Fresno State Athletics
Saturday, January 5
Fresno, Calif.
7 p.m. PT
Fresno State
vs
Colorado State
Photo by: Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports
’Dogs host Rams on Saturday night
1/4/2019 1:24:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Tickets for all remaining home games start at $15. Mini-plans start at $65 by calling 559-278-3647.
Game 14: Colorado State (5-9, 0-1 MW) at Fresno State (10-3, 1-0 MW)
Jan. 5, 2019 • 7 p.m. PT • Fresno, Calif. (Save Mart Center)
TV: AT&T Sports Network (PBP: Dave Goodman; Analyst: Dave Bollwinkel; Sideline: Jenny Cavnar)
Radio: 940 AM ESPN (Paul Loeffler/Marc Q. Jones); 1600 AM ESPN Deportes (Jesse Beltran)
Series History: Series is tied 17-17 (overall) & 12-2 (games played in Fresno)
Last Meeting: Fresno State 86, Colorado State 65 (Fresno, Calif. • 2/17/18)
Next Up: at Utah State (Jan. 9 at 6 p.m. PT); vs. No. 6/5 Nevada (Jan. 12 at 5 p.m. PT)
Fresno State's NCAA NET Ranking: No. 63 (through games played on Jan. 3, 2019)
Opening Tip
The Fresno State men's basketball team will host the Colorado State Rams on Saturday at 7 p.m. PT inside the Save Mart Center. The game between Fresno State (10-3, 1-0 Mountain West) and Colorado State (5-9, 0-1 MW) will be broadcast on the AT&T Sports Net, 940 AM ESPN Radio and 1600 AM ESPN Deportes. Alumni of the Fresno State men's basketball program will be introduced during the game. Tickets for all remaining home games start at $15. Mini-plans start at $65 by calling 559-278-DOGS.
About the Colorado State Rams
Colorado State is 5-9 on the season, including losses in eight of its last nine games. CSU enters Saturday's game on a four-game losing streak after being edged at UNLV (78-76) on a late goaltending call with 1.2 seconds remaining as the Runnin' Rebels overcame an eight-point deficit in the final five minutes to beat the Rams in Las Vegas on Wednesday night. Colorado State is led in scoring by J.D. Paige (16.1 ppg) and Nico Carvacho (14.9 ppg/12.9 rpg). Carvacho leads the MW in rebounding (12.9 rpg) and had 28 points and 20 rebounds in the Rams' MW-opening loss to UNLV. The all-time series is tied 17-17, with Fresno State having a 12-2 advantage in games played in Fresno. The 'Dogs have also won five of the last six contests in the series. This will be the team's 15th meeting since the Bulldogs joined the MW in 2012, which is the most Fresno State has played any MW opponent in that timeframe.
'Dogs build strong resume in nonconference
During nonconference play, Fresno State (10-3, 1-0 MW) started building its resume for a potential at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament and NIT by playing a competitive schedule (No. 79 nationally in nonconference strength of schedule). Fresno State handed the Big Ten's Northwestern its first and one of its biggest losses of the season when the Bulldogs crushed the Wildcats 78-59 in the Wooden Legacy. Northwestern's other three losses before January [at Indiana (68-66), vs. then-No. 5 Michigan (62-60) and vs. Oklahoma (76-69 in OT)] were all close games. Seven of Fresno State's nine nonconference wins were by at least 15 points and the Bulldogs also tested themselves on the road at then-No. 21 TCU - a game Fresno State led at halftime before coming up just short of the upset.
Fresno State's consistency leads to success
Fresno State is one of three Mountain West programs to have finished .500 or better in league play in each of the past five seasons. 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.
Grimes delivering on both ends of the floor
Fresno State junior forward Nate Grimes (Las Vegas, Nev.) currently ranks fifth in the Mountain West in rebounding (8.3 rpg). He has five career double-doubles, including two this season (15 points/14 rebounds in a 21-point win over LBSU and 19 points/12 rebounds in a 20-point victory at SJSU). Grimes also ranks third in the MW in blocks (1.8 bpg). He had a season-high 15 rebounds versus Miami on Nov. 23.
