal attempts in a single season in program history (210)
• Wills ranks in the top 25 seniors, 2nd in WAC in free throw efficiency (81-94, 86.2%)
• Shepp ranks in the top 20 seniors, leads WAC in assists and assists/game (116, 4.8 apg)
• Fresno State tied a 28-year-old school record with three turnovers versus Utah State (2/4/12)
• Fresno State is 3-0 when facing a team for a second time this season (Boise State, Idaho and Utah State)
• Four of the Bulldogs' seven-man rotation have recorded double-doubles this season
About the San Jose State Spartans
San Jose State (Western Athletic) is 7-16 on the season with a 0-8 mark in WAC play and riding a three-game losing streak and has lost 8 of its past 9 games. James Kinney leads the Spartans in scoring (16.3 ppg). Fresno State owns a 79-74 edge all-time over San Jose State.
About the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
Hawai'i (Western Athletic) is 13-9 on the season with a 5-3 mark in WAC play and fresh off an exciting 83-81 come-from-behind overtime road win at SJSU. UH's Zane Johnson leads the Rainbow Warriors in scoring (15.7 rpg) and Vander Joaquim averages nearly a double-double (14.3 ppg/9.9 rpg). Fresno State owns a 20-18 edge all-time over Hawai'i.
Bulldogs Never Trail in Back-to-Back Wins Over Idaho & Utah State
The Bulldog men's basketball team is off to a hot start in the second half of WAC action by stunning defending champion Utah State 60-54 and notching a wire-to-wire 65-55 win against Idaho. Fresno State redshirt sophomore Jerry Brown picked up his first double-double (14 pts/10 rebs) against the Vandals and Kevin Olekaibe tallied a game-best 26 points versus the Aggies, which also saw the 'Dogs tie a 28-year-old school-record with just three turnovers.
Olekaibe Lighting Up the Nets
Even as teams gameplan to stop him, Bulldogs' guard Kevin Olekaibe is a scoring machine or opens up the offense for his teammates. He ranks sixth among NCAA DI sophomore scorers and sits second in the WAC at 18.0 points per game. This season, Olekaibe has scored in double-digits in 20 games, reached at least 20 points ten times and topped the 25-point mark even times. Olekaibe is second in the nation in 3-point field goal attempts (207).
'Dogs Draw Cal State Northridge for 10th Annual Sears BracketBusters
Fresno State will visit Cal State Northridge for the 2012 Sears Bracketbusters on Feb. 18 in the Matadome, with tip off slated for 7 p.m. PT. This will be 30th meeting (and first since 2005) between the CSU programs, with Fresno State owning a 24-5 all-time series lead. The 'Dogs have won six of the past seven and 10 of the last 12 games against the Matadors.
'Dogs Picked 6th, 7th in Preseason WAC Polls
The Bulldogs know they have some work to do to exceed the expectations of the WAC head coaches and media, who picked the Fresno State men's basketball team to finish sixth and seventh, respectively, in the 2011-12 preseason selections. Nevada and Utah State were tabbed as the early frontrunners by the coaches and media.
'Dogs Field Two Seniors for First Time in Four Years
For the first time in four years, Fresno State sports more than one senior with point guard Steven Shepp and wing Jonathan Wills suiting up as fifth-year seniors. Shepp is in his third season with the 'Dogs after starting at Allegany College and Wills is in his second in a Bulldog uniform as a D-I transfer from New Mexico.
Fresno State to Host 2012 NCAA Women's Basketball Regional
All-Session Tickets are also on-sale for the NCAA Women's Basketball Fresno Regional Semifinals on Mar. 24, 2012 and the Fresno Regional Finals on Mar. 26. Adult tickets are $50, student and youth tickets are $25 or family plans are $99, which includes 2 adult and 2 youth all-session tickets. Tickets can be purchased through the Bulldog Ticket Office at www.GoBulldogs.com, calling 559-278-3647 or in person at Bulldog Stadium.
"We Are Your Team!" --- Fresno State heads back on the road for its final regular season conference contests as a member of the Western Athletic Conference when the Bulldogs travel to play at San Jose State on Thursday night at 7 p.m. PT and Hawai'i on Saturday nights at 9 p.m. PT. You can listen to both games on KMJ 580 AM and watch the Thursday night match-up on the WAC Sports Network (KAIL 7.1/53/Comcast 13). Make sure to follow Coach @RodneyTerry on Twitter for updates from the road.
