Fresno State Athletics
'Dogs head to UNLV for Saturday afternoon clash
2/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By Josh Mitchell
jomitchell@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
FRESNO, Calif. - Following its first loss in more than a month, Fresno State will hit the road on Saturday as it heads to UNLV. The afternoon clash with the Lady Rebels is scheduled for 3 p.m. PT at Cox Pavilion and will stream live online on the Mountain West Network.
GAME INFO
Game #21 • Feb. 6, 2016
Fresno State (12-8, 8-1 MW) at UNLV (13-8, 7-4 MW)
3 p.m. PT • Cox Pavilion (2,500) • Fresno, Calif.
Video: Mountain West Network • Live Stats: unlvrebels.com
Series Record: Lady Rebels lead 16-13
Last Meeting: Fresno State won 58-54 on Dec. 30, 2014 in Fresno, Calif.
Bulldog Bites
• Fresno State saw its eight-game winning streak snapped on Feb. 3. It was tied for the ninth-longest in program histor and was one shy of the team's longest in Mountain West play.
• The Bulldogs sit in second place after being picked fourth in the MW preseason poll, and has wins over teams that were picked second (New Mexico), third (Boise State), fifth (UNLV), sixth (San Diego State).
• All 12 of the 'Dogs' wins have come when holding teams to below 60 points in regulation. Only New Mexico scored more than 60 points, but it came in double overtime.
• Sophomore center Bego Faz Davalos ranks in the top 15 in the Mountain West in overall games in scoring (12th, 12.2 ppg) rebounding (first, 10.1 rpg), field goal percentage (fourth, .517), assists (2.8), blocked shots (first, 3.8 bpg), assist/turnover ratio (ninth, 1.3), offensive rebounds (second, 3.4 rpg) and defensive rebounds (first, 6.7 rpg).
• Three 'Dogs are averaging double-digits through 20 games (Shauqunna Collins, Bego Faz Davalos and Toni Smith). Fresno State had just one player average double figures last year (Alex Sheedy).
• Faz Davalos leads the team in both points (12.2) and rebounds (10.1) to go along with 3.8 blocks per game.
• Through Feb. 4, Faz Davalos ranked third in the NCAA in blocks (75), blocked shots per game (3.75), 30th in double-doubles (10), 43rd in rebounds (202) and 27th in rebounds per game (10.1). She ranks first in the Mountain West in each category.
• Collins is currently at 10.8 points per game. She has reached double figures in 12 of her 18 games.
• Senoir Toni Smith has turned it on in conference play, leading the team at 12.1 points per game the MW, while her overall average has gone up to 10.1 per game.
• Moriah Faulk is just shy of the double-figure mark at 9.4 points per game.
• The Bulldogs have recorded 15 double-doubles on the year, which is the most by Fresno State in a season since the 2002-03 when the team posted 18.
• Fresno State's bench play has been a big component this season's team as it averages 20.7 of the team's 65.1 points per game.
• In conference play, four Bulldogs are averaging 8.4 or more points per game with Toni Smith pacing the team 12.1 per game.
• In conference, the 'Dogs are holding opponents to 12.4 points less than in the non-conference.
Series History with UNLV
• UNLV holds a 16-13 record all-time against Fresno State.
• Despite the Lady Rebels leading the all-time series, the Bulldogs have won 12 of the last 14 games dating back to 1997.
• The Bulldogs opened Mountain West play this season with a 58-54 win over UNLV after forcing the Lady Rebels into 20 turnovers.
A Look at UNLV
• The Lady Rebels hold a 13-8 record entering Saturday's contest and are 6-2 in their last eight games.
• They are averaging 61.1 points per game. They are just one of three teams in the conference this season to allow under 60 points per game (56.7).
• Along with a stingy defense, the Lady Rebels are strong on the glass, leading the league in rebounding margin at plus-7.7. They rank in the top two in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage.
• Three UNLV players are currently averaging double figures in scoring with Dakota Gonzalez leading the way at 13.8 points per game.
• Gonzalez ranks seventh in the conference in scoring, while Brooke Johnson is 11th with 12.9 per game.
• Center Aley Rhode, who missed time recently with an injury, is third in the Mountain West in rebounding at 8.4 per game.
• Johnson leads the conference in steals, swiping 2.9 per game while Nikki Wheatley ranks 9th at 1.9.
Owning January
• Since taking over at Fresno State, Jaime White has posted an unblemished 15-0 record in the month of January.
Not for the Faint of Heart
• Although the 'Dogs started Mountain West play with eight consecutive wins, it wasn't easy. Seven of the games were decided by eight points or less with five of those at five points or less. Several games have gone down to the final minutes, if not the final minute of play.
• Within the final two minutes, the 'Dogs shot 28-of-45 (62.2 percent) from the free throw line during that stretch.
