Fresno State Athletics
'Dogs Head to Moraga for Two Games
11/25/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By Josh Mitchell
jomitchell@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State heads north to Moraga, Calif., for the Saint Mary's Hilton Concord Thanksgiving Classic. The 'Dogs will play two games in two days beginning on Friday with host Saint Mary's at approximately 2 p.m., PT. The following day, Fresno State will face Northeastern at noon. Both games will stream live on TheW.tv via smcgaels.com. Christian Lukens will be on the call for ESPN2 790 AM.
Tournament Info
Game #5 - Nov. 27
Fresno State (1-3) at Saint Mary's (4-0)
2 p.m. PT • McKeon Pavilion (3,500) • Moraga, Calif.
Video: smcgaels.com • Radio: ESPN2 790 AM • Live Stats: smcgaels.com
Series Record: Geals lead 7-6
Last Meeting: Saint Mary's won 83-64 on March 23, 2015
Game #6 - Nov. 28
Fresno State (1-3) vs. Northeastern (3-0)
12 p.m. PT • McKeon Pavilion (3,500) • Moraga, Calif.
Video: smcgaels.com • Radio: ESPN2 790 AM • Live Stats: smcgaels.com
Series Record: Bulldogs lead 1-0
Last Meeting: Fresno State won 87-56 on Dec. 28, 1989
Bulldog Bites
• Four 'Dogs are averaging double-digits through four games (Shauqunna Collins, Moriah Faulk, Bego Faz Davalos and Toni Smith).
• Collins currently leads the team in scoring at 13.3 points per game after recording double-digit outputs in all four games.
• Faulk is averaging 11.8 points per game after scoring 16 points in back-to-back games.
• Smith is at 11.3 points per game, picking up right where she left off last season when she posted 10 double-digit performances in the final 15 games.
• Faz Davalos is averaging a double-double at 11.5 points and 11.8 rebounds to go along with four blocks per game.
• Facing one of the top rebounding teams in the country in No. 24 George Washington (Nov. 23), the Bulldogs held their own, only being outrebounded by one (46-45) overall while edging the Colonials 14-13 in offensive boards.
• Against Washington (Nov. 20), the 'Dogs had five players in double-figures, a feat that was performed only twice during the 2014-15 season.
• Fresno State's 79 points was the Bulldogs' highest output of the season.
• With double-doubles by Faz Davalos and Moriah Faulk against the Huskies, the 'Dogs have had two players record double-doubles in back-to-back games.
• In the Bulldogs' 78-33 win over crosstown-foe Fresno Pacific (Nov. 17), 12 of 13 'Dogs found the scoring column as three posted double-digit performances.
• The win was Fresno State's ninth win in its last 11 home openers.
• With an 86-68 defeat at UC Riverside, Fresno State dropped its season opener for the first time since 2012.
• The Bulldogs allowed 80-plus points only twice last season, going 1-1 in those games.
• The 'Dogs shot just 35.5 percent against the Highlanders. Seven of the team's 10 losses during the 2014-15 season came when they shot below 40 percent from the field.
• Fresno State was 7-7 on the road during the 2014-15 season.
• Four Bulldogs scored in doubles figures (Alex Furr, Shauqunna Collins, Moriah Faulk and Toni Smith), a feat that only happened five times last year.
Series History with Saint Mary's
• The 'Dogs and Gaels have played 13 times with two meetings coming last season.
• Saint Mary's owns a 7-6 lead in the all-time series after the two teams split last season's two contests.
• The Gaels won the last meeting in Moraga, Calif., 83-64 in the second round of the Women's National Invitational Tournament on March 23, 2015.
A Look at Saint Mary's
• SMC has opened the season 4-0, outscoring opponents by 15.8 points per game while shooting 49.6 percent from the field.
• They are holding a plus-16.3 advantage on the glass in four games.
• The Gaels are led by freshman Sydney Raggio who is averaging 17 points per game.
• Saint Mary's has five players who average double figures in scoring.
Series History with Northeastern
• It has been more than 25 years since Fresno State and Northeastern have met.
