Bulldogs host Spartans, honor senior class

Game 30: San Jose State (4-25, 1-16 MW) at Fresno State (21-8, 12-5 MW)
March 9, 2019 • 4 p.m. PT • Fresno, Calif. (Save Mart Center)
Online: Mountain West Network (Paul Loeffler/Marc Q. Jones)
Radio: 940 AM ESPN (Paul Loeffler/Marc Q. Jones)
Series History: Fresno State leads 91-77 (overall) & 54-36 (games played in Fresno)
Last Meeting: Fresno State 73, San Jose State 53 (1/2/19 • San Jose, Calif.)
Next Up: MW Quarterfinals vs. No. 6 seed or No. 11 seed (March 14 • 8:30 p.m. PT • Las Vegas)
Fresno State's NCAA NET Ranking: No. 86 (through games played on March 7, 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 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 is second in the country with an 21-8 record (.724 winning percentage) among first-time NCAA Division I head coaches this season.

Bulldog Bones - By the Numbers

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 44-3 in its last 47 games when shooting at least 50 percent from the field (6-0 this season and nine consecutive games).
Fresno 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 30-7 in their last 37 games with at least 10 3-point FGs.
Fresno State leads the MW in 3-point field goal percentage (37.5), 3-point field goal percentage defense (30.1) and 3-pointers made (10.3 per game).
Fresno State is tied for 16th in the nation in 3-point field goal defense (30.2).
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 (34) 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-25th in nation).
Fresno State is five made 3-pointers away from tying the program record.

Bulldogs host Spartans, honor senior class
The Fresno State men's basketball team hosts the San Jose State Spartans on Saturday at 4 p.m. PT at the Save Mart Center. The regular season finale between Fresno State (21-8, 12-5 Mountain West) and San Jose State (4-25, 1-16 MW) will be broadcast on the Mountain West Network, 940 AM ESPN Radio and 1600 AM ESPN Deportes. Before the game, Fresno State will honor its three seniors - Sam Bittner, Braxton Huggins and Deshon Taylor. Tickets start at $15 and parking is FREE for Saturday's game.

About the San Jose State Spartans
The San Jose State Spartans are 4-25 on the season (1-16 in MW play). San Jose State is led in scoring by Michael Steadman (13.3 ppg). Fresno State has won seven of the last nine games in the all-time series, including wins in each of the last seven home games played at the Save Mart Center.

'Dogs clinch No. 3 seed for 2019 MW Tourney
Fresno State (21-8, 12-5 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 quaterfinals on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. against the winner of Wednesday's first-round game between the No. 6 seed (Air Force/Colorado State/UNM) and the No. 11 seed (San Jose State). 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.

Consistent, sustained success for the Bulldogs
Fresno State is 34-19 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.

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. Hutson (21-8) 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).

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.

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 (3.3 per game) and fourth in scoring (18.8 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 a career-high 33 points with eight 3-pointers in a 78-77 win at Utah State (1/9/19).

Bittner's impact earning respect
Fresno State senior guard/forward Sam Bittner (Las Vegas, Nev.) is once again one of the nation's most efficient 3-point shooters. This season, Bittner is in the Top 75 in the country in 3-point field goal percentage (43.8 percent, 39-for-89) for players averaging at least one made 3-pointer per team game. Last season, Bittner was 11th in the nation in 3-point field goal efficiency (48.1 percent, 39-for-81). Bittner is a former walk-on, who has since earned a scholarship and has consistently improved throughout his four-year career at Fresno State. Bittner started four games (played in 18) as a freshman when the Bulldogs went to the 2016 NCAA 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.

Bulldogs host Spartans, honor senior class

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sam Bittner

Braxton Huggins

Deshon Taylor

Fresno State Athletics

Bulldogs host Spartans, honor senior class

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sam Bittner

Braxton Huggins

Deshon Taylor

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