Huggins showcasing experience, explosiveness
Fresno State redshirt senior guard Braxton Huggins (Bakersfield, Calif.) returned home to the Valley for his final collegiate season after playing his first three seasons leading New Mexico State to the NCAA Tournament twice and the NIT once. This season, Huggins has emerged as one of the best guards in the MW - ranking third in 3-pointers made (3.0 per game) and fourth in scoring (18.8 ppg). He was named to the 2018 Wooden Legacy All-Tournament team for helping lead the Bulldogs to a third-place finish in eight-team field with a 2-1 record, including big wins over Northwestern and Hawai'i and a 2-point loss to the ACC's Miami.
Protecting the Yard
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.
Paul George also won a gold medal with Team USA during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, is a four-time NBA All-Star and has been named twice to both the All-NBA Team and the NBA All-Defensive Team.
Tyler Johnson scored 1,346 points during his four-year Fresno State career and ranks No. 17 all-time on the Bulldogs' all-time scoring list. Johnson was undrafted, but earned a roster spot with Miami after a strong showing during the NBA Summer League in 2014.
Jan. 5, 2019 • 7 p.m. PT • Fresno, Calif. (Save Mart Center)
TV: AT&T Sports Network (PBP: Dave Goodman; Analyst: Dave Bollwinkel; Sideline: Jenny Cavnar)
Radio: 940 AM ESPN (Paul Loeffler/Marc Q. Jones); 1600 AM ESPN Deportes (Jesse Beltran)
Series History: Series is tied 17-17 (overall) & 12-2 (games played in Fresno)
Last Meeting: Fresno State 86, Colorado State 65 (Fresno, Calif. • 2/17/18)
Next Up: at Utah State (Jan. 9 at 6 p.m. PT); vs. No. 6/5 Nevada (Jan. 12 at 5 p.m. PT)
Fresno State's NCAA NET Ranking: No. 63 (through games played on Jan. 3, 2019)
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 has outscored four autonomy five conference schools (TCU, Northwestern, Miami & Cal) by a combined score of 318-287 (+31) this season.
- Fresno State is 43-3 in its last 46 games when shooting at least 50 percent from the field (5-0 this season).
- Fresno State has made at least six 3-pointers in every game this season. The Bulldogs are 22-3 in their last 25 games making at least 10 3pt-FGs.
- Fresno State is about to finish a 12-game stretch of playing exclusively in the state of California (9-2 in the first 11 games of the Golden State run).
- Fresno State leads the MW in assists (16.0 per game), steals (7.8 per game) and 3-point field goal percentage defense (30.2). The Bulldogs are also second in the MW in scoring offense (79.5 points per game), scoring defense (66.6 points allowed per game), turnover margin (+2.2 per game), field goal percentage (46.9), 3-point field goal percentage (37.5) and 3-pointers made (9.6 per game). Fresno State is the only MW team to rank in the top two in both scoring offense (79.5) and scoring defense (66.6).
- Fresno State's three losses have all been to Top 150 NET teams and have been by a total of 14 points (average of 4.7 points; no double-digit losses).
The Fresno State men's basketball team will host the Colorado State Rams on Saturday at 7 p.m. PT inside the Save Mart Center. The game between Fresno State (10-3, 1-0 Mountain West) and Colorado State (5-9, 0-1 MW) will be broadcast on the AT&T Sports Net, 940 AM ESPN Radio and 1600 AM ESPN Deportes. Alumni of the Fresno State men's basketball program will be introduced during the game. Tickets for all remaining home games start at $15. Mini-plans start at $65 by calling 559-278-DOGS.
