Fresno State Athletics
Photo by: Keith Kountz
'Dogs picked 6th, ready to contend again
10/15/2019 8:30:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Fresno State enters the 2019-20 season having won the second-most MW games over the last four seasons.
HENDERSON, Nev. ---Â After consistently contending in the Mountain West over the past four seasons, the Fresno State men's basketball team is once again in a position to compete in the talented conference with the Bulldogs projected to finish sixth in the 11-team league, the MW announced from its annual media day, which this year is being held at the Green Valley Ranch.
Fresno State Highlights
Fresno State ranked ninth in the country in 3-point field goals per game (10.7 made 3-pointers per game), 16th in total 3-point field goals (342), and 24th nationally in both 3-point field goal percentage defense (225-735, 30.6 percent) and 3-point field goal percentage offense (342-897, 38.1 percent). Â The Bulldogs' defense also led the MW in steals (228 steals, 7.1 steals per game) and turnovers forced (13.7 per game).
Grimes' hard work has fifth-year senior rising
Fresno State fifth-year senior forward/center Nate Grimes is back for his final season at Fresno State and enters the 2019-20 season as a strong all-conference candidate in the Mountain West. Â Grimes is one of two MW players, along with Colorado State's Nico Carvacho, to average a double-double (11.8 points/10.2 rebounds) during league play in 2018-19. Â On the defensive end of the floor, the 225-pound Grimes is also a rim protector, who averaged a block and a half per game to post the second-best shot-blocking clip in the MW last season.
Williams focused on consistency, dialing up pressure
Fresno State fifth-year senior guard New Williams, who was a McDonald's All-America nominee out of Santa Monica High School and began his college career at Auburn, has spent countless hours in the gym to become a more consistent offensive threat and dial up the pressure on defense. Â Williams played in all 32 games (8.2 points/3.2 rebounds/1.0 assists per game in 2018-19) for the 'Dogs last season with some big efforts, especially an important 24-point output on Jan. 30 at Wyoming and the go-ahead steal and dunk in the final minute at San Diego State to lead to two of the Bulldogs' co-leading seven conference road wins.
Blackwell elevating efficiency
Fresno State fifth-year senior point guard Noah Blackwell, who averaged nearly nine points and three assists per game with a 2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio, has a smooth 3-point stroke paired with a crisp mid-range jumper. He was one of just four MW players last season with an assist-to-turnover ratio over 2.0 per game. Â Blackwell was also the team's most efficient free throw shooter a year ago with a small sample size (16-for-19 FT) and led the team in MW play with a 44.6 percent 3-point field goal percentage (33-for-74 3FG). Â Earlier in the season, Blackwell was the first of three Bulldogs to earn MW Player of the Week honors in 2018-19 with Fresno State being the only program last year with three different players to earn the conference's highest weekly honor.
Hutson: 2018-19 Joe B. Hall National Coach of the Year
Fresno State head coach Justin Hutson was named the Joe B. Hall National Coach of the Year on April 5 by the College Insider Awards at the 2019 Final Four in Minneapolis. Â Hutson, who earned the nation's best record (23-9, .719 winning percentage) by a first-time Division I head coach during the 2018-19 season, was recognized with the national award, which is presented annually to the top first-year coach in NCAA Division I college basketball.
Fresno State's consistency leads to success
Fresno State is one of two Mountain West programs (San Diego State) to have a .500 record or better with at least nine wins in league play in each of the past six seasons. Fresno State has averaged 11.2 conference wins per season over the last six seasons, with at least 10 MW wins in now five straight seasons, including a 13-5 mark twice (2015-16 & 2018-19).
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Fresno State Highlights
- Fresno State's Justin Hutson was named the 2018-19 Joe B. Hall National Coach of the Year
- Fresno State won 23 games during the 2018-19 season in Hutson's first season with the Bulldogs (4th straight 20+ win season • 5th in the last 6 seasons)
- In 2018-19, Fresno State reached the MW semifinals for the 3rd time in the last 4 seasons and ranked in the Top 10 nationally in 3-point shooting & Top 25 in 3-point offense and defense.
- Fresno State head coach Justin Hutson is entering his second season after winning 23 games in his first season back home in the San Joaquin Valley.
