Fresno State Travels to San Jose State

Feb. 3, 2015

By Josh Mitchell
jomitchell@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com

FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State travels to San Jose State for its only road trip within a four-game span when the team faces the Spartans on Wednesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m., PT and will stream live on the Mountain West Network with Christian Lukens on the call for ESPN2 790 AM.

Game Info
Fresno State (17-3, 9-0 MW) at San Jose State (9-11, 3-6 MW) -- San Jose State, Calif. (The Event Center)
Video: Mountain West Network; Radio: ESPN2 790 AM; Live Stats:

Tipoff: 7 p.m., PT

Game Notes

Bulldog Bites

• Fresno State is currently on a 13-game winning streak, which passed the 2011-12 team for the second-longest streak in program history.

• The nine straight wins to start conference play is the 'Dogs best start in league since the 2011-12 season when the team won 11 in a row during its last season in the Western Athletic Conference.

• During the streak, the Bulldogs are outscoring their opponents by 9.5 points. The 'Dogs are allowing its opponents to shoot 36.8 percent from the field and only 26.5 percent from 3-point range.

• Prior to playing Colorado State (Jan. 31), Fresno State had been building up sizable leads during their first 20 minutes of play during its win streak en route to its wins, outscoring opponents by 8.3 points per game in the first half.

• Senior forward Alex Sheedy is posting an average of 17.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists and 1.9 steals during the last 13 games.

• In 11 starts at point guard, junior Shauqunna Collins had averaged 9.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.6 steals per game. The team has not loss when she has started.

• During conference play, she has led an opportunistic defense which leads the Mountain West in steals at 12.4 per game as she swiping 2.8 to lead the league.

• Collins has posted four of her seven double-figure games in the past four contests with 26, 17, 10 and 12 points.

• Collins is not the only point guard producing as senior Raven Fox has posted double-figure outputs in three straight games with 19, 15 and 14, leading the team in scoring in the last two.

• Since moving out to the starting lineup and coming off of the bench against Saint Mary's (Dec. 12), redshirt freshman center Bego Faz Davalos has averaged 5.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.3 blocks, 1.3 assists and 1.1 steals in 22.5 minutes.

• In the last six games, she is averaging 5.6 blocks per game, twice recording a career-high seven blocks.

Recent Results

• In a rematch of the 2014 Reese's Mountain West Championship, Fresno State overcame its worst shooting game of the season (24.2%) to defeat Colorado State and take a two-game lead in the conference race. The 'Dogs used an 18-point advantage in points off turnovers and 11-point edge from points from the free throw line to get the 53-49 win.

• Five Bulldogs recorded double figures in a 57-50 win over San Diego State. Raven Fox paced the team with 14 points, as Toni Smith posted 13, and Alex Furr, Alex Sheedy and Shauqunna Collins each recorded 10.

• With only four players scoring, the Bulldogs left Nevada on Jan. 24 with a 62-44 win behind a combined 58 points from Alex Sheedy (22), Raven Fox (19) and Shauqunna Collins (17).

• Fresno State continued its winning streak in dramatic fashion at Wyoming on Jan. 17 as Shauqunna Collins willed the 'Dogs to a 56-55 win at Wyoming behind her 26 points. Collins scored 16 of her points in the second half, including the game's final basket, a layup with 4.9 seconds remaining on the clock.

• The Bulldogs knocked off San Jose State 58-46 on Jan. 14, stifling the Spartans' offense as they shot only 25 percent from the field. The 'Dogs were led by double-doubles from Alex Sheedy (15 points and 12 rebounds) and Bego Faz Davalos (11 points and 12 rebounds). It was the first time that two Fresno State players have recorded double-doubles in the same game since Nov. 30, 2013.

• Fresno State became the last unbeaten team in conference play, moving its record to 4-0 with a 65-43 win over Nevada on Jan. 10 as assistant coach Mandi Carver assumed head coaching duties due to the absence of head coach Jaime White who was away after a death in the family. Sheedy led the team in scoring with 17 points, while redshirt freshman center Bego Faz Davalos filled up the stat sheet with 14 points, six blocks, five rebounds, four steals and three assists.

