Fresno State Athletics
Saturday, December 29
Fresno, Calif.
4 p.m. PT
Fresno State
vs
Utah Valley University
Photo by: Keith Kountz
’Dogs close out 2018, homestand with Wolverines
12/27/2018 1:35:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Tickets for Saturday's game start at $10 at the Save Mart Center Box Office.
Game 12: Utah Valley University (10-4) at Fresno State (9-2)
Dec. 29, 2018 • 4 p.m. PT • Fresno, Calif. (Save Mart Center)
TV: Mountain West Network (Paul Loeffler/Marc Q. Jones)
Radio: 940 AM ESPN (Paul Loeffler/Marc Q. Jones) & 1600 AM ESPN Deportes (Jesse Beltran/Octavio Duarte)
Series History: First Meeting
Last Meeting: N/A
Next Up: at San Jose State (Jan. 2 at 7 p.m. PT); vs. Colorado State (Jan. 5 at 7 p.m. PT)
Opening Tip
The Fresno State men's basketball team will host the Utah Valley University Wolverines on Saturday at 4 p.m. PT inside the Save Mart Center. The game between Fresno State (9-2) and UVU (5-4) will be broadcast on the Mountain West Network , 940 AM ESPN Radio and 1600 AM ESPN Deportes. Tickets start at $10 at the Save Mart Center Box Office.
About the Utah Valley University Wolverines
The Utah Valley University (Western Athletic Conference) are 10-4 on the season, including wins in nine of its last 10 games. UVU is led in scoring by Jake Toolson (16.0 ppg) and Conner Toolson (14.6 ppg). This is the first meeting between the schools in men's basketball.
Blackwell named MW Player of the Week
Fresno State redshirt junior forward Noah Blackwell (Roseville, Calif.) was named the Mountain West's Player of the Week on Dec. 24. This was the first MW Player of the Week honor for Blackwell, who is the third different Bulldog (seventh all-time selection) to earn the conference's weekly honor since Fresno State joined the MW in 2012 and first since Cullen Russo was honored after the opening weekend of the 2016-17 season. Marvelle Harris, Fresno State's all-time leading scorer, was a five-time MW Player of the Week selection and the 2015-16 MW Player of the Year. Blackwell averaged 12.5 points, 8.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds with a 55.6 percent field goal percentage and a 5.7 assist-to-turnover ratio (17-3) while leading the 'Dogs to a 2-0 week in beating California 95-73 and UT-Martin 93-53.
Coach Hut in elite company
Fresno State head coach Justin Hutson (Coach Hut) is one of four head coaches in program history (out of 19) to start his career with a 9-2 record or better. The four other coaches to start 9-2 or better are: Ed Gregory (9-2), Boyd Grant (9-2) and Ray Lopes (9-2). Gregory (1965-66) and Lopes (2002-03) went on to win conference championships in their first seasons, while Grant is the Bulldogs' all-time winningest head coach (194 wins, 1977-86). Hutson also currently owns the best winningest percentage (.818) of any head coach in program history.
Sizzling Seven! Fresno State crushes UT-Martin 93-53 for 7th straight win
In its last game, Fresno State cruised to a 93-53 victory over the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks on Dec. 22 at the Save Mart Center. Fresno State (9-2) is off to its best start in 12 seasons when opening the 2006-07 season with a 13-2 record. Fresno State senior guard Braxton Huggins scored a team-high 20 points, while junior guard New Williams added 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and Noah Blackwell posting 12 points and eight of the Bulldogs' season-high 25 assists.
Surpassing Preseason Expectations
This season, Fresno State was picked to finish fifth in the Mountain West by the league's media in a preseason poll released 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.
Fresno State's consistency leads to success
Fresno State is one of three Mountain West teams to have finished .500 or better in league play in each of the past five seasons, including this season. Fresno State, Boise State and San Diego State have won at least nine conference games in each of the last five seasons. Fresno State has averaged 10.8 conference wins per season (last five seasons), with at least 10 MW wins for four straight seasons, including a 13-5 mark in 2015-16.
George, Johnson represent Fresno State in NBA
Former Fresno State basketball players Paul George (2008-10) and Tyler Johnson (2010-14) are two of the 30 former Bulldogs to have played in the NBA. George is currently in his ninth NBA season and second with the Oklahoma City Thunder after being drafted 10th overall in 2010 by the Indiana Pacers, who he played for from 2010-17. Johnson is in his fifth season with the Miami Heat.
Dec. 29, 2018 • 4 p.m. PT • Fresno, Calif. (Save Mart Center)
TV: Mountain West Network (Paul Loeffler/Marc Q. Jones)
Radio: 940 AM ESPN (Paul Loeffler/Marc Q. Jones) & 1600 AM ESPN Deportes (Jesse Beltran/Octavio Duarte)
Series History: First Meeting
Last Meeting: N/A
Next Up: at San Jose State (Jan. 2 at 7 p.m. PT); vs. Colorado State (Jan. 5 at 7 p.m. PT)
Opening Tip
- First-year Fresno State head coach Justin Hutson is back home in the Valley. Hutson, a Bakersfield native, spent the last 12 seasons (San Diego State and UNLV) as one of the most respected assistant coaches in country.
