Fresno State clashes with UNLV in MW quarterfinals

Game 29: Fresno State (18-11, 11-7 MW) vs. UNLV (12-17, 10-8 MW)
March 11, 2019 – 2:30 p.m. PT – Las Vegas, Nev. (Thomas & Mack Center)
Live Stream: Mountain West Network
Radio: 790 AM ESPN2 (Randy Rosenbloom, Matt Norville)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Series History: Tied 18-18
Last Meeting: FS won 73-55 on Feb. 9, 2019 in Fresno, Calif.

Bulldog Bones

• Fresno State enters Monday's quarterfinal contest with UNLV as the No. 4 seed in the Mountain West Championships. After not having been the No. 4 seed in their first five appearances in the tournament, the Bulldogs have earned that seed for the second straight season.

• The Bulldogs will face the Lady Rebels as the higher seed for the third time in their four tournament matchups.

• The Bulldogs are 12-4 all-time in the Mountain West tournament.

• With Sunday's postseason honors announcement, Fresno State's Candice White earned her second consecutive All-Mountain West selection after being named honorable mention in 2017. Maddi Utti, who earned All-Freshman Team honors in 2018, garnered All-MW honorable mention and was selected to the All-Defensive Team.

• One of 10 candidates for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, given to the nation's top shooting guard, White paces the Bulldogs' offense after leading the Mountain West in scoring for the second season in a row (17.8 points per game).

• The senior has reached double figures in scoring in all but three games this season and has 12 20-point performances, including eight in conference play.

• Do-it-all sophomore Maddi Utti ranks second in the league in field-goal percentage (.563), fourth in the league in steals (1.9 spg), fifth in blocks (1.1 bpg), sixth in rebounding (7.4 rpg) and 15th in scoring (12.3 ppg).

By The Numbers
4 - Fresno State has played in four MW championship games. The 'Dogs were in the 2013 and 2014 games and again in 2016 and 2017.
3 - The Bulldogs and Lady Rebels have met three times in the Mountain West tournament with Fresno State coming out on top each time.
2 - Fresno State has been the No. 4 seed in the MW tournament each of the past two seasons, the only times the Bulldogs have been the 4-seed.

Mountain West recognition
For the second straight season, Candice White led the Mountain West in scoring. The accomplishment landed the Bulldog senior on the All-MW team for the second consecutive season after earning honorable mention status in 2016.
• Like White's 2016 nod, Maddi Utti has earned All-MW honorable mention after ranking in the league's top 10 in rebounding, field goal percentage, steals, blocks, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds and minutes while also finishing 12th in scoring.
• Utti also became the Bulldogs' first selection to the All-Defensive Team since Bego Faz Davalos in 2016. The sophomore was the only player in league games to rank in the Top 5 in steals (fourth), blocks (second) and defensive rebounds (fifth).

Changing venues
While most teams play better at home, Fresno State went against that trend during the conference season. In 18 games, the Bulldogs lost three games on the road compared to four at the Save Mart Center.
• Fresno State was 6-3 on the road in conference play, 5-4 at home.
• While the Bulldogs are 7-7 on the road, five of those losses came arguably to five of its toughest opponents (USC, UCLA, Arizona State, Boise State, New Mexico.

Locked in
After 17 conference games, Fresno State was locked into the No. 4 seed for the Mountain West tournament. It is the second straight season the Bulldogs will play in the 4-5 matchup in Las Vegas.
• Fresno State lost its only game as the No. 4 seed, falling 71-55 to Colorado State in 2018.

Bye secured
With three games remaining in the conference season, Fresno State secured its sixth bye in seven Mountain West tournaments.
• With the bye, Fresno State has reached the semifinals four times (2013-16), advanced to the championship game three times (2013-14, 2016) and won two championships (2013, 2014).
• The Bulldogs reached the championship game in 2016, their one season they did not possess a bye.

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 15-3 when making more 3's than their opponents while going 1-7 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 2-7 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 seven occasions (6-1).

"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 clashes with UNLV in MW quarterfinals

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Players Mentioned

Maddi Utti

Candice White

Fresno State Athletics

Fresno State clashes with UNLV in MW quarterfinals

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Maddi Utti

Candice White

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