- Hutson, a Bakersfield native, had spent 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 four seasons (five of the past six seasons) and joined the Mountain West in 2012.
- Fresno State has won the second-most MW games in the last three seasons (35) and in the last four seasons (48).
- Fresno State is one of three programs (Nevada and San Diego State) with 58 or more MW wins in the last five seasons.
- Fresno State is the only program to earn a MW Tournament first-round bye in each of the past five seasons.
- Fresno State is one of two programs, along with San Diego State, with a .500 record or better in MW play in each of the last six seasons.
- Fresno State is the only team to win at least 10 MW games in each of the last five seasons.
- Fresno State outscored four autonomy-five conference schools (TCU, Northwestern, Miami & Cal) by a combined score of 318-287 (+31).
- Fresno State was one of 18 programs in the nation to average over 10 made 3-pointers per game during the 2018-19 season (10.9/gm; 9th nationally).
- Only one of the Bulldogs' nine losses were by more than 10 points.
- Fresno State had one NCAA Quadrant 1 NET road win (at Utah State, 78-77, Jan. 9, 2019) -- one of two MW teams with seven MW road wins.
Fresno State ranked ninth in the country in 3-point field goals per game (10.7 made 3-pointers per game), 16th in total 3-point field goals (342), and 24th nationally in both 3-point field goal percentage defense (225-735, 30.6 percent) and 3-point field goal percentage offense (342-897, 38.1 percent). Â The Bulldogs' defense also led the MW in steals (228 steals, 7.1 steals per game) and turnovers forced (13.7 per game).
Grimes' hard work has fifth-year senior rising
Fresno State fifth-year senior forward/center Nate Grimes is back for his final season at Fresno State and enters the 2019-20 season as a strong all-conference candidate in the Mountain West. Â Grimes is one of two MW players, along with Colorado State's Nico Carvacho, to average a double-double (11.8 points/10.2 rebounds) during league play in 2018-19. Â On the defensive end of the floor, the 225-pound Grimes is also a rim protector, who averaged a block and a half per game to post the second-best shot-blocking clip in the MW last season.
Williams focused on consistency, dialing up pressure
Fresno State fifth-year senior guard New Williams, who was a McDonald's All-America nominee out of Santa Monica High School and began his college career at Auburn, has spent countless hours in the gym to become a more consistent offensive threat and dial up the pressure on defense. Â Williams played in all 32 games (8.2 points/3.2 rebounds/1.0 assists per game in 2018-19) for the 'Dogs last season with some big efforts, especially an important 24-point output on Jan. 30 at Wyoming and the go-ahead steal and dunk in the final minute at San Diego State to lead to two of the Bulldogs' co-leading seven conference road wins.
Blackwell elevating efficiency
Fresno State fifth-year senior point guard Noah Blackwell, who averaged nearly nine points and three assists per game with a 2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio, has a smooth 3-point stroke paired with a crisp mid-range jumper. He was one of just four MW players last season with an assist-to-turnover ratio over 2.0 per game. Â Blackwell was also the team's most efficient free throw shooter a year ago with a small sample size (16-for-19 FT) and led the team in MW play with a 44.6 percent 3-point field goal percentage (33-for-74 3FG). Â Earlier in the season, Blackwell was the first of three Bulldogs to earn MW Player of the Week honors in 2018-19 with Fresno State being the only program last year with three different players to earn the conference's highest weekly honor.
Hutson: 2018-19 Joe B. Hall National Coach of the Year
Fresno State head coach Justin Hutson was named the Joe B. Hall National Coach of the Year on April 5 by the College Insider Awards at the 2019 Final Four in Minneapolis. Â Hutson, who earned the nation's best record (23-9, .719 winning percentage) by a first-time Division I head coach during the 2018-19 season, was recognized with the national award, which is presented annually to the top first-year coach in NCAA Division I college basketball.
Fresno State's consistency leads to success
Fresno State is one of two Mountain West programs (San Diego State) to have a .500 record or better with at least nine wins in league play in each of the past six seasons. Fresno State has averaged 11.2 conference wins per season over the last six seasons, with at least 10 MW wins in now five straight seasons, including a 13-5 mark twice (2015-16 & 2018-19).
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