Fresno State Athletics
Wednesday, December 28
Albuquerque, NM
6 p.m. PT
Fresno State
at
New Mexico
’Dogs visit Lobos for Mountain West Opener
12/27/2016 10:19:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Fresno State plays at New Mexico on Wednesday at 6pm PT on ESPN3 and 940 AM ESPN Radio.
Game 13: Fresno State (8-4) at New Mexico (7-5)
December 28, 2016 -- 6 p.m. PT -- Albuquerque, N.M. (Wisepies Arena AKA The Pit)
TV/Online: ESPN3/WatchESPN.com (Trey Bender/Blaine Fowler)
Radio: 940 AM ESPN Radio (Paul Loeffler/Marc Q. Jones)
Series History: New Mexico leads 14-9 (overall) and 8-1 (games played in Albuquerque)
Last Meeting: Fresno State 92, New Mexico 82 (Albuquerque, N.M. • Feb. 27, 2016)
Next Up: vs. Nevada (Dec. 31 • 4 p.m. PT); vs. Wyoming (Jan. 4, 2016 • 7 p.m. PT)
Opening Tip
• Fresno State has won 11 straight games in its next game after a loss, and is 11-1 in its next game after a loss since the start of the 2015-16 season.
• This is the second straight season Fresno State has started the season, 8-4.
• Fresno State has won six of its last eight games and has won seven of its last 10 true road games (four straight true road game wins vs. MW opponents).
• This is the third straight season Fresno State opens MW play on the road.
• Fresno State junior guard Jahmel Taylor is sixth in the nation in 3-point shooting (35-for-66, 53.0 percent).
• Fresno State redshirt junior guard Jaron Hopkins is 15th in the nation in steals per game (2.4 spg).
• Fresno State is 20th in the nation in steals per game (8.9 spg).
Bulldog Bones
• By winning the 2016 Mountain West Basketball Championship, Fresno State earned its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2001.
• Fresno State has improved its conference win total in each of the last four seasons since head coach Rodney Terry arrived in 2011, rising from 3-11 (11-12) to 5-11 (12-13) to 9-9 (13-14) to 10-8 (14-15) to 13-5 (15-16).
• Fresno State is one of eight teams in the nation to have improved its conference win total in each of the last four seasons.
• This season, Fresno State was picked to finish fourth in the Mountain West by the league's media in a preseason poll in mid-October.
• Before the 2015-16 season, Fresno State was picked to finish fifth in a preseason poll. The Bulldogs went on to win the 2016 MW Championship and earn the MW's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
'Dogs visit Lobos for Mountain West Opener
Fresno State (8-4), who won the 2016 Mountain West Championship after finishing second in conference play, begins league action at New Mexico (7-5) on Wednesday at 6 p.m. PT. The game will air live on ESPN3, WatchESPN and 940 AM ESPN Radio. Fresno State will host Nevada on Saturday at 4 p.m. in a New Year's Eve showdown with the Wolf Pack.
About the New Mexico Lobos
The New Mexico Lobos are 7-5 on the season, which includes a perfect 6-0 record at home during non-conference play. The Lobos are led by Tim Williams (18.1 ppg/6.8 rpg) and Elijah Brown (16.1 ppg/4.3 rpg/2.9 apg). Fresno State won its first ever game over New Mexico in Albuquerque last season when the Bulldogs defeated the Lobos 92-82 on Feb. 27, 2016. Fresno State trails the all-time series 14-9, but the 'Dogs have two out of the last three contests between the schools.
Taylor is one of nation's best 3-point shooters
Fresno State junior guard Jahmel Taylor is sixth in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (35-for-66, 53.0 percent). Before going 0-for-7 from beyond the 3-point arc in the Bulldogs' Dec. 20 loss at Oregon, Taylor had made 13 of his previous 17 3-point field goal attempts. In the game at Oregon, Taylor played without his prescription goggles, which were lost in transit to Eugene, for the first time this season. He has made at least one 3-pointer in 11 of 12 games this season and at least one 3-pointer in 20 of his last 23 games played. He made 11 consecutive 3-pointers over the course of three games from Dec. 6-14, 2016, which was four shy of tying the national record of 15. Taylor is also tied for 57th in the nation in 3-point field goals made per game (2.9).
