Fresno State hosts New Mexico in annual pink game

Game 24: Fresno State (15-8, 8-4 MW) vs. New Mexico (20-3, 10-2 MW)
Feb. 16, 2019 – 2 p.m. PT – Fresno, Calif. (Save Mart Center)
Live Stream: Mountain West Network
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Series History: New Mexico leads 15-10
Last Meeting: NM won 82-73 on Feb. 2, 2019 in Albuquerque, N.M.
Up Next: at Air Force (Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. PT)

Promotions

Breast Cancer Awareness Day. Join us as we honor local breast cancer survivors and support groups.
Wear pink, get in free.
Students, join us for our Saturday Student giveaway.
Lookout for a balloon drop giveaway.
Competitive Dance Performance at halftime as well as a performance by The Little Gym.

Bulldog Bones

Fresno State sits in fourth in the Mountain West standings at 8-4, with all four losses coming to the top three.
Fresno State is at the end of a six game stretch in which all six opponents rank in the top six of the conference (2-3), split evenly with three games at home (1-1) and three on the road (1-2). The Bulldogs close the stretch on Saturday with New Mexico who the 'Dogs lost to in Albuquerque on Feb. 2.
The 'Dogs rank No. 4 in the NCAA in free-throw percentage, knocking them down at a clip of 78.1 percent, slipping three spots after shooting just 61.1 percent (11-of-18) at Boise State on Wednesday. Fresno State's top five scorers are each shooting over 79 percent from the line on the year.
Averaging 72.8 points per game during the nonconference season, the Bulldogs are posting 69.8 per contest in league games after scoring north of 70 points in only four of their last eight games.
Fresno State's double-digit scoring trio has remained the same from a year ago: Aly Gamez (11.2 ppg), Maddi Utti (11.8 ppg) and Candice White (19.0 ppg).
Reaching double figures in scoring in all but one game this season, Candice White leads the MW in scoring by 2.3 points per game. Owning a conference-high eight 20-point performances in 12 conference games, the senior is averaging 20.7 points in MW games.
Do-it-all sophomore Maddi Utti also ranks third in the league in field-goal percentage (.537), fourth in the league in steals (1.7 spg), sixth in rebounding (7.3 rpg) ninth in blocks (1.0 bpg) and 16th in scoring (11.8 ppg).

By the Numbers
7 - The Bulldogs missed seven free throws at Boise State after missing seven total in their previous five games.
3 - Fresno State has faced three double-digit deficits to MW top-three teams since Jan. 30, pulling to within at least three.
50 - The Bulldogs have shot above percent from the field in the last two games, just the second time this season they have done that.

Scouting New Mexico

New Mexico enters Saturday's matchup with a 20-3 record, and sit second the Mountain West at 10-2.
New Mexico's most notable win came over Oklahoma, defeating the sooners 84-80 at home.
New Mexico currently ranks on top of the Mountain West in 13 team categories recognized by the NCAA.
The Lobos are stout defensively, ranking fourth in the nation and leading the conference in blocks per game with a 6.3 average on the season.
New Mexico is also 13th in the nation and atop the conference in rebounds per game, averaging 43.9 per contest.
UNM's defense is not only strong on the interior as the Lobos rank No. 23 in the NCAA in steals per game with 10.8 per game to help their offense get out in transition.
At +12.8 per game, the Lobos are No. 32 in the NCAA and lead the conference in scoring margin while their 75.9 points per game ranks No. 35 nationally and leads the conference.
Redshirt junior guard Aisia Robertson does it all for the Lobos, ranking fifth in the nation and first in conference in assists per game, averaging 7.1 per outing. Robertson also leads the Mountain West in steals per game with a 2.4.
Senior forward Nike McClure leads New Mexico interior defense, ranking 17th in the NCAA and first in conference in blocks with 2.4 per game.
Jaisa Nunn leads the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 16.7 ppg to go with the 29th-best best field goal percentage in the NCAA at 56.9 percent. She ranks 25th in the country with 11 double-doubles as she sits third in the MW in rebounding with 8.9 per game.

Series History with New Mexico

New Mexico holds the all-time series lead, 14-10.
The Lobos have claimed the last five games in the series following back-to-back wins by the Bulldogs during the 2015-16 season.
Fresno State's last victory was a 51-43 win at home on Feb. 27, 2016.
The Bulldogs are 7-3 at home against the Lobos, holding a 3-2 record at the Save Mart Center.
New Mexico defeated Fresno State in the last meeting between the two in Fresno, a 93-89 overtime game, on March 2, 21018.

The Gauntlet

Sitting at 8-4 in the conference, with a 1-4 record against the top half of the league, Fresno State's seeding at the conference tournament next month will likely be defined during its current six-game stretch which began with Wyoming on Jan. 30.

The Bulldogs are in a stretch in which they face six opponents who at the time of playing sat in the league's top six (3 home, 3 away).
Fresno State has gone 2-3 thus far with wins over UNLV (fifth) and Utah State (seventh).

Taking the easy ones

The 'Dogs moved up to No. 4 in the country in free-throw percentage. The Bulldogs have knocked down 225-of-288 to shoot 78.1 percent on the season. This comes a year after setting the program's single-season record at 75.2 percent (369-491) and two years after shooting 65.2 percent (334-of-512).

The Bulldogs have not missed a free throw in five different games, a feat that had only happened three times in the previous decade.
Fresno State's five most minute-heavy players are each shooting at least 79 percent from the line.
Aly Gamez ranks No. 42 in the country and leads the MW at 85.5 percent (59-of-69).

While one of the best in the country at the line, Fresno State has seen two of its three worst performances with at least 10 attempts at the line come against conference leader Boise State, shooting 61.1 percentage (11-of-18) on Feb. 13 and 63.6 percent (14-of-22) .

Coming close

Three times in the last five games, Fresno State has dug itself a double-digit deficit before coming within striking distance of taking the lead late in the fourth quarter before falling. All three games have come against the top teams in the Mountain West with two occurring on the road.

The Bulldogs trailed by 16 to Wyoming before eventually pulling to within four with four minutes remaining after a 16-8 stretch. Three days later they trailed by as much as 13 at New Mexico and pulled to within three with under four to play 15-8 stretch. On Wednesday, the 'Dogs faced a 19-point fourth-quarter deficit before getting within two with under two minutes to play behind a 24-7 run.
In each of those runs, Candice White played a big factor in the Bulldogs climbing back as the senior scored 11 of the 16 points versus Wyoming, seven of the 15 at New Mexico and 11 of the 24 at Boise State (11 of final 18).

3 for the win

With a wide-open offense, Fresno State has deployed an array of 3-point shooters this season. The 3-ball has been a key in determining wins and losses for the 'Dogs as they are 14-2 when making more 3's than their opponents while going 0-5 when allowing more.

In Fresno State's two losses when making more 3's, the 'Dogs gave up 80-plus points in each contest (at UCLA, at New Mexico).
The Bulldogs are 1-5 when being held to six or less 3-pointers.
Fresno State has connected from the 3-point line 10 or more times in a game on six occasions (5-1).
On Jan. 26 versus Colorado State, knocked down 12 3's in which nine of the team's first 10 made field goals of the game came from beyond the arc. It was the first time this season in which the Bulldogs made more 3's (12) in a game than 2's (9).

"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.

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Fresno State hosts New Mexico in annual pink game

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Aly Gamez

Maddi Utti

Candice White

Fresno State Athletics

Fresno State hosts New Mexico in annual pink game

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Aly Gamez

Maddi Utti

Candice White

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