'Dogs remain unblemished in MW with 65-60 win at San Diego State

Wednesday, January 15

San Diego, CA

6:30 PM PT

Fresno State

13-4, 6-0

San Diego State

8-11, 3-4

Fresno State

San Diego St.

Photo by: Keith Kountz

'Dogs remain unblemished in MW with 65-60 win at San Diego State

1/15/2020 11:39:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Josh Mitchell / Assistant Director of Communications

SAN DIEGO – Despite going through one of its worst shooting games of the season, Fresno State saw its unbeaten streak to open conference play remain in tact as Haley Cavinder caught fire late and her teammates followed her lead en route to a 65-60 defeat of San Diego State on Wednesday night at Viejas Arena. Cavinder started the night missing her first seven shots before scoring 20 points in less than 10 minutes.

Along with the 20-point outburst from Cavinder, Maddi Utti provided the team with a double-double for the third straight game, scoring 11 points and corralling 17 rebounds. Coming off of the bench, freshmen Kendyll Kinzer (3-of-5) and Brooke Walling (1-of-1) came in to knock down four of the team's 10 3-pointers.

How It Happened
Fresno State opened up the game quick out of the gates shooting 3-of-3 to take a 6-0 lead to force a timeout just over 90 seconds into the contest. The Bulldogs pushed their lead to nine, 15-6, six minutes into the game. From that point on, the 'Dogs saw their lead slowly disappear. The Bulldogs proceeded to make just two out of their final 21 shots during the next 14 minutes as they were outscored by 14 and trailed 25-20 at the half.

The Aztecs took their largest lead of the game at 30-22 with 7:04 on the clock in the third quarter when Taylor Kalmer knocked down a 3-pointer, her second made shot in as many possessions. Just over two minutes later Hanna Cavinder injected a bit of life into the 'Dogs. A steal from Haley was passed off to Utti who found Hanna down court. The freshman went to bucket and got the layup through contact. Following the three-point play, Haley sank three 3-pointers and hit a jumper during the final three minutes of the quarter to give the 'Dogs a 41-38 advantage.

Haley knocked down her fourth 3-pointer in a row less than a minute into the fourth. Following a missed attempt on the next possession, she got the rebound and converted an and-1 to push Fresno State's lead to 47-40 with 8:28 to play. San Diego State answered eight unanswered to regain the lead with under seven minutes on the clock. Aly Gamez halted the run with drive to the bucket. Kendyll Kinzer extend the lead to four with just over five minutes on the clock. After the Aztecs cut the deficit back to two, Haley knocked down her fifth 3-pointer of the game to give the 'Dogs a 55-50 advantage. Sophia Ramos quickly answered from deep for SDSU but Utti followed by getting to the inside and converted on an and-1. Though Kalmer converted a pair at the line, Kinzer proved the dagger, extending Fresno State's lead to six with 2:04 on the clock. The Aztecs could only get as close as three the rest of the way.

Team Notes

Fresno State moved to 6-0 to start Mountain West play for the third time under Jaime White.
Despite shooting its second-lowest percentage of the season (33.8 percent), the Bulldogs found a way to win after entering the game 0-2 when shooting below 36 percent.
The win was Fresno State's second in a row when scoring below 10 points off turnovers.
The Bulldogs' 10 made 3-pointers was their most in a game since making 14 against Northern Arizona on Nov. 24.
The 41.7 percent shooting from 3 is Fresno State's second-highest percentage of the season behind the aforementioned game against Northern Arizona (51.9 percent).

Player Notes
Haley Cavinder – 20 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists

Scored all 20 points during a nine-minute stretch in the second half.
With her sixth 20-point game, tied Jaleesa Ross for the most by a freshman in Fresno State history.
Scored double figures in a single quarter for the fourth time this season after recording 11 points in the third.

Maddi Utti – 11 points, 17 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals

Recorded third consecutive double-double.
Moved into sole possession of eighth place on Fresno State's all-time double-doubles list with her 16^th.
Matched her career high in rebounds with 17, which she set one week ago.
Moved to within 11 points of 1,000 for her career.

Kendyll Kinzer – 9 points, 3 rebounds

Matched her season of three made 3-pointers (3-of-5).
Grabbed a season-high three rebounds.

Next Up
Fresno State returns home Saturday for the first of two-straight games at the Save Mart Center. The Bulldogs' tip-off against Wyoming is slated for 2 p.m. on Saturday. The Fresno State Ticket Office is currently running a promotional deal of four tickets for $12 for the game.