Bulldogs host USC-Upstate on Wednesday

GAME 2: FRESNO STATE (1-0, 0-0 MW) vs. USC-Upstate (0-1, 0-0 BIG SOUTH)
November 5, 2025 | 6 p.m. PT | Fresno, Calif. | Save Mart Center

MEDIA COVERAGE
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast
Watch: Mountain West Network
Listen: Bulldog Sports Network
Play by Play: Paul Loeffler | Analyst: Marc Q. Jones | Sideline: Taylor Martinez

FOLLOW ALONG ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter (X): @FresnoStateMBB
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FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno State men's basketball team is back in action on Wednesday night at the Save Mart Center, taking on USC-Upstate at 6 p.m. PT.

The Bulldogs open the season with a 1-0 record after defeating Fresno Pacific by 37 points on Monday night at home.

BULLDOG BONES

Head Coach Vance Walberg is entering his second season at the helm of the Bulldog Basketball program and his fourth season as a head coach overall.
The Bulldogs are 6-26 going into the 2025-26 season, with a total of two conference wins, against Air Force and Wyoming.
Fresno State starts the 2025-26 campaign with seven straight home games; all played at the Save Mart Center.
This is the first time in program history that the Bulldogs have a seven-game home stand to start the season.
The Fresno State men's basketball team looks a little different this season, with 73% of the roster being newcomers to the squad.
Fresno State returns only four athletes this season: Troy Jenkins, Makhan Diouf, Zaon Collins and David "DJ" Douglas, Jr.
Of the four, Collins is the Bulldogs' only returning starter and letterwinner.
DJ Douglas, a transfer from Green Bay, played in six games for the Bulldogs in 2024-25 before his season was cut short due to injury.
Troy Jenkins and Makhan Diouf both redshirted for the 2024-25 season and did not see game action.

SO FAR, SO GOOD

The Bulldogs begin the 2025-26 season with a 1-0 record after defeating Fresno Pacific 88-51 on Monday night.
The 37-point margin of victory is the Bulldogs' largest since they defeated Chicago State 108-72 on March 4, 2023, at home.
Senior Jake Heidbreder led the Bulldogs with 19 points, going 7-12 and 3-6 at the three-point line.
As a team, Fresno State had a 58.9 shooting percentage, its best since December 9, 2023, against Pacific (64.7%).
Eleven players took the court for Fresno State against FPU, with 10 of them making their Bulldog debut.
Seven out of the 11 Bulldogs on the floor made their collegiate basketball debut.
Fresno State has won its opening game for six straight seasons and 12 of the last 13 opening games.
Three Bulldogs scored in double digits today: Heidbreder (19), Gory (14) and Mani (12).

A BRIEF HISTORY WITH THE SPARTANS

Fresno State faces the USC-Upstate Spartans for only the second time in the program's history.
The Bulldogs hosted the Spartans on December 20, 2008, at the Save Mart Center in Fresno.
Fresno State defeated Upstate 72-47.

FRESH START

Fresno State welcomes 11 newcomers to the roster this season: three transfers and 8 eight freshmen.
Cameron Faas, Jake Heidbreder and Jac Mani all transferred from NCAA DI basketball programs.
Of the eight freshmen, seven are international students.

WELCOME (BACK) TO THE MOUNTAIN WEST

Transfer Jake Heidbreder is on his third stop in his college career.
Heidbreder started his career at Air Force, where he spent the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.
He then transferred to Clemson after his second year at Air Force, redshirted for the 2023-24 season and returned to the court for the 2024-25 season.
Heidbreder returns to the Mountain West for his final year of eligibility at Fresno State.

VALLEY ROOTS RUN DEEP

When Vance Walberg was named the Bulldogs' head coach, he emphasized the community, doing things for the Central Valley because Fresno State is the Central Valley's team. That message resonates with not just Walberg but also with his staff. Of the program's six coaches, five have previously lived in the Central Valley.
Walberg has spent more than 20 years coaching in the Valley at Clovis West HS and Fresno City College.
John Welch was a member of Jerry Tarkanian's staff at Fresno State from 1995 to 2002.
Ray Barefield grew up in Fresno and prepped down the street from campus at Hoover HS, graduating in 1989. He is in the school's Hall of Fame.
Chris Stahowski played for and coached alongside Walberg. He also graduated from Fresno State in 2007.
Tory Stamps grew up in Fresno and played at Central HS, graduating in 2012.

Fresno State Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Zaon Collins

Makhan Diouf

Cameron Faas

Jake Heidbreder

Troy Jenkins

Jac Mani

Bulldogs host USC-Upstate on Wednesday

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