- Fresno State has won at least 20 games in each of the past three seasons (four of the past five seasons).
- Last season, Fresno State (21-11, 11-7 MW) finished fourth in the MW standings and earned its third straight Top 4 seed for the MW Tournament.
- Fresno State is one of two MW teams (Boise State) to have earned a first round bye in each of the past four seasons.
- Fresno State's 2018-19 roster includes two Division I transfers who redshirted last season: Braxton Huggins (New Mexico State) and Noah Blackwell (Long Beach State). Deshon Taylor (UMKC) and New Williams (Auburn) are also D-1 transfers, as is Chris Seeley (Utah - redshirting).
- Fresno State is on a seven-game winning streak (tied for the 11th-longest active win streak in the nation) and seeking its first eight-game win streak since winning nine straight games entering the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
- Fresno State has won eight consecutive non-conference home games. (Last Loss: Oregon 68, Fresno State 61 - Dec. 16, 2017)
- The Bulldogs have scored at least 92 points in each of its last three games for the first time since 2001 (third time this century).
- Fresno State has outscored four autonomy five conference schools (TCU, Northwestern, Miami & Cal) by a combined score of 318-287 this season.
- Fresno State is 42-3 in its last 45 games when shooting at least 50 percent from the field.
- Fresno State has made at least seven 3-pointers in every game this season. The Bulldogs are 21-3 in the last 24 games making at least 10 3pt-FGs.
- Fresno State is in the middle of a 12-game stretch of playing exclusively in the state of California. Fresno State is 8-1 in the first nine games of the Golden State run.
- Fresno State leads the MW in 3-point percent defense (30.6), assists (16.5 per game), steals (7.9 per game) and 3-pointers made (9.8 per game).
The Fresno State men's basketball team will host the Utah Valley University Wolverines on Saturday at 4 p.m. PT inside the Save Mart Center. The game between Fresno State (9-2) and UVU (5-4) will be broadcast on the Mountain West Network , 940 AM ESPN Radio and 1600 AM ESPN Deportes. Tickets start at $10 at the Save Mart Center Box Office.
About the Utah Valley University Wolverines
The Utah Valley University (Western Athletic Conference) are 10-4 on the season, including wins in nine of its last 10 games. UVU is led in scoring by Jake Toolson (16.0 ppg) and Conner Toolson (14.6 ppg). This is the first meeting between the schools in men's basketball.
Blackwell named MW Player of the Week
Fresno State redshirt junior forward Noah Blackwell (Roseville, Calif.) was named the Mountain West's Player of the Week on Dec. 24. This was the first MW Player of the Week honor for Blackwell, who is the third different Bulldog (seventh all-time selection) to earn the conference's weekly honor since Fresno State joined the MW in 2012 and first since Cullen Russo was honored after the opening weekend of the 2016-17 season. Marvelle Harris, Fresno State's all-time leading scorer, was a five-time MW Player of the Week selection and the 2015-16 MW Player of the Year. Blackwell averaged 12.5 points, 8.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds with a 55.6 percent field goal percentage and a 5.7 assist-to-turnover ratio (17-3) while leading the 'Dogs to a 2-0 week in beating California 95-73 and UT-Martin 93-53.
Coach Hut in elite company
Fresno State head coach Justin Hutson (Coach Hut) is one of four head coaches in program history (out of 19) to start his career with a 9-2 record or better. The four other coaches to start 9-2 or better are: Ed Gregory (9-2), Boyd Grant (9-2) and Ray Lopes (9-2). Gregory (1965-66) and Lopes (2002-03) went on to win conference championships in their first seasons, while Grant is the Bulldogs' all-time winningest head coach (194 wins, 1977-86). Hutson also currently owns the best winningest percentage (.818) of any head coach in program history.
Sizzling Seven! Fresno State crushes UT-Martin 93-53 for 7th straight win
In its last game, Fresno State cruised to a 93-53 victory over the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks on Dec. 22 at the Save Mart Center. Fresno State (9-2) is off to its best start in 12 seasons when opening the 2006-07 season with a 13-2 record. Fresno State senior guard Braxton Huggins scored a team-high 20 points, while junior guard New Williams added 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and Noah Blackwell posting 12 points and eight of the Bulldogs' season-high 25 assists.
Surpassing Preseason Expectations
This season, Fresno State was picked to finish fifth in the Mountain West by the league's media in a preseason poll released 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.
Fresno State's consistency leads to success
Fresno State is one of three Mountain West teams to have finished .500 or better in league play in each of the past five seasons, including this season. Fresno State, Boise State and San Diego State have won at least nine conference games in each of the last five seasons. Fresno State has averaged 10.8 conference wins per season (last five seasons), with at least 10 MW wins for four straight seasons, including a 13-5 mark in 2015-16.
George, Johnson represent Fresno State in NBA
Former Fresno State basketball players Paul George (2008-10) and Tyler Johnson (2010-14) are two of the 30 former Bulldogs to have played in the NBA. George is currently in his ninth NBA season and second with the Oklahoma City Thunder after being drafted 10th overall in 2010 by the Indiana Pacers, who he played for from 2010-17. Johnson is in his fifth season with the Miami Heat.
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