About the Colorado State Rams
Colorado State is 5-9 on the season, including losses in eight of its last nine games. CSU enters Saturday's game on a four-game losing streak after being edged at UNLV (78-76) on a late goaltending call with 1.2 seconds remaining as the Runnin' Rebels overcame an eight-point deficit in the final five minutes to beat the Rams in Las Vegas on Wednesday night. Colorado State is led in scoring by J.D. Paige (16.1 ppg) and Nico Carvacho (14.9 ppg/12.9 rpg). Carvacho leads the MW in rebounding (12.9 rpg) and had 28 points and 20 rebounds in the Rams' MW-opening loss to UNLV. The all-time series is tied 17-17, with Fresno State having a 12-2 advantage in games played in Fresno. The 'Dogs have also won five of the last six contests in the series. This will be the team's 15th meeting since the Bulldogs joined the MW in 2012, which is the most Fresno State has played any MW opponent in that timeframe.
'Dogs build strong resume in nonconference
During nonconference play, Fresno State (10-3, 1-0 MW) started building its resume for a potential at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament and NIT by playing a competitive schedule (No. 79 nationally in nonconference strength of schedule). Fresno State handed the Big Ten's Northwestern its first and one of its biggest losses of the season when the Bulldogs crushed the Wildcats 78-59 in the Wooden Legacy. Northwestern's other three losses before January [at Indiana (68-66), vs. then-No. 5 Michigan (62-60) and vs. Oklahoma (76-69 in OT)] were all close games. Seven of Fresno State's nine nonconference wins were by at least 15 points and the Bulldogs also tested themselves on the road at then-No. 21 TCU - a game Fresno State led at halftime before coming up just short of the upset.
Fresno State's consistency leads to success
Fresno State is one of three Mountain West programs to have finished .500 or better in league play in each of the past five seasons. 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.
Grimes delivering on both ends of the floor
Fresno State junior forward Nate Grimes (Las Vegas, Nev.) currently ranks fifth in the Mountain West in rebounding (8.3 rpg). He has five career double-doubles, including two this season (15 points/14 rebounds in a 21-point win over LBSU and 19 points/12 rebounds in a 20-point victory at SJSU). Grimes also ranks third in the MW in blocks (1.8 bpg). He had a season-high 15 rebounds versus Miami on Nov. 23.
Huggins showcasing experience, explosiveness
Fresno State redshirt senior guard Braxton Huggins (Bakersfield, Calif.) returned home to the Valley for his final collegiate season after playing his first three seasons leading New Mexico State to the NCAA Tournament twice and the NIT once. This season, Huggins has emerged as one of the best guards in the MW - ranking third in 3-pointers made (3.0 per game) and fourth in scoring (18.8 ppg). He was named to the 2018 Wooden Legacy All-Tournament team for helping lead the Bulldogs to a third-place finish in eight-team field with a 2-1 record, including big wins over Northwestern and Hawai'i and a 2-point loss to the ACC's Miami.
Protecting the Yard
- Fresno State is 59-13 overall at home since the start of the 2014-15 season, including a 28-7 record against Mountain West opponents in that stretch.
- Fresno State is 48-10 overall at home since the start of the 2015-16 season.
- Fresno State has won 21 of its last 26 home games when playing a Mountain West opponent.
- Fresno State has won eight of its last 12 MW home games. (Last Loss: Wyoming 78, Fresno State 68 • 2/24/18)
- Fresno State has not lost back-to-back MW home games since 2014 (1/18/14 vs. New Mexico, 89-78, and 1/22/14 vs. Nevada, 96-86, 2OT.)
- Fresno State has won at least 11 home games in five straight seasons.
- Fresno State is 175-75 (70.0 percent) all-time at the Save Mart Center.
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.
Paul George also won a gold medal with Team USA during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, is a four-time NBA All-Star and has been named twice to both the All-NBA Team and the NBA All-Defensive Team.
Tyler Johnson scored 1,346 points during his four-year Fresno State career and ranks No. 17 all-time on the Bulldogs' all-time scoring list. Johnson was undrafted, but earned a roster spot with Miami after a strong showing during the NBA Summer League in 2014.
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