• REFERENCE: "Fresno State" (never: FSU, CSUF, Fresno State University, or just simply "Fresno"); ABBREVIATION: Fresno St. or FS
Watson rises to 25th on all-time scoring list
Bulldogs' senior guard/forward Paul Watson - the 2013-14 Mountain West Freshman of the Year - gives Fresno State a versatile option on the wing and the post. Watson has played both positions during his career, primarily on the wing. Now in his fourth season at Fresno State, he has converted 41.8 percent (383-for-916) of his field goal attempts and 37.7 percent (158-for-419) of his 3-point field goal attempts. He has 1,147 career points to rank 25th on the program's all-time scoring list and currently sits five points away from tying Ron Anderson (1983-84) for 24th (1,152 career points).
Terry climbing Bulldogs' all-time wins list
In his sixth season at Fresno State, head coach Rodney Terry has 93 wins and tied for fourth on the Bulldogs' all-time head coaching wins list with Harry Miller (1961-65). He is 11 wins away from tying Jerry Tarkanian (1995-2002), who officially had 104 career wins, for third on the all-time wins list. Terry is the 18th head coach in program history and the fifth Fresno State head coach to coach at least 175 games (181 career games).
Bulldogs' defense is one of the best in the MW
• Through games played through Dec. 25, Fresno State ranked first in the Mountain West in steals (107) and steals per game (8.9 spg). Fresno State is also 20th in the nation in steals per game (8.9 spg).
• Through games played through Dec. 25, Fresno State junior guard Jaron Hopkins also led the conference in steals (29) and steals per game (2.4 spg). Hopkins is also 15th in the nation in steals per game (2.4 spg).
Hopkins finding role in Bulldogs' Backcourt
Fresno State redshirt junior guard Jaron Hopkins has been a key addition in the Bulldogs' backcourt. Hopkins transferred to Fresno State last season from Colorado, where he played significant minutes for the Buffaloes. Hopkins can facilitate the offense, score and defend at a high level. He has averaged 10.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game in the last six games. He is also 15th nationally in steals per game.
December 28, 2016 -- 6 p.m. PT -- Albuquerque, N.M. (Wisepies Arena AKA The Pit)
TV/Online: ESPN3/WatchESPN.com (Trey Bender/Blaine Fowler)
Radio: 940 AM ESPN Radio (Paul Loeffler/Marc Q. Jones)
Series History: New Mexico leads 14-9 (overall) and 8-1 (games played in Albuquerque)
Last Meeting: Fresno State 92, New Mexico 82 (Albuquerque, N.M. • Feb. 27, 2016)
Next Up: vs. Nevada (Dec. 31 • 4 p.m. PT); vs. Wyoming (Jan. 4, 2016 • 7 p.m. PT)
Opening Tip
• Fresno State has won 11 straight games in its next game after a loss, and is 11-1 in its next game after a loss since the start of the 2015-16 season.
• This is the second straight season Fresno State has started the season, 8-4.
• Fresno State has won six of its last eight games and has won seven of its last 10 true road games (four straight true road game wins vs. MW opponents).
• This is the third straight season Fresno State opens MW play on the road.
• Fresno State junior guard Jahmel Taylor is sixth in the nation in 3-point shooting (35-for-66, 53.0 percent).
• Fresno State redshirt junior guard Jaron Hopkins is 15th in the nation in steals per game (2.4 spg).
• Fresno State is 20th in the nation in steals per game (8.9 spg).
Bulldog Bones
• By winning the 2016 Mountain West Basketball Championship, Fresno State earned its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2001.
• Fresno State has improved its conference win total in each of the last four seasons since head coach Rodney Terry arrived in 2011, rising from 3-11 (11-12) to 5-11 (12-13) to 9-9 (13-14) to 10-8 (14-15) to 13-5 (15-16).
• Fresno State is one of eight teams in the nation to have improved its conference win total in each of the last four seasons.
