'Dogs face first road test in Texas

Friday, November 24

Arlington, Texas

12 p.m. PT

Fresno State

UT Arlington

Photo by: Keith Kountz

'Dogs face first road test in Texas

11/23/2017 7:49:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Fresno State visits UTA on Friday, Texas State on Saturday.

By: Josh Mitchell / Assistant Director of Communications

Game 4: Fresno State (1-2) at UT Arlington (4-0)
Nov. 24, 2017 – 12 p.m. PT – Arlington, Texas (College Park Center)
Video: ESPN3
Live Stats: G ametracker
Series History: Fresno State leads 3-0
Last Meeting: Fresno State won 70-45 on Dec. 2, 2013 in Fresno, Calif.

Game 5: Fresno State (1-2) at Texas State (3-1)
Nov. 25, 2017 – 2 p.m. PT – San Marcos, Texas (Strahan Coliseum)
Stream: txstatebobcats.com (audio free)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Series History: First Meeting

Opening Tip

• Fresno State hits the road for the first time this season, traveling to UT Arlington and Texas State during the holiday weekend, the Bulldogs' first trip to the Lone Star state since 2012.

• The 'Dogs have played back-to-back Friday/Saturday games in each of the last two seasons after Thanksgiving, going 1-1 two years ago and 2-0 last year.

• Friday's game at UT Arlington will stream live on ESPN3 while Saturday's contest can be found on txstatebobcats.com.

Bulldog Bones

• After opening up the 2017-18 season with an 81-56 win over Eastern Washington, Fresno State has failed to surpass 60 points in each of its following two contests, dropping games to Arizona State and UC Riverside.

• Candice White is the lone Bulldog to score double figures in all three games this season. The junior guard also leads the 'Dogs in rebounding (5.3) and steals (1.7).

• White is one of 23 players nationally to be perfect from the free-throw line (9-of-9).

• Fresno State ranks fourth in the NCAA in 3-point percentage defense at 17.6.

• Fresno State entered the season as the 11th-youngest team in the NCAA in relation to percentage of underclassmen.

• The 'Dogs added four freshmen during the offseason. Freshmen have accounted for 35.5 percent of the team's scoring this year. All four have averaged more than 15 minutes per game.

• After finishing seventh in the Mountain West in 2016-17, Fresno State was picked to finish in the conference's preseason poll by the league's coaches and media.

• The 'Dogs opened up the season last Friday defeating Eastern Washington 81-56. Sophomore Kristina Cavey scored a career-high 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field, eight points above her previous high.

• Four Bulldogs reached double figures against the Eagles, a feat the 'Dogs accomplished only five times during the 2016-17 season. Along with Candice White's 15 points, the Australian freshmen tandem of Bree Delaney (16) and Genna Ogier (11) were also in double digits.

Fresno State vs. UT Arlington

• Fresno State is 3-0 all-time versus UT Arlington.

• The two teams played a home-and-home series in 2012 and 2013 with the Bulldogs winning by an average of 27.5 points.

A look at UT Arlington

• UT Arlington riding a 4-0 start to the season, winning its last two games by a total of three points. The Mavs are currently receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches' Poll.

• UTA is outshooting its opponents by nearly 10 percent from the field (43.1-33.6).

• The Mavericks are led by senior guard Crystal Allen who is averaging 17.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. The team's top shooter, she has knocked down 9-of-20 from 3 (45 percent) through four games.

• 6-foot-5 center Rebekah VanDijk is the team's top post threat, grabbing 8.3 rebounds to go with 9.5 points per contest. The senior already ranks among UTA's top 10 in career scoring with 1,276 points.

Fresno State vs. Texas State

• Saturday will mark the first-ever meeting between the Bulldogs and Bobcats.

A look at Texas State

• Texas State enters Saturday's contest with a 3-1 record on the year, playing all of its games on the road. Its biggest win of the young season was a 17-point victory over Texas Tech on the road.

• Texas State's only defeat was a 24-point loss at TCU.

• The Bobcats are averaging 72.2 points per game and feature three players who average over 12 points per game, all of whom are shooting above 42 percent from 3.

• Taeler Deer is the team's biggest threat on the offensive end at 20.5 points per game after she dropped 44 on the Red Raiders.

• Thirty-five of the team's 42 3-pointers have come from its trio of Deer, Toshua Leavitt and Brooke Holle.

Texas reunion

Fresno State currently has four players from Texas on its roster, the most of any state.

• Friday and Saturday are the first time as Bulldogs that Aly Gamez, Tory Jacobs, Raven Johnson and Jordanna Porter will be on the opposite bench as a team from her the home state.

Bulldog youth

When the 2017-18 season gets underway, Fresno State will enter it as the 11th-youngest team in the NCAA in regards to the percentage of underclassmen on its roster. With four freshmen joining the team this season, and no seniors on the roster, 69.2 percent of the Bulldogs' roster is made up of underclassmen.

• The Bulldogs have a total of nine underclassmen on the roster; four freshmen, four sophomores and one redshirt sophomore.

• Freshmen account for 30.8 percent of the Bulldogs' roster.

• This marks the third straight year that the Jaime White has had at least four freshmen on the roster.

Defending the 3

In its first three games of the season Fresno State has shown to defensive headache along the 3-point line, allowing just 17.6 percent (6-of-34) from beyond the arc to rank fourth in the NCAA 3-point percentage defense.

• Eastern Washington finished 2-of-18, while Arizona State was 1-of-5 from 3. UC Riverside found the most success, shooting 3-of-11.

A new leader

In her second season at Fresno State, and first as a starter, Candice White became a leader for the Bulldogs through her work ethic and production on the court.

• White is currently one of 23 players in the NCAA to be perfect from the free-throw line (9-of-9).

• Averaging 11.7 points per game this season, she is the only Bulldog to score double figures in all three games this year. White recorded 28 double-digit performances in 33 games last year, including 15 straight against conference opponents.

• In 2016-17, White's 489 points scored was the 10th-most in a single season at Fresno State.

• Nationally, White finished the 2016-17 season ranked No. 15 in free throw percentage in the NCAA at 87.7 percent (100-of-114) and No. 37 in 3-point percentage at 40.1 (69-of-172), and is 11th and 24th, respectively, among returners. The 87.7 percent was the highest free-throw percentage in a single season at Fresno State.

Back with 3's

Out of game action since Jan. 1, 2017, Breanne Knishka as slowly worked her way back. Scoreless in 17 minutes in her first game back against Arizona State, Knishka was 3-of-7 from beyond the arc against UC Riverside.

• Knishka posted 12 points, five rebounds and two steals in 29 minutes off of the bench versus the Highlanders.

"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogschoarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160.

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