Fresno State Athletics
Thursday, March 14
Las Vegas, Nev.
8:30 P.M. PT
Fresno State
vs
Air Force
Photo by: Keith Kountz
’Dogs enter 2019 MW Tourney as No. 3 seed
3/13/2019 5:43:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The winner of the 2019 MW Tournament will earn the conference’s automatic bid into the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
2019 Mountain West Men's Basketball Championships (Las Vegas - Thomas & Mack Center)
Quarterfinals: March 14, 2019 • 8:30 p.m. PT (CBS Sports Network/940 AM ESPN Radio)
Semifinals: March 15, 2019 • 8:30 p.m. PT (CBS Sports Network/940 AM ESPN Radio)
Championship Game: March 16, 2019 • 3 p.m. PT (CBS/940 AM ESPN Radio)
TV: CBS Sports Network (Andrew Catalon/Steve Lappas/Evan Washburn) & CBS (Kevin Harlan/Dan Bonner/Evan Washburn)
Radio: 940 AM ESPN (Paul Loeffler/Marc Q. Jones)
Fresno State's NCAA NET Ranking: No. 79 (through games played on March 11, 2019)
REFERENCE: "Fresno State" (never: FSU, CSUF, Fresno State University, or just simply "Fresno"); ABBREVIATION: Fresno St. or FS
Opening Tip
Fresno State (22-8, 13-5 MW) will be the No. 3 seed for the 2019 Air Force Reserve Mountain West Basketball Championships, which will be held in Las Vegas from March 13-16. The Bulldogs will open play in the MW quarterfinals on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. PT against the winner of Wednesday's first-round game between the No. 6 seed (Air Force) and the No. 11 seed (San Jose State), which was won by the Falcons. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network, while the championship game will be on CBS. All Fresno State games will also be broadcast on 940 AM ESPN radio. Fresno State is the only MW program to have earned a first-round bye in each of the last five seasons, including this season. The winner of the 2019 MW Tournament will earn the conference's automatic bid into the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
Three Bulldogs earn All-MW honors
Three Bulldogs – Deshon Taylor (first-team All-MW & All-Defense Team), Braxton Huggins (second-team All-MW) and Nate Grimes (All-MW Honorable Mention) – earned All-Mountain West honors for leading the Fresno State men's basketball team to a third-place finish in the conference standings entering the 2019 Air Force Reserve MW Basketball Championships. Earlier in the week, a select group of reporters and an at-large reporter representing 10 of the 11 MW media markets named Huggins and Taylor as second-team All-MW honorees, while Grimes was a third-team All-MW selection. Huggins was also tabbed as the MW Newcomer of the Year by the select group of media members.
Taylor shining in return to Golden State
Fresno State senior guard Deshon Taylor (Riverside, Calif.), who tested the NBA Draft waters last spring after earning first-team All-MW honors as a junior, is the home stretch of his collegiate career, which started at UMKC in 2014 before Taylor decided to return to his home state after his freshman season. He was key player in practice pushing the Bulldogs every day en route to a NCAA Tournament appearance in 2016 courtesy of winning the 2016 MW tournament championship. Taylor also set a new program record with 200 made free throws last season as a junior and had a school record 17 made free throws in a game at Wyoming as a sophomore. This season, Taylor missed four games in December with an elbow injury and returned for the Bulldogs' MW opener on Jan. 2 at SJSU. Taylor currently ranks in the Top 10 in the MW in nine categories, including scoring. Taylor earned MW Player of the Week honors on March 11 for averaging 31 points and 6.5 assists in wins over SDSU (76-74) and SJSU (121-81).
Bittner named academic All-American
Fresno State senior guard/forward Sam Bittner was named the program's first Academic All-American for his work on the court and in the classroom during the 2018-19 season. Bittner is also a two-time Google Cloud College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-District 8 honoree (2017-18 and 2018-19). Bittner is a three-time Mountain West scholar athlete and a three-time Academic All-MW selection. Bittner (business administration major, 3.90 GPA) is the second Bulldog ever to be honored as a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection – joining three-time Academic All-District honoree Nedeljko Golubovic, who was recognized from 2009-11. Last season, he ranked 11th in the nation in 3-point shooting (39-for-81, 48.1 percent) for players with at least one made 3-pointer per team game. He also made more field goals and 3-pointers in his junior season than he did in his freshman and sophomore seasons combined. On defense, Bittner can guard all five positions on the floor, while offensively, he has become an efficient 3-point shooter.
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 first in 3-pointers made (3.4 per game) and fourth in scoring (19.3 ppg). He was named to the 2018 Wooden Legacy All-Tournament team for helping lead the 'Dogs 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. Huggins had 33 points with eight 3-pointers in a 78-77 win at Utah State (1/9/19). Huggins earned MW Player of the Week honors on Feb. 18 for leading the Bulldogs to a 2-0 week with wins over Boise State and at New Mexico, when he averaged 22.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists (2.0 A-TO ratio) and 1.5 blocks while shooting 50 percent from the field (14-for-28), including seven 3-pointers. He scored a career-high 34 points in the Bulldogs' regular season 40-point win over San Jose State at the Save Mart Center on March 9.
