Bulldogs close nonconference slate with Fresno Pacific

Saturday, December 29

Fresno, Calif.

2 p.m. PT

Fresno State

Fresno Pacific

Photo by: Keith Kountz/Fresno St

Bulldogs close nonconference slate with Fresno Pacific

12/27/2018 6:58:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Saturday's game is part of a doubleheader with the men which face Utah Valley at 4 p.m.

By: Josh Mitchell / Assistant Director of Communications

Game 11: Fresno State (6-4) vs. Fresno Pacific (8-3)
Dec. 29, 2018 – 2 p.m. PT – Fresno, Calif. (Save Mart Center)
Live Stream: Mountain West Network
Radio: 790 AM ESPN2
Live Stats: Sidearmstats
Series History: Fresno State leads 2-0
Last Meeting: Fresno State won 78-33 on Nov. 17, 2015 in Fresno, Calif.
Up Next: vs. San Jose State (Jan. 2 at 7 p.m. PT)

Saturday Doubleheader
Saturday's game is part of a doubleheader with the Bulldog men's team which will play Utah Valley at 4 p.m. Following the conclusion of the women's game, fans are asked to relocate to unoccupied seats behind the basket.

Bulldog Bones

With one game remaining in the nonconference schedule, Fresno State sits at 6-4 with three of its losses coming to Pac-12 opponents.
The Bulldogs are averaging 71.1 points per game, the first time they have averaged over 70 points since the 2013-14 season.
Like a season ago, Fresno State's top scorers have remained the same, in the same order: Candice White (17.4 ppg), Aly Gamez (11.0 ppg) and Maddi Utti (10.7 ppg).
Reaching double figures in scoring in all but one game this season, Candice White leads the MW in scoring.
White has already moved up eight spots to No. 12 in scoring at Fresno State with 1,281 points.
Fresno State ranks No. 16 in the NCAA and first in the conference in steals per game, averaging 12.4 per game through 10 games. The 'Dogs also sit at No. 46 in the country and lead the conference in turnovers forced with 20.8 per outing.
The 'Dogs rank 25th in the NCAA and second in the conference in free-throw percentage, knocking them down at a clip of 76.2 percent. Hitting 22-of-24 on the season, Utti's 91.7 percent leads the team and conference with respect to players with over 20 attempts.
Shooting 51.2 percent from the field while averaging 11.0 points per game and leading the team in rebounding (6.1 rbg), Utti also ranks second in the conference in steals per game, averaging 2.2 per game.

Scouting Fresno Pacific

Fresno Pacific is 8-3 on the year, winning its last two contests entering Saturday's game.
FPU is averaging 76.5 points per game, a plus-10 margin over their opponents.
Three Sunbirds are averaging double figures with Bree Alvarez posting 16.5 points per outing. Jessica Malazarte is averaging 14.6 points per game along with a team-high 4.2 assists. Cassie Pisik is at 11.5 points and a team-high 9.3 rebounds per game.

Offensive distribution
Fresno State has seen three players score double figures in all but one game this season. The 'Dogs have seen three games with four players in double digits.

The Bulldogs are 2-1 when four players reach double figures.
Three Bulldogs are averaging doubles figures: Candice White (17.4), Maddi Utti (11.0) and Aly Gamez (10.7).

Taking the easy ones
The 'Dogs are ranked No. 25 in the country and second in conference in free-throw percentage, knocking down 93-of-122 to shoot 76.2 percent on the season. This comes a year after setting the program's single-season record at 75.2 percent (369-491).

Fresno State's best percentage of the season came at USC when the team shot 10-of-10 from the line in a one-point defeat.
The Bulldogs have not missed a free throw in three different games.
Three Bulldogs to have attempted at least 15 free throws are shooting above 85 percent. Maddi Utti (22-of-24) is converting at a team-high 91.7 percent clip.

We'll take that
A key to Fresno State's success thus far has been through active hands on defense. The Bulldogs are forcing the most turnovers in the Mountain West at 20.8 per game.

Maddi Utti is ranked second in the league, averaging 2.2 steals per game.
The 'Dogs have three players with 20+ steals through 10 games – Bree Delaney (20), Maddi Utti (22) and Candice White (21).

The scoring continues
One of the top shooting guards in the country, Candice White has scored 174 points through 10 games this season, averaging a team-high 17.4 points per game to lead the Mountain West.

She currently sits at No. 12 on the all-time scoring list, moving up eight spots during the first 10 games of the season. White has made her mark on the list in essentially two-plus seasons after playing only 69 minutes during her freshman year.
White also leads the squad with four 20-plus point games, picking up a season-high 25 against Cal Poly in the home opener. She also scored 22 (UCLA) and 21 (USC) against two of the Bulldogs' three Power-5 opponents on the road.

"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.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160.