Series History with San Jose State

• The Bulldogs are 53-19 all-time against the Spartans.

• The Spartans have won two of the last four games, winning the last two matchups.

• The Bulldogs defeated the Spartans 58-46 on Jan. 14. The 46 points was a season-low for the San Jose State.

• Prior to dropping two games in a row in the series, the 'Dogs had previously won 20 consecutive games.

A Look at San Jose State

• The Spartans are 9-11 on the year and 3-6 in the conference.

• Outside of the Mountain West, SJSU has one opponent in common with Fresno State. The Spartans lost 100-80 at UC Riverside on Nov. 20, while the Bulldogs defeated UCR 73-61 on Dec. 4.

• San Jose State is led by Preseason All-MW selection Ta'Rea Cunnigan who is averaging 16.8 points per game. Fellow senior guard Rebecca Woodberry is the only other Spartan in double figures at 12.5 points per contest. She leads the team in rebounds with 7.8 per game.

• SJSU leads the Mountain West in scoring offense at 80.6 points per game, 7.0 points more than the next team, but the Spartans are also allowed a league-high 79.4 points per game.

• The Spartans are the only team in the conference which records more steals per game than the Bulldogs as they swipe 11.9 per contest.

• SJSU has lost its last two games by a total of five points.

Balancing Act

• While Fresno State has at times had a balanced offensive attack, against San Diego State (Jan. 28), the Bulldogs had five players score in double figures for the first time this season.

• Led by Alex Sheedy's 329 points, six Bulldogs have scored more than 100 points this season. Sheedy has been a consistent scorer for the 'Dogs, posting double figures in 18 games, but it has remained a mystery to opponents which other players will step up.

• Only two other teams in the Mountain West, Boise State and Colorado State, also have six or more players who have eclipsed the 100-point mark.

Only Takes Three

• In an odd looking box score, only four Bulldogs scored in their 62-44 win at Nevada (Jan. 24), but three of those 'Dogs outscored the Wolf Pack by themselves. Alex Sheedy (22), Raven Fox (19) and Shauqunna Collins (17) combined to score 58 points, 14 more than the entire Nevada team which saw all nine of its players score. Only one, 6-foot-8 center Mimi Mungedi reached double figures with 12 points.

White Out

• Since taking over at Fresno State, first-year head coach Jaime White has erased any notions of a rebuilding year for the Bulldogs. With a 17-3 record, she is already enjoying one of the best season's in school history and is on pace to record the best winning percentage in program history.

• White's winning percentage is currently at .850, which is 0.18 percentage point better than Adrian Wiggins' final season in as a Bulldog in 2011-12 when his team went 28-6.

• During that season, the 'Dogs had four losses during their non-conference schedule (compared to three this year), lost one game during their final season in the Western Athletic Conference and lost their first round game in the NCAA tournament.

• Aside from 2011-12, no other Bulldog team has finished with a winning percentage over .800 and only three other seasons have seen a winning percentage over .750.

• Only three coaches in Fresno State's history have finished their first full season with a winning percentage above .700, with Adrian Wiggins having the highest at .750 in 2005-06.

Making History

• With the Bulldogs' win versus Colorado State, this year's team set the school record for the best 20-game start to season at 17-3.

• The 1984-85 team had opened its season 16-3 before suffering its fourth loss in its 20th game.

Streaking

• The Bulldogs are currently on a 13-game winning streak, which surpassed the '11-12 team that put together 12-straight wins in a run from Jan. 11-Feb. 23.

• The 13-game win streak is tied for the eighth longest active streak in the NCAA.

• The program's longest win streak came during the '09-10 season when the 'Dogs put together a stretch of 19 wins en-route to a perfect 16-0 season in the Western Athletic Conference.

Producing in the Clutch

• With the game tied at the half at Wyoming (Jan. 17), Shauqunna Collins not only produced the game-winning bucket with less than five seconds remaining, she accounted for 16 points in the second half.

• The 16 second-half points is the third most by a Bulldog this season. Trailing to Bethesda (Dec. 19) at the half, Alex Sheedy scored 19 points during the final 20 minutes in an 18-point win.

