'Dogs top UT Arlington 70-61

Friday, November 23

Fresno, Calif.

5 p.m. PT

Fresno State

3-1

UT Arlington

2-2

UT Arlington

Fresno State

Photo by: Keith Kountz/Fresno State

'Dogs top UT Arlington 70-61

11/23/2018 8:14:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: T.J. Stricklin / Communications Intern

FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno State women's basketball team battled out to a first-period lead and sustained it throughout the rest of the game for a 70-61 win over UT Arlington on Friday night at the Save Mart Center. The game was filled with runs back and forth, but the 'Dogs were able to pull away each time the Mavericks close the gap.

Fresno State put forth a team effort on the night as a sophomore trio of 'Dogs ended the night in double figures. Maddi Utti led the squad in the point column with 16, while Bree Delaney (13) and Aly Gamez (12) followed just behind. Junior guard Kristina Cavey also had a solid night all around, picking up nine points, eight rebounds and two assists.

How It Happened
Neither team could create separation in the beginning of the first period as UT Arlington held a narrow 11-10 lead when the media timeout came around at 4:21. Fresno State came out of the break firing though, going on a 7-0 run behind buckets from White, Gamez and Utti to take a 17-11 lead. The remainder of the quarter continued to go back and forth, but Fresno State finished the period on top 24-16 with a 12-3 run behind seven straight points from Cavey.

The second period was much of the same as the scoring margin was nearly identical to the end of the first, finishing with Fresno State leading 39-31. Both teams traded quick runs throughout the period, spreading the wealth and the floor as neither team had a player reach double figures. Fresno State was led by Utti and Gamez with eight points apiece while UT Arlington was led by Terryn Milton with six. One category the 'Dogs took a clear advantage in was 3-point shooting, as Fresno State outscored UT Arlington 18-6 in the category.

UT Arlington began to close the gap to start the third period, cutting the Bulldogs' lead to just four at 39-35 with 8:44 on the clock. The Mavericks continued to cut away at the lead, extending the run to 9-2 and getting within a point down just 41-40 at the 6:22 mark after a 3-pointer by Aysia Evans. Fresno State answered with a Delaney 3-pointer, getting back on track and extending its lead out to 11 by the end of the half after mostly inside inside through layups and free throws while Delaney added another trey. The 'Dogs final 6-0 run closed out the quarter with a 57-46 lead.

UT Arlington started the fourth period with a vengeance, cutting the lead to just four behind a 7-0 run powered by a trio of layups and a free throw, with five of those points coming from Claire Chastain. Fresno State broke the run with a pair of free throws by Utti, but the Mavericks continued to draw close, draining the Bulldogs' lead to a point at 59-58 after a jumper and 3-pointer from Chastain, who scored 10 of the Mavericks' 12 points in the quarter with 6:46 to go in the game. Neither team could put anything on the board for the next three minutes, but Gamez broke the dry spell with a corner 3-pointer and a jumper by Utti extended the Bulldog lead to six. UTA's offensive struggles ceased to subside as the Mavericks missed seven straight field goals and didn't get on back on the board after the 6:46 mark until hitting a free throw with 18 seconds left in the game, resulting in an 8-0 run by Fresno State during the frame. The 'Dogs wrapped up the game on top, defeating the Mavericks 70-61 in the end with at least one score from every player that saw the floor.

Quotables
Jaime White, Fresno State Head Coach
Opening statement…
"One of our goals was to put four quarters together. I wouldn't say it was stress less but we did get that eventually. We didn't start the third quarter great. We just came out a little bit timid. We had a really good team win. I thought we did a good job with our pressure and we knew we were going to have to do that. UT Arlington has some athletic kids, and I thought we made them take some early shots. Genna Ogier came up with some big rebounds tonight also. Everybody had to play, and they had to play well."

On facing UTA's defense…
"We talked about it so we had to go back to that. It is sometimes hard, especially at that point in the game. We wanted to drive the middle. That is really what we were wanting to do in whatever way we could. I thought we played tough in moments where we could have caved a little bit. I thought we stepped up and had some people make some big shots during those times."

On what's next…
"We are going to go down and play really a hard, quick and athletic team down at USC. I just want us to have poise and confidence walking in there. I want to see our team knock down the shots that they are hitting here. I think these three home games have really helped us get a rhythm going, and hopefully we can continue that."

Maddi Utti, Forward, Sophomore
On her rebounds…
"I just have to find the player to box out and get in front so the taller players can't get in front of me."

On what she learned over summer…
"I definitely wanted to work on my shot. Confidence is a big thing, but my coaches are good with that. I shoot all the time in practice, so I just have to keep practicing."

Team Notes

Fresno State drew enough fouls to take 25 shots from the charity stripe, knocking down 19 of them.
The 'Dogs led the game for 35:22 of 40 minutes.
The Bulldogs held UT Arlington to 2 points in the final 6:46 of the game.

Player Notes
Maddi Utti – 16 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist

Shot 5-of-7 from the field
Perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line
Third game in double figures

Bree Delaney – 13 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists

Shot 3-of-6 from downtown
Third straight game in double figures
Third straight game with at least three 3-pointers

Up Next
Fresno State will face its first Power 5 opponent of the season Nov. 28 as the Bulldogs travel down to USC to face the 5-0 Trojans. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. PT at the Galen Center and will stream live on Pac-12.com.

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