'Dogs, Utes to face off on Tuesday

Game 12: Fresno State (9-2) at Utah (7-4)
Dec. 21, 2021 • 4 p.m. PT • Salt Lake City, Utah • Jon M. Huntsman Center
TELEVISION: Pac-12 Networks (Todd Harris & Ernie Kent)
RADIO: Bulldog Sports Network (Paul Loeffler & Marc Q. Jones)
SERIES HISTORY: Fresno State trails 11-4 (overall) and 1-7 (in Salt Lake City)
LAST MEETING: #13/14 Utah 80, Fresno State 69 [3/17/16 • Denver, CO]
NEXT UP: at Weber State (12/23); at Boise State (12/28); vs. Air Force (1/1)

THE BREAKDOWN

Fresno State Athletics is celebrating its centennial year and the 2021-22 men's basketball season is the 100th season of competition in program history.
Fresno State head coach Justin Hutson is now in his fourth season back home in the San Joaquin Valley.
Fresno State (9-2) and Utah (7-4) meet on Tuesday in Salt Lake City for the first time since 2013.
As of Dec. 19, the Bulldogs are tied for eighth nationally in scoring defense (56.0 PPG).

OPENING TIP

The Fresno State men's basketball team visits the Utah Utes on Tuesday at 4 p.m. PT at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the Pac-12 Networks (television) and the Bulldog Sports Network (radio).
Fresno State trails the all-time series 11-4 (overall), including a 1-7 record in games played in Salt Lake City.
The Bulldogs last defeated the Utes on Dec. 3, 2011 (82-52 in Fresno at the Save Mart Center).
Fresno State's last road game at Utah was back on Dec. 7, 2013 - a 90-77 loss to the Utes.
Fresno State's lone road win over Utah came back on Jan. 8, 1996 - a 65-64 victory over the then-No. 13 ranked Utes, which included Dominick Young's game-winning 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds remaining.
This is the first meeting between the programs since the first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament, which Utah won 80-69 in Denver, and was originally scheduled for 2020, but was postponed to 2021. Fresno State owned a 48-47 lead midway through the second half before Utah answered with a 19-2 run to pull away.
With 916 career points, Orlando Robinson (18.3 ppg/8.3 rpg) enters the contest ranked 46th on the Bulldogs' all-time scoring list [45. Davon Satterwhite: 935].
Fresno State leads the MW and ranks tied for eighth in the nation in scoring defense (56.0 ppg allowed).

ROBINSON PRODUCING ON AND OFF THE HARDWOOD
Fresno State junior forward Orlando Robinson has never been shy about his ambitions and goals. And before the start of the 2021-22 season, Robinson shared that one of those is to earn Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year honors. While his offensive games continues to shine, Robinson has also elevated his defensive production. Robinson, a Las Vegas native, is a 2021-22 preseason All-MW selection and earned 2020-21 second-team All-MW and NABC All-District honors, along with 2020-21 CoSIDA Academic All-District and MW Scholar Athlete honors.

NOTHING BUT NET

Through games played on Dec. 18, Fresno State was No. 61 in the NCAA's NET rankings.
Fresno State checked in at No. 93 in the NCAA's first NET rankings release of the 2021-22 season on Dec. 5.
Fresno State's Dec. 21 game at Utah has the potential to count as a Quad 1 or Quad 2 game for the Bulldogs.
In nonconference play, Fresno State currently has four NET Top 100 teams on its schedule (2-1 record).
As of Dec. 19, Fresno State has 12 overall games against NET Top 100 teams on its schedule (five vs. Top 50).
The NCAA's NET rankings assist the NCAA Tournament selection committee seed and select at-large bids.

TRENDING

Fresno State is off to its best start through nine games (8-2) since 2006 when the Bulldogs were 9-1.
Fresno State is 11-1 when Anthony Holland has scored at least nine points in that game.
Fresno State is 9-1 when Jordan Campbell has scored at least 10 points in that game (nine straight wins).
Fresno State has held three opponents this season to 20 points or less in the first half (FPU, USD, CSUN).
Fresno State has forced 46 first-half turnovers in its last four games (averaging 11.5 per game in that stretch).

BRINGING THE HEAT ON DEFENSE
Fresno State head coach Justin Hutson has been known throughout his career as a great defensive coach. In his first season at Fresno State (2018-19), the Bulldogs ranked 24th nationally in 3-point field goal percentage defense (225-735, 30.6 percent). This season, Hutson and the 'Dogs have dialed up the intensity again and ranked tied for eighth in the nation in scoring defense (56.0 points allowed per game) through games played on Dec. 18.

FRESNO STATE CONTENDING IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST
Since joining the Mountain West in 2012, Fresno State has won the 2016 conference tournament championship and finished as high as second in the regular season. The Bulldogs have finished no lower than seventh in league play in its first nine seasons in the Mountain West, which includes four top four finishes in the past six seasons. In those last six MW campaigns, the 'Dogs won an average of 10.8 MW contests per year -- twice going 13-5 against MW opponents, including Hutson's first season at Fresno State during the 2018-19 season. Fresno State averaged nearly 10 conference victories per season in Hutson's first three seasons as the Bulldogs' head coach.

"Fresno State Athletics: The Pride of the Valley" – The Bulldog Foundation creates championship experiences for Fresno State student-athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in life. To become a BDF member, please visit bulldogfoundation.org.

'Dogs, Utes to face off on Tuesday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jordan Campbell

Anthony Holland

Orlando Robinson

Fresno State Athletics

'Dogs, Utes to face off on Tuesday

Related News

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jordan Campbell

Anthony Holland

Orlando Robinson

Related Videos