Grimes delivering on both ends of the floor
Fresno State junior forward Nate Grimes (Las Vegas, Nev.) currently ranks third in the Mountain West in rebounding (9.4 rpg). He has 14 career double-doubles, including 11 this season (10 during MW play). Grimes ranks second in the MW in blocks (1.6 bpg) and leads the MW in field goal percentage (58.8 percent, 140-for-238). He had a matched a season-high with 19 points and also had a career-high 19 rebounds (a Save Mart Center record) in the Bulldogs' 82-70 win over New Mexico on Feb. 2.
Coach Hut in elite company
Fresno State head coach Justin Hutson (Coach Hut) is one of five head coaches in program history (out of 19) to have started his career with at least 20 wins in his first season and one of two (Jerry Tarkanian) with 22 wins in his first season. Hutson (22-8) joins the elite group of Ed Gregory (21-8), Boyd Grant (21-7), Ray Lopes (20-8) and Jerry Tarkanian (22-11). Gregory (1965-66) and Lopes (2002-03) won conference championships in their first seasons, while Grant is the Bulldogs' all-time winningest head coach (194 wins, 1977-86) and Tark went to postseason in all seven of his seasons coaching at his alma mater (1995-2002).
Consistent, sustained success for the Bulldogs
Fresno State is 35-19 in Mountain West play over the course of the last three seasons (since the start of the 2016-17 season), which ranks as the second-best conference record in the 11-team league. Fresno State is also one of three MW programs to have won 45 or more MW games in the last four seasons and one of four teams with 55 or more MW wins in the last five seasons. Fresno State is the only program to have won at least 10 MW games in each of the last five seasons and the only MW team to have earned a first-round bye for the MW Tournament in each of the last five seasons, including for the upcoming 2019 MW Tournament.
George, Johnson represent Fresno State in NBA
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 in the NBA, and plays for the Phoenix Suns after starting his career in Miami.
Quarterfinals: March 14, 2019 • 8:30 p.m. PT (CBS Sports Network/940 AM ESPN Radio)
Semifinals: March 15, 2019 • 8:30 p.m. PT (CBS Sports Network/940 AM ESPN Radio)
Championship Game: March 16, 2019 • 3 p.m. PT (CBS/940 AM ESPN Radio)
TV: CBS Sports Network (Andrew Catalon/Steve Lappas/Evan Washburn) & CBS (Kevin Harlan/Dan Bonner/Evan Washburn)
Radio: 940 AM ESPN (Paul Loeffler/Marc Q. Jones)
Fresno State's NCAA NET Ranking: No. 79 (through games played on March 11, 2019)
REFERENCE: "Fresno State" (never: FSU, CSUF, Fresno State University, or just simply "Fresno"); ABBREVIATION: Fresno St. or FS
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 four seasons (five of the past six seasons) and joined the Mountain West in 2012.
- Fresno State has one NCAA Quadrant 1 NET road win so far this season (at Utah State, 78-77, Jan. 9, 2019).
- Fresno State is the only MW team to have earned a MW Tournament first-round bye in each of the past five seasons, including this season.
- Fresno State is one of two MW programs (SDSU) to have a .500 record or better in league play in each of the last six seasons, including this season.
- Fresno State is the only MW team to win at least 10 MW games in each of the last five seasons, including this season.
- Fresno State first-year head coach Justin Hutson leads the country with a 22-8 record (.733 winning percentage) among first-time NCAA Division I head coaches this season.
- 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 45-3 in its last 48 games when shooting at least 50 percent from the field (7-0 this season and 10 consecutive games).
- resno State is one of 19 programs in the nation to average at least 10 made 3-pointers made per game this season (T-14th in nation - 10.3/gm).
- The Bulldogs are 31-7 in their last 38 games with at least 10 3-point FGs.
- Fresno State leads the MW in 3-point field goal percentage (38.5), 3-point field goal percentage defense (30.4) and 3-pointers made (10.7 per game).
- Fresno State is tied for 22nd in the nation in 3-point field goal defense (30.4).
- Fresno State has not lost by more than 10 points in any game this season.
- Fresno State has won 11 consecutive games when at least four different Bulldogs score 10 or more points in a game (11-0 this season).
- Fresno State has won the second-most MW games (35) in the last three seasons and the Bulldogs are one of four MW programs (Boise State, Nevada and SDSU) with 56 or more MW wins in the last five seasons.
- Fresno State is 7-3 in true road games this season (T-22nd in nation).
