Bulldogs, Pack once again to battle in Reno

Friday, February 10

Reno, Nev.

8 p.m. PT

Fresno State

Nevada

Photo by: Samuel Marshall

Bulldogs, Pack once again to battle in Reno

2/9/2023 9:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes: Fresno State at Nevada (PDF)

By: Stephen Trembley / Director of Strategic Communications

Game 24: Fresno State (9-14, 5-7 MW) at Nevada (19-6, 9-3 MW)
Feb. 10, 2023 • 8 p.m. PT • Reno, Nev. • Lawlor Events Center
TV/ONLINE: FS1 (Daron Sutton & Bill Herenda)
RADIO: Bulldog Sports Network (Paul Loeffler & Marc Q. Jones)
SERIES HISTORY: Nevada leads 61-45 (overall) & 35-17 (in Reno, Nev.)
LAST MEETING: Fresno State 73, Nevada 56 (2/4/22 • Fresno, Calif.)
UP NEXT: vs. San Diego State (Feb. 15); vs. Colorado State (Feb. 18)

THE BREAKDOWN

Fresno State entered the 2022-23 season bringing back eight returners, which includes four seniors in Jemarl Baker, Jordan Campbell, Anthony Holland and Isaiah Hill along with juniors Destin Whitaker, Donavan Yap and Leo Colimerio and sophomore Steven Vasquez.
Fresno State head coach Justin Hutson is in his fifth season back home in the Central Valley.
The Bulldogs are coming off a 23-win campaign in 2021-22 and a postseason title after winning The Basketball Classic, presented by ERACISM, in April - two 23-win seasons (2018-19 and 2021-22).
Seven new players have joined the program: guards Jordan Brinson (Salt Lake CC), Alexander Gorton (Palm Beach Atlantic), Joseph Hunter (San Joaquin Memorial HS) and Jeff Sims (Santa Rosa Academy) along with forward Isaih Moore (Southern Miss) and centers Chuks Isitua (IUPUI) and Eduardo Andre (Nebraska).
Three Bulldogs - Baker (11.7 PPG), Moore (11.5 PPG) and Hill (11.3 PPG) - are averaging double-digits scoring.

OPENING TIP

Fresno State visits the Nevada Wolf Pack on Friday at 8 p.m. PT at Lawlor Events Center.
The game will be broadcast on FS1 (television/stream) and the Bulldog Sports Network (radio).
Fresno State is second in the MW in scoring defense (64.87 points allowed per game) for the 2022-23 season.
Fresno State is currently tied for seventh with UNLV in the MW standings (Fresno State owns head-to-head tiebreaker with the Runnin' Rebels).
Fresno State is finishing a stretch of playing three games in eight days (two of three on the road).

SEASON NOTABLES

Fresno State's first six Division I nonconference opponents were all Top 125 KenPom teams.
Fresno State earned its first win over an Associated Press Top 25 opponent since 2002 when the Bulldogs handed then-No. 21/22 New Mexico 71-67 its first loss of the season on Jan. 3 at the Save Mart Center.
Fresno State is now 9-1 against UNM in Hutson's five seasons coaching the Bulldogs.
Fresno State completed its first regular season sweep of UNLV since 2018 by securing two victories over the Runnin' Rebels in a 14-day span. Fresno State is now 5-4 against UNLV in Hutson's five seasons.
Fresno State enters having made 74.6 percent of its free throws (247-331), which currently would eclipse the school record for single-season free throw percentage (74.2 percent, 484-652, 1991-92).
Through games played on Feb. 9, 10 of 11 Mountain West programs were rated in the Top 100 nationally in KenPom's strength of schedule. SDSU leads the MW at 23rd nationally, while Fresno State is fifth (62nd).
Through the first 23 games of the season, Fresno State has had 11 of its 13 scholarship players miss at least one game due to injury or illness and have combined to miss 74 games throughout the 2022-23 season.
Fresno State leads Northern and Central California in attendance during the 2022-23 season (4,647/game).

SERIES HISTORY: FRESNO STATE VS. NEVADA

Fresno State trails its all-time series with Nevada, 45-61 (overall), which includes wins by the Wolf Pack in nine of the last 10 meetings (1-6 in Hutson's tenure).
The Bulldogs won their last game played against the Pack - a 73-56 victory on Feb. 4, 2022 in Fresno, Calif.
Fresno State is seeking its first road win over Nevada since an 81-76 win back on Jan. 21, 2017 (six straight losses in its last six trips to Lawlor Events Center).
This will be the sixth road game (in the last seven match-ups) for Fresno State in its series with Nevada.

THIS-AND-THAT

Fresno State's Eduardo Andre leads the MW in blocked shots (19, 1.6/game) in conference play.
Fresno State's Leo Colimerio has made 18 consecutive free throws entering Friday's game at Nevada.
Fresno State's stifling defense forced 19 turnovers (15 in the first half) back on Jan. 24 at Boise State.
In Hutson's first four seasons, the Bulldogs have had 22 Academic All-MW selections (21 in the 22 seasons prior to Hutson's arrival in 2018).
In Hutson's tenure (since 2018), Fresno State is 28-1 when shooting at least 50 percent from the field.
Fresno State has limited 30 of its last 36 opponents in regular season games, including 17 of 23 games this season, to fewer than 70 points.

FRESNO STATE PRODUCING NBA DRAFT LOTTERY PICKS, PROS
In the last 23 seasons, Fresno State has produced three NBA Lottery picks - Paul George (No. 10 overall in 2010), Melvin Ely (No. 12 overall in 2002) and Courtney Alexander (No. 13 overall in 2000) - while UNLV has two and San Diego State has one in that same span. Overall, Fresno State has had 32 players go on to play in the NBA, including 21 being selected in the NBA Draft with five first-round picks (four since 2000). Paul George current plays for the Los Angeles Clippers and Orlando Robinson plays for the Miami Heat.

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 10 seasons in the Mountain West, which includes six first round byes in the MW Tournament. In the last seven MW campaigns, the 'Dogs won an average of 10.3 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 (9.7) in Hutson's first four seasons as the Bulldogs' head coach.

"Fresno State Athletics - For The V: The Central Valley" – Bulldog student-athletes, coaches, and staff proudly wear the "Green V" to show their pride in representing the Central Valley. Stories of why the Bulldogs play for the "Green V" will be shared throughout the next year with #ForTheV. To become a Bulldog Foundation member or join "The Green V Society," please call 559-278-7160 or visit bulldogfoundation.org.

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