Bulldogs host Aztecs on Saturday

Game 26: San Diego State (16-6, 8-3 MW) at Fresno State (16-9, 6-6)
Feb. 19, 2022 • 7 p.m. PT • Fresno, Calif. • Save Mart Center
TV/ONLINE: CBS Sports Network (Rich Waltz & Michael O'Donnell)
RADIO: Bulldog Sports Network (Paul Loeffler & Marc Q. Jones)
SERIES HISTORY: Fresno State trails 66-56 (overall) & leads 33-24 (in Fresno)
LAST MEETING: San Diego State 75, Fresno State 57 [2/20/21 • Fresno, Calif.]
NEXT UP: at Air Force (2/22); vs. New Mexico (2/28); at San Diego State (3/3)

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 (16-9, 6-6 MW) and San Diego State (16-6, 8-3 MW) will meet on Saturday at Save Mart Center.
Free parking and 2-for-1 online tickets are available for Saturday's game at the Save Mart Center.
Fresno State is in sixth 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 (58.0 ppg allowed).
Fresno State leads the MW in rebounding defense (29.84/avg).
As of Feb. 14, Fresno State ranked 25th in the nation in turnovers committed per game (10.6).
Fresno State has limited its opponents to fewer than 70 points in 23 of its 25 games this season.
Justin Hutson is 28-10 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. 16, Fresno State junior forward Orlando Robinson was ranked fifth in KenPom's 2022 Player of the Year Standings with a 1.397 kPOY rating (T-1st nationally in Game MVPs: 14).
With 1,176 career points, Orlando Robinson (18.4 ppg/8.1 rpg) enters the game ranked 24th on the Bulldogs' all-time scoring list - 11 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. 16, Fresno State was No. 57 in the 2022 Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings.
Through games played on Feb. 16, Fresno State was No. 67 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 70 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, 66-56 (overall), but leads 33-24 (games played in Fresno).
The series is even at 8-8 in the last 16 games played between the programs (SDSU has won last four contests).
This will be the fourth straight meeting between the Bulldogs and Aztecs in Fresno. The teams will meet at Viejas Arena on March 3.

"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 host Aztecs on Saturday

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Orlando Robinson

Fresno State Athletics

Bulldogs host Aztecs on Saturday

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