• Raven Fox leads the Bulldogs in most points in a half this season as she posted 20 points in the second half at San Diego (Nov. 28) in a 93-88 win.

Returning to a Familiar Place

• On Jan. 17, Fresno State Head Coach Jaime White went back to Laramie, Wyo., and helped the Bulldogs earn the program's first win at Wyoming.

• White spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Wyoming before leaving to take the head coaching job at Northern Colorado.

• She worked under current Wyoming head coach Joe Legarski, who she followed from Utah when the two were assistants on the Ute's staff.

Attacking the Glass

• Although the Bulldogs only held a plus-1.4 rebounding margin in 11 non-conference games, the team's margin in conference play has jumped to plus-4.4 despite top rebounders Alex Sheedy and Bego Faz Davalos' averages slipping.

• Only three players posted three or more rebounds per game during the first 11 games of the season, but since conference play began, seven Bulldogs are grabbing three or more per game in Mountain West play.

• The team's rebounding margin is currently second in the MW in conference games.

Starting Fast

• During the Bulldogs current 13-game winning streak, they are averaging 32.5 points during the first half, while holding opponents to only 25.3.

Playing in Paint

• Whether it's been with its offense or defense, Fresno State has found a great deal of success this season in the paint, with the dominance there being a key to securing one win after another. The Bulldogs are 15-0 when outscoring opponents in the paint, averaging 33.1 points in those games compared to just 24.8 their opponents.

Turning Defense Into Offense

• Fresno State has embodied its nickname this season. Bulldogs is not just a name for the team, but a mentality for its aggressive defense. With a penchant for forcing turnovers and making them count, the 'Dogs are 10-0 when scoring more points off turnovers than their opponents.

Moving Fast

• Speed has been at times been a problem for Bulldog opponents this season as progressively throughout the year, Fresno State has increased its tempo and pressure. Whether it's off of an opponent's turnover or missed basket, the 'Dogs have made a habit of scoring on the break and it's churning out results in the win column as they are 12-0 this year when outscoring their opponents in fast break points.

• In the 12 wins, the Bulldogs are outscoring their opponents by 5.7 points per game on the fast break.

Winning Time

• When games have been close, the Bulldogs have been able to find ways to win this season. With the four-point win versus Colorado State (Jan. 31), the 'Dogs moved to 5-0 on the year in games that are decided by five points or less.

• The one-point victory at Wyoming (Jan. 17) was the Bulldogs' first win by one point since defeating the Cowgirls 63-62 on the March 15, 2013 in the semifinals of the Mountain West Tournament.

• This season, Fresno State is 9-1 when games have been decided by 10 points or less, with the only loss coming on the road at George Washington by nine.

Haven't Left Too Often

• Of Fresno State's 20 games, the team has only left the state of California on five times.

• The Bulldogs are 4-1 outside of their home state, winning games at Oregon, Nevada, Utah State and Wyoming.

Home Sweet Home

• Fresno State is 11-0 this season when playing its games at the Save Mart Center.

• The 'Dogs have one 17 straight games at home which ranks tied for ninth nationally in active home winning streaks.

• The team has not lost in front of its home crowd since Jan. 15, 2014 in a one-point loss to San Diego State.

During the last four-plus seasons, the Bulldogs are have lost only seven games in front of its home crowd.

We Own the Night

• When the sun goes down, the Bulldogs thrive, outscoring their opponents by 11.6 points per game while going 8-0.

• The 'Dogs are outshoot their opponents by 8.0 percent from the field at night and 11.4 percent from behind the 3-point line.

Defensive Mindset

• Under first-year head coach Jaime White, defense has been a staple as Fresno State is currently the only team in the Mountain West to rank in the top two in scoring defense, field goal percentage defense, 3-point percentage defense, blocks and steals.

Pickin' Pockets

• Through 20 games, Bulldog guards Shauqunna Collins and Raven Fox have been a nuisance for opposing players. The two are currently tied for second in the Mountain West in steals at 2.2 per game.

• Since the start of the conference season, Collins has swiped 25 of her 43 steals and leads the league with 2.8 per during that span.