• The Bulldogs and Huskies have played only once in their history with Fresno State winning 87-56 on Dec. 28, 1989.
A Look at Northeastern
• Through three games, the Huskies are 3-0 while outscoring opponents by 15.7 points per game and outrebounding their opponents by 12.
• Northeastern is led by Samantha DeFreese who is averaging 15.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per contest.
Doubling Up
• With double-doubles against Fresno Pacific, Toni Smith (19 points and 12 rebounds) and Bego Faz Davalos (13 points and 13 rebounds) were the first pair of 'Dogs since Jan. 14, 2015 to post double-doubles in the same game when Faz Davalos and Alex Sheedy posted them against San Jose State.
• The pair also put up double-doubles last season at CSU Bakersfield.
• Smith's double-double was the second of her career while it was Faz Davalos' fourth.
• In the 'Dogs' following game against Washington, Faz Davalos again posted a double-double, this time with 16 points and a career-high 16 rebounds, while senior Moriah Faulk recorded her fourth career double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
• With two players recording double-doubles against Fresno Pacific (Nov. 17) and Washington (Nov. 20), it was the first time this century that the Bulldogs have had two players perform the feat in back-to-back games.
• Faulk continued the string of double-doubles for the Bulldogs, posting 16 points and 11 rebounds three days later versus No. 24 George Washington.
Building Posts
• Senior Toni Smith and redshirt sophomore Bego Faz Davalos have been both been key pieces to the play of the Bulldogs' through the first two games of the season. Faz Davalos is averaging a double-double with 11.5 points and 11.8 rebounds while Smith is just shy of a double-double with averages of 11.5 points and 6.3 rebounds.
• Both are shooting above 48 percent from the field.
• Faz Davalos has also picked up where she left off a season ago defensively as she has posted 10 blocks through two games. Her all-around game has also continued to grow as she has six assists and three steals.
Balanced Scoring
• During the 2014-15 season, Fresno State had at least four players score in double digits just five times. The Bulldogs had four players in score in double figures in the season opener at UCR Riverside.
• Two games later, the Bulldogs had five players in double figures against Washington, a feat that last year's team did just twice.
• Four 'Dogs currently average double figures with Toni Smith at 11.5, Shauqunna Collins at 13.3, Bego Faz Davalos at 11.5, and Moriah Faulk at 11.8.
Leading From the Block
• After leading Mexico at the World University Games during the summer, 6-foot-3 Bego Faz Davalos has quickly become Fresno State's most versatile player. She is third in points (11.5), first in rebounds (11.8), first in blocks (4.0), first in assists (2.8) and first in field goal percentage (48.6).
• She has recorded two double-doubles in four games.
• She is ranks first in blocks and rebounds, and second in offensive rebounds and defensive rebounds.
Thriving Off the Bench
• With only four double-figure scoring games during the 2014-15 season, Moriah Faulk has already posted three double-digit performances.
• The senior has also posted two double-figure rebounding games after only recording five in her career prior to this season.
• Faulk has recorded two of her five career double-doubles in the past two games.
• Connecting on seven of her last 13 3-point attempts in the previous two games, the Santa Monica native ranks in the top five in the conference in 3-point percentage (52.9) and 3-point field goals made per game (2.3).
Point of Attack
• After a year in Fresno, Shauqunna Collins has been one of the Bulldogs' top threats through four games. With 10 double-figure scoring games last season, Collins is the only 'Dog to reach double-digits in each game this season.
• The native of Saginaw, Mich., also has nine assists and 10 steals at the point guard position.
Freshman Impact
• Breanne Knishka has been a key player from the get-go for the 'Dogs, whether it has been dishing assists, coming up with steals, 3-pointers or as a defensive stopper.
• The Dryden, Wash., native has started all four games this season and has played the second-most minutes on the team.
• Through the 'Dogs first four games, she leads the Mountain West in assist/turnover ratio at 2.2.
• Her 13 points against Washington was her first career double-digit game. She is the first true freshman for the 'Dogs to record double-digits in a game since Jacinta Vandenberg during the 2012-13 season.
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