Bulldogs to host UNLV on Wednesday

Game 25: UNLV (14-11, 6-6 MW) at Fresno State (16-8, 6-5 MW)
Feb. 16, 2022 • 7:30 p.m. PT • Fresno, Calif. • Save Mart Center
TV/ONLINE: CBS Sports Network (Chris Lewis & Sydney Johnson)
RADIO: Bulldog Sports Network (Paul Loeffler & Marc Q. Jones)
SERIES HISTORY: Fresno State trails 33-17 (overall) & 10-8 (in Fresno)
LAST MEETING: Fresno State 73, UNLV 68 [1/14/22 • Las Vegas]
NEXT UP: vs. San Diego State (2/19); at Air Force (2/22); vs. New Mexico (2/28)

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 (16-8, 6-5 MW) and UNLV (14-11, 6-6 MW) will meet on Wednesday night at Save Mart Center.
Fresno State is in fifth place in the Mountain West standings (top five earn first round byes in MW Tourney).

OPENING TIP

Fresno State is second in the MW and ranks fourth in the nation in scoring defense (57.9 ppg allowed).
Fresno State leads the MW in rebounding defense (29.33/avg).
As of Feb. 14, Fresno State ranked 30th in the nation in turnovers committed per game (10.8).
Fresno State has limited its opponents to fewer than 70 points in 22 of its 24 games this season.
Justin Hutson is 28-9 all-time as a Division I head or assistant coach when coaching against one of his former teams (CSU Bakersfield, Cal Poly, San Diego State & UNLV).

ROBINSON'S PRODUCTION COMPARES TO THE BEST IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Through games played on Feb. 13, Fresno State junior forward Orlando Robinson was ranked fifth in KenPom's 2022 Player of the Year Standings with a 1.472 kPOY rating (first nationally in Game MVPs: 14).
With 1,169 career points, Orlando Robinson (18.9 ppg/8.3 rpg) enters the game tied for 24th on the Bulldogs' all-time scoring list - 18 points away from climbing into a tie for 23rd with Lonnie Hughey (1965-66).
Robinson was named to the Mid-Season Watch List for the 2021-22 Lute Olson National Player of the Year.

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 offense 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 & KENPOM

Through games played on Feb. 13, Fresno State was No. 51 in the 2022 Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings.
Through games played on Feb. 13, Fresno State was No. 57 in the NCAA's NET rankings.
Fresno State entered conference play as high as No. 50 in the NET (through games played on Dec. 27) and has been as high as No. 48 overall (through games played on Jan. 14).
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 has three Quad 2 wins: SCU (59-52, N); at UNLV (73-68, A); vs. USU (61-54, H)
Six Mountain West teams are currently in the Top 60 of the NCAA's NET rankings.

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.

OPPONENT PREVIEW & SERIES OVERVIEW: UNLV

Fresno State trails the all-time series, 33-17 (overall) and 10-8 (games played in Fresno).
Since joining the Mountain West in 2012, Fresno State is 11-6 against UNLV, including wins in nine of the last 12 meetings between the programs (3-3 in head coach Justin Hutson's tenure).
This will be the first meeting between the Bulldogs and Runnin' Rebels in Fresno since 2019, which UNLV won 81-80 in double overtime on Dec. 4, 2019 at the Save Mart Center.

HISTORY MADE BY TAKING CARE OF THE BASKETBALL
In the Bulldogs' 61-59 loss to Wyoming on Feb. 6, Fresno State set a program record with two turnovers in the game. Through games played on Feb. 8, 2022, the Bulldogs were one of six teams in the nation to commit only two turnovers in a game - tied for the fewest in a game by any team in Division I during the 2021-22 season. Also of note, the two turnovers were both after committing an offensive foul (zero lost ball or bad pass turnovers).

FRESNO STATE'S BEST SINGLE-SEASON TEAM SCORING DEFENSES [since 1986 - introduction of 3-point field goal]

2021-22: 57.9 PPG (in progress)
2012-13: 61.0 PPG
2003-04: 61.8 PPG
1988-89: 62.9 PPG
1986-87: 63.8 PPG
2011-12: 66.1 PPG
2006-07: 66.2 PPG
2014-15: 66.3 PPG
2002-03: 66.8 PPG
2009-10: 66.9 PPG

"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.

Bulldogs to host UNLV on Wednesday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Orlando Robinson

Fresno State Athletics

Bulldogs to host UNLV on Wednesday

Related News

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Orlando Robinson

Related Videos