Taking Care of the Ball
• Fresno State ranks 51st in the country in fewest turnovers with 302 (15.1 per game) through 20 games.
• The 'Dogs rank 72nd in assist/turnover ratio at 0.96 which is third in the Mountain West behind Colorado State's league-leading 1.21.
No Fly Zone
• The Bulldogs rank 25th nationally in blocked shots per game, averaging 5.3 per contest and are 40th in total blocks with 106.
• A big piece of Fresno State's interior defense is Bego Faz Davalos who ranks third in the nation in blocks with 75.
Lockdown
• Since MW play started, Fresno State has locked down on defense, ranking in the top four in the conference in MW games in scoring defense (second, 54.7 ppg), field goal percentage defense (second, .349) and 3-point percentage defense (third, .258).
• In non-conference games, Fresno State allowed teams to score 65.6 points per game, and shoot 39.5 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from three.
Right on Cue
• Senior forward Toni Smith has posted double-digit scoring games in eight straight games. Last season, she had recorded double-figures in 12-of-18 conference games.
• After posting double figures in four of the first five games of the season, Smith hadn't posted a double-digit scoring game until Jan. 2 at New Mexico.
• She is the Bulldogs top scoring in conference play at 12.1 points per game.
Reversal of Fortune
• Prior to MW play, Fresno State was 1-5 in games decided by 10 points or less and 0-3 in games decided by five points or less. The Bulldogs though have reversed their fortunes with start of conference play, going 7-0 in games decided by 10 points or less with five of those coming by five points or less.
• On Feb. 3, the Bulldogs lost their first game by 10 points or less in conference play, falling to San Jose State 66-64.
Balanced Scoring
• During the 2014-15 season, Fresno State had at least four players score in double digits just five times. Through 20 games this season, the 'Dogs have had four players record double figures in a single game on six occasions.
• Against Washington on Nov. 20, Fresno State had five players post double figures in the scoring column.
• Three 'Dogs currently average double figures with Shauqunna Collins at 10.8, Bego Faz Davalos at 12.2 and Toni Smith at 10.1. Last season, Fresno State had just one player average double figures.
Providing Support
• Fresno State's bench scoring has played a pivotal role for the team this season, especially during its opening two games of conference play. The Bulldogs' bench outscored UNLV and New Mexico's bench players by a combined 47-11.
• All but two of those points came from Moriah Faulk (24) and Brittany Aikens (21).
• The Bulldogs are 8-3 on the year when their bench outscores its opponents' bench.• Fresno State's bench has only been outscored in five games this season, with four resulting in losses (at UC Riverside, George Washington, at Cal Poly, San Jose State). The lone win came at San Jose State.
• The Bulldog bench has scored a total 413 points this season. The bench has accounted for 20.7 points per game.
Tested
• While Fresno State may have gone 4-7 in the non-conference season, the strength of that schedule has already proved to be a benefit as the team has started conference play 4-0 with wins over three teams that were picked to finish in the top five of the league.
• As of Jan. 31, Fresno State's non-conference strength of schedule ranked No. 17, while its overall strength of schedule was No. 130.
• The team's seven losses came to teams who hold an average RPI of 67.
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 ranks first on the team in points (12.2), rebounds (10.1), blocks (3.8), assists (55) and field goal percentage (51.7).
• She has recorded 10 double-doubles in 20 games which ranks 30th nationally.
• With a career-high 10 blocks versus Cal State Stanislaus, Faz Davalos moved to third in career blocks at Fresno State.
• Her 75 blocks and 3.8 blocks per game this season rank third nationally.
• In the MW, she ranks in the top 15 in scoring (12th), rebounding (first), field goal percentage (fourth), assists (13th) blocks (first), assist/turnover ratio (ninth), offensive rebounds (second) and defensive rebounds (first).
Bego Blocks
• Through 20 games, Bego Faz Davalos blocked 75 shots and is on pace to surpass her total from the 2014-15 season.
• Her 96 blocks last season was the fifth best single-season season total in Bulldog history.
• Faz Davalos is third in school history in career blocks with 171.
• Last season, her 70 blocks in conference games broke the MW record for most blocks in a single season for conference games only. The previous mark was 52.
• She finished the 2014-15 season nine blocks shy of tying 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.
Double Down
• The 'Dogs have posted 15 double-doubles through 20 games. In each of the past two seasons, the team has recorded just 12 in each season.
• This century, the most double-doubles in a season for a Fresno State team is 24 during the 1988-89 season.
• The most double-doubles by a player in a season is 13 which has occurred three times (Yvette Roberts, 1988-89; Omelogo Udeze, 2000-01; Janee Young, 1996-97)
• Bego Faz Davalos is looking to surpass the single-season mark as she has posted 10 double-doubles so far.