Fresno State (22-8, 13-5 MW) will be the No. 3 seed for the 2019 Air Force Reserve Mountain West Basketball Championships, which will be held in Las Vegas from March 13-16. The Bulldogs will open play in the MW quarterfinals on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. PT against the winner of Wednesday's first-round game between the No. 6 seed (Air Force) and the No. 11 seed (San Jose State), which was won by the Falcons. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network, while the championship game will be on CBS. All Fresno State games will also be broadcast on 940 AM ESPN radio. Fresno State is the only MW program to have earned a first-round bye in each of the last five seasons, including this season. The winner of the 2019 MW Tournament will earn the conference's automatic bid into the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
Three Bulldogs earn All-MW honors
Three Bulldogs – Deshon Taylor (first-team All-MW & All-Defense Team), Braxton Huggins (second-team All-MW) and Nate Grimes (All-MW Honorable Mention) – earned All-Mountain West honors for leading the Fresno State men's basketball team to a third-place finish in the conference standings entering the 2019 Air Force Reserve MW Basketball Championships. Earlier in the week, a select group of reporters and an at-large reporter representing 10 of the 11 MW media markets named Huggins and Taylor as second-team All-MW honorees, while Grimes was a third-team All-MW selection. Huggins was also tabbed as the MW Newcomer of the Year by the select group of media members.
Taylor shining in return to Golden State
Fresno State senior guard Deshon Taylor (Riverside, Calif.), who tested the NBA Draft waters last spring after earning first-team All-MW honors as a junior, is the home stretch of his collegiate career, which started at UMKC in 2014 before Taylor decided to return to his home state after his freshman season. He was key player in practice pushing the Bulldogs every day en route to a NCAA Tournament appearance in 2016 courtesy of winning the 2016 MW tournament championship. Taylor also set a new program record with 200 made free throws last season as a junior and had a school record 17 made free throws in a game at Wyoming as a sophomore. This season, Taylor missed four games in December with an elbow injury and returned for the Bulldogs' MW opener on Jan. 2 at SJSU. Taylor currently ranks in the Top 10 in the MW in nine categories, including scoring. Taylor earned MW Player of the Week honors on March 11 for averaging 31 points and 6.5 assists in wins over SDSU (76-74) and SJSU (121-81).
Bittner named academic All-American
Fresno State senior guard/forward Sam Bittner was named the program's first Academic All-American for his work on the court and in the classroom during the 2018-19 season. Bittner is also a two-time Google Cloud College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-District 8 honoree (2017-18 and 2018-19). Bittner is a three-time Mountain West scholar athlete and a three-time Academic All-MW selection. Bittner (business administration major, 3.90 GPA) is the second Bulldog ever to be honored as a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection – joining three-time Academic All-District honoree Nedeljko Golubovic, who was recognized from 2009-11. Last season, he ranked 11th in the nation in 3-point shooting (39-for-81, 48.1 percent) for players with at least one made 3-pointer per team game. He also made more field goals and 3-pointers in his junior season than he did in his freshman and sophomore seasons combined. On defense, Bittner can guard all five positions on the floor, while offensively, he has become an efficient 3-point shooter.
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 first in 3-pointers made (3.4 per game) and fourth in scoring (19.3 ppg). He was named to the 2018 Wooden Legacy All-Tournament team for helping lead the 'Dogs 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. Huggins had 33 points with eight 3-pointers in a 78-77 win at Utah State (1/9/19). Huggins earned MW Player of the Week honors on Feb. 18 for leading the Bulldogs to a 2-0 week with wins over Boise State and at New Mexico, when he averaged 22.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists (2.0 A-TO ratio) and 1.5 blocks while shooting 50 percent from the field (14-for-28), including seven 3-pointers. He scored a career-high 34 points in the Bulldogs' regular season 40-point win over San Jose State at the Save Mart Center on March 9.
Grimes delivering on both ends of the floor
Fresno State junior forward Nate Grimes (Las Vegas, Nev.) currently ranks third in the Mountain West in rebounding (9.4 rpg). He has 14 career double-doubles, including 11 this season (10 during MW play). Grimes ranks second in the MW in blocks (1.6 bpg) and leads the MW in field goal percentage (58.8 percent, 140-for-238). He had a matched a season-high with 19 points and also had a career-high 19 rebounds (a Save Mart Center record) in the Bulldogs' 82-70 win over New Mexico on Feb. 2.
Coach Hut in elite company
Fresno State head coach Justin Hutson (Coach Hut) is one of five head coaches in program history (out of 19) to have started his career with at least 20 wins in his first season and one of two (Jerry Tarkanian) with 22 wins in his first season. Hutson (22-8) joins the elite group of Ed Gregory (21-8), Boyd Grant (21-7), Ray Lopes (20-8) and Jerry Tarkanian (22-11). Gregory (1965-66) and Lopes (2002-03) won conference championships in their first seasons, while Grant is the Bulldogs' all-time winningest head coach (194 wins, 1977-86) and Tark went to postseason in all seven of his seasons coaching at his alma mater (1995-2002).
Consistent, sustained success for the Bulldogs
Fresno State is 35-19 in Mountain West play over the course of the last three seasons (since the start of the 2016-17 season), which ranks as the second-best conference record in the 11-team league. Fresno State is also one of three MW programs to have won 45 or more MW games in the last four seasons and one of four teams with 55 or more MW wins in the last five seasons. Fresno State is the only program to have won at least 10 MW games in each of the last five seasons and the only MW team to have earned a first-round bye for the MW Tournament in each of the last five seasons, including for the upcoming 2019 MW Tournament.
George, Johnson represent Fresno State in NBA
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 in the NBA, and plays for the Phoenix Suns after starting his career in Miami.
Players Mentioned
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