'Dogs open MW Tourney with Aztecs in quarterfinals

Thursday, March 8

Las Vegas, Nev.

2:30 p.m. PT

Fresno State

San Diego State

'Dogs open MW Tourney with Aztecs in quarterfinals

3/7/2018 11:22:00 AM | Men's Basketball

2018 MW Tournament Notes: Fresno State (PDF)Supplement - No. 5 SDSU vs. No. 4 Fresno State (PDF)

Fresno State enters the 2018 MW Tournament as the No. 4 seed and will face San Diego State on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. PT.

By: Stephen Trembley / Director of New Media

2018 MW Championships: No. 4 Seed Fresno State (21-10, 11-7 MW)
March 8-10, 2018 • Las Vegas, Nev. (Thomas & Mack Center)
MW Quarterfinals (Thursday, March 8 • 2:30 p.m. PT • CBS Sports Network)
No. 5 San Diego State (19-10, 11-7 MW) vs. No. 4 Fresno State (21-10, 11-7 MW)
March 8, 2018 • 2:30 p.m. PT • Las Vegas, Nev. (Thomas & Mack Center)
TV: CBS Sports Network (Rich Waltz/Bob Wenzel/Evan Washburn)
Radio: 940 AM ESPN (Paul Loeffler/Marc Q. Jones) & MW Radio Network/Sirius XM (Sirius: 205, XM: 203, Internet: 963
Series Record (All-Time): San Diego State leads 61-54 • Fresno State has won 5 of last 6 meetings
MW Tournament Record (All-Time): Fresno State is 5-4 (4-1 in last 5 tournament games played)

Bulldogs to face Aztecs in MW quarterfinals
The fourth-seeded Fresno State (21-10, 11-7 Mountain West) opens play at the 2018 MW Tournament versus fifth-seeded San Diego State (19-10, 11-7 MW) in the conference quarterfinals on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. PT. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network, 940 AM ESPN Radio and Sirius XM. The single-elimination MW tournament is played at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas with the winner earning the league's automatic bid into the 2018 NCAA Tournament.

About the San Diego State Aztecs
• The San Diego State Aztecs are 19-10 on the season and finished tied for fourth place with the Bulldogs in the conference standings at 11-7. Fresno State earned the tiebreaker for the No. 4 seed by virtue of the Bulldogs' 2-0 record against SDSU this season.
• Fresno State has won five of the last six meetings with San Diego State.
• Fresno State went 2-0 against SDSU during the regular season, which included a 77-73 road win at Viejas Arena and a 79-61 home win at the Save Mart Center. The Bulldogs are the only MW team to beat the Aztecs at Viejas Arena this season.

Opening Tip
• Fresno State is one of eight schools in the West to have made back-to-back postseason appearances (NCAA or NIT).
• Fresno State has won at least 20 games in each of the past three seasons (four of the past five seasons), including this season.
• Fresno State (21-10, 11-7 MW) finished in fourth place 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 (including this season).
• Fresno State enters the 2018 MW Tournament as one of three MW teams (Nevada and Boise State) with at least 21 wins this season.

'Dogs continue to rise in the Mountain West
• Fresno State leads the MW in field goal percentage (49.4 percent).
• Fresno State ranks second in the MW in 3-point field goal percentage (39.9 percent), rebounding defense (31.1 avg/game) and steals (6.9 spg).
• Fresno State sophomore forward Bryson Williams is second in the MW (20th in the nation) with a 60.1 field goal percentage (182-303 FG).
• Fresno State sophomore forward Nate Grimes is third in the nation in total rebounds per minute (0.44 rebounds per minute played).
• Fresno State junior guard Sam Bittner is 10th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (39-for-80, 48.8 percent - one 3FG made per team game).
• Fresno State is 10-1 this season when dishing out 15 or more assists.
• Fresno State has won 39 consecutive games when scoring 70 points before its opponent (78-2 record under Bulldogs' head coach Rodney Terry).
(Last Loss: Nevada 77, Fresno State 72 [OT] • 2/13/16 • Reno, Nev.)

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 season. 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.

Bulldogs secure No. 4 seed for 2018 MW Tourney
Fresno State (21-10, 11-7 Mountain West) enters the 2018 MW Tournament as the No. 4 seed. The Bulldogs will open play in the MW quarterfinals for the fourth straight season. The single-elimination tournament will be played at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas with the winner earning the league's automatic bid into the 2018 NCAA Tournament.

Deshon Taylor earns first-team All-MW Honors
Fresno State junior guard Deshon Taylor was named first-team All-MW and an All-Defensive Team selection by the league's head coaches for his performance during conference play this season. In the regular season, Fresno State junior guard Deshon Taylor led the MW in free throws made (197) and steals (49, 1.6 spg) and was fifth in scoring (557, 18.0 ppg) and free throw percentage (197-235 FT, 83.8 percent). During conference play, Taylor led the MW with 111 free throws made and ranked fifth in steals (24, 1.4 spg) and seventh in scoring (17.5 ppg).

Deshon Taylor: A Talented Scoring Threat
• Deshon Taylor is seventh in the nation in free throws made (197) - which is also a new Fresno State single-season program record.
• Deshon Taylor has scored 968 career points (64 games, 2016-present), which ranks 38th in program history. Taylor is six points away from tying Paul George's 974 career points (63 games, 2008-10) for 37th.

Williams: Third-Team All-MW as a Sophomore
Fresno State sophomore forward Bryson Williams, a Fresno native, was recognized as a third-team All-MW honoree by the league's head coaches. Williams is the Bulldogs' first non-redshirt sophomore to earn third-team or better all-conference honors since Greg Smith (second-team, 2010-11), who is also a Fresno native. In MW play this season, Williams was second in field goal percentage (107-for-188, 56.9 percent) and 16th in scoring (13.9 ppg). Williams has four career double-doubles (three this season).

Looking Ahead...
MW Semifinals (Friday, March 9 • 6 p.m. PT • CBS Sports Network)
MW Championship Game (Saturday, March 10 • 3 p.m. PT • CBS)

• REFERENCE: "Fresno State" (never: FSU, CSUF, Fresno State University, or just simply "Fresno"); ABBREVIATION: Fresno St. or FS