• Collins and Fox are not the only 'Dogs coming up with steals. Against Nevada (Jan. 10), it was a complete team effort as six Fresno State players recorded two or more steals as the team finished with a season-high 21 steals and 33 forced turnovers.

• The 21 steals was the most since the Bulldogs recorded 21 at Air Force on March, 2, 2013.

• As a unit, the Bulldogs rank 26th in the NCAA in steals with 10.9 per game.

Block Party

• After redshirting in 2013-14, Bego Faz Davalos has burst onto the scene this year, using her rangy 6-foot-3 frame to be a defensive force inside for the Bulldogs. As of Jan. 29, she leads the MW and ranks 12th nationally in blocks per game at 3.45.

• She ranks second in the country among freshmen in blocks per game.

• Her 69 blocks is the fifth best single-season season total in Bulldog history.

• Faz Davalos is tenth in school history in career blocks.

• She has recorded seven-blocks in a game three times (Cal State Stanislaus, Nov. 19; Utah State, Jan. 7; San Jose State, Jan. 14), and has three six-block games (Nevada, Jan. 10; Wyoming, Jan. 17; Nevada, Jan. 24).

• Since the start of conference play, Faz Davalos is averaging 5.0 blocks per game, 3.0 ahead of Nevada's 6-foot-8 Mimi Mungedi.

• Her 45 blocks through nine conference games is seven shy of the MW record for most blocks in a single season for conference games only which was set by San Diego State's Paris Johnson during the 2008-09 season.

• She is currently 36 blocks shy of the MW record for most blocks in a season of 105 which was set by New Mexico's Jordan Adams during the 2000-01 season.

Broken Record(s)

• Against Nevada (Jan. 24), Bego Faz Davalos recorded her 62nd block in all games which broke Adams' single-season freshman MW record of 61 that she set during the 1999-2000 season.

• In that game, she also recorded her 38th block in conference which broke Adams' single-season freshman record of 32 for MW games only.

Dog From Down Under

• Senior forward Alex Sheedy began her final season in Fresno, Calif., with a solid performance, recording her seventh career double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds against Cal Poly (Nov. 16). The native of Moe, Australia, who earned a spot on the preseason All-Mountain West Team, ended the first half with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting to go with four rebounds.

• She followed up the season opener with 20 points and eight rebounds against Cal State Stanislaus.

• For the third game in a row (at USC), Sheedy recorded double figures with 16 points and added seven points.

• At Bakersfield, Sheedy recorded her second double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

• After missing practice leading up to facing undefeated UC Riverside (Dec. 4) due to the flu, the senior did not start, but still made a sizable impact, recording her third double-double of the season with 21 points and 11 rebounds in only 16 minutes of action.

• Facing three Australian counterparts, Sheedy refused to lose to Saint Mary's (Dec. 12), leading the 'Dogs to a 60-54 win with fourth double-double in eight games with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

• Trailing by five at the half against Bethesda (Dec. 19), the senior stepped up in a big way, scoring 19 of her career-high 25 points to help the 'Dogs score 54 points in the second half to win. Two days later, Sheedy tallied 25 points again, this time in a win at Oregon (Dec. 21).

• She recorded her fifth double-double of the season on Jan. 14 versus San Jose State.

• The Aussie notched her sixth double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds in an 18-point win at Nevada Jan. 24.

• Sheedy has posted double figures in 18 of 20 games this season.

Nearly Automatic Aussie

• In overall games, Alex Sheedy is second in the Mountain West in free-throw percentage at .854 (70-of-82) and ranks 38th nationally (as of Feb. 3).

• Sheedy has only missed more than one free throw in one game this season (two on Nov. 30 at Bakersfield).

Searching for the Top 10

• Currently 14th on the all-time scoring list at Fresno State, Alex Sheedy is 106 points shy of reaching former teammate Taylor Thompson at 1,288 points which ranks 10th all-time.

• She is 43 points away from tying Chantella Perera (2003-07) at 1,234.

Fresno State Athletics

Fresno State Travels to San Jose State

Related News

Players Mentioned

Shauqunna Collins

Bego Faz Davalos

Raven Fox

Alex Furr

Alex Sheedy

Alex Sheedy

Toni Smith

Taylor Thompson

Related Videos