• This season, Fresno State was picked to finish fourth in the Mountain West by the league's media in a preseason poll in mid-October.
• Before the 2015-16 season, Fresno State was picked to finish fifth in a preseason poll. The Bulldogs went on to win the 2016 MW Championship and earn the MW's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
'Dogs visit Lobos for Mountain West Opener
Fresno State (8-4), who won the 2016 Mountain West Championship after finishing second in conference play, begins league action at New Mexico (7-5) on Wednesday at 6 p.m. PT. The game will air live on ESPN3, WatchESPN and 940 AM ESPN Radio. Fresno State will host Nevada on Saturday at 4 p.m. in a New Year's Eve showdown with the Wolf Pack.
About the New Mexico Lobos
The New Mexico Lobos are 7-5 on the season, which includes a perfect 6-0 record at home during non-conference play. The Lobos are led by Tim Williams (18.1 ppg/6.8 rpg) and Elijah Brown (16.1 ppg/4.3 rpg/2.9 apg). Fresno State won its first ever game over New Mexico in Albuquerque last season when the Bulldogs defeated the Lobos 92-82 on Feb. 27, 2016. Fresno State trails the all-time series 14-9, but the 'Dogs have two out of the last three contests between the schools.
Taylor is one of nation's best 3-point shooters
Fresno State junior guard Jahmel Taylor is sixth in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (35-for-66, 53.0 percent). Before going 0-for-7 from beyond the 3-point arc in the Bulldogs' Dec. 20 loss at Oregon, Taylor had made 13 of his previous 17 3-point field goal attempts. In the game at Oregon, Taylor played without his prescription goggles, which were lost in transit to Eugene, for the first time this season. He has made at least one 3-pointer in 11 of 12 games this season and at least one 3-pointer in 20 of his last 23 games played. He made 11 consecutive 3-pointers over the course of three games from Dec. 6-14, 2016, which was four shy of tying the national record of 15. Taylor is also tied for 57th in the nation in 3-point field goals made per game (2.9).
• REFERENCE: "Fresno State" (never: FSU, CSUF, Fresno State University, or just simply "Fresno"); ABBREVIATION: Fresno St. or FS
Watson rises to 25th on all-time scoring list
Bulldogs' senior guard/forward Paul Watson - the 2013-14 Mountain West Freshman of the Year - gives Fresno State a versatile option on the wing and the post. Watson has played both positions during his career, primarily on the wing. Now in his fourth season at Fresno State, he has converted 41.8 percent (383-for-916) of his field goal attempts and 37.7 percent (158-for-419) of his 3-point field goal attempts. He has 1,147 career points to rank 25th on the program's all-time scoring list and currently sits five points away from tying Ron Anderson (1983-84) for 24th (1,152 career points).
Terry climbing Bulldogs' all-time wins list
In his sixth season at Fresno State, head coach Rodney Terry has 93 wins and tied for fourth on the Bulldogs' all-time head coaching wins list with Harry Miller (1961-65). He is 11 wins away from tying Jerry Tarkanian (1995-2002), who officially had 104 career wins, for third on the all-time wins list. Terry is the 18th head coach in program history and the fifth Fresno State head coach to coach at least 175 games (181 career games).
Bulldogs' defense is one of the best in the MW
• Through games played through Dec. 25, Fresno State ranked first in the Mountain West in steals (107) and steals per game (8.9 spg). Fresno State is also 20th in the nation in steals per game (8.9 spg).
• Through games played through Dec. 25, Fresno State junior guard Jaron Hopkins also led the conference in steals (29) and steals per game (2.4 spg). Hopkins is also 15th in the nation in steals per game (2.4 spg).
Hopkins finding role in Bulldogs' Backcourt
Fresno State redshirt junior guard Jaron Hopkins has been a key addition in the Bulldogs' backcourt. Hopkins transferred to Fresno State last season from Colorado, where he played significant minutes for the Buffaloes. Hopkins can facilitate the offense, score and defend at a high level. He has averaged 10.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game in the last six games. He is also 15th nationally in steals per game.
Players Mentioned
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