Game 14: No. 21/22 New Mexico (14-0, 2-0 MW) at Fresno State (5-8, 1-1 MW) • V2
Jan. 3, 2022 • 8 p.m. PT • Fresno, Calif. • Save Mart Center
TV/ONLINE: CBS Sports Network (Dave Ryan & Dan Dickau)
RADIO: Bulldog Sports Network (Paul Loeffler & Marc Q. Jones)
SERIES HISTORY: Fresno State leads 20-17 (overall) & 14-4 (in Fresno, Calif.)
LAST MEETING: Fresno State 71, New Mexico 68 (2/28/22 • Save Mart Center)
UP NEXT: at Colorado State (Jan. 7); at San Jose State (Jan. 10)
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).
Two Bulldogs - Baker (11.8 PPG) and Moore (11.6 PPG) - are averaging double-digits in scoring this season.
OPENING TIP
Fresno State hosts the No. 21/22-ranked New Mexico Lobos on Tuesday at 8 p.m. PT at the Save Mart Center.
The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network (television) and the Bulldog Sports Network (radio).
Fresno State senior guard Jemarl Baker has scored 20 points in each of his last two games (both MW games).
Fresno State has limited 10 straight MW opponents to fewer than 70 points (regular season home games).
Fresno State's first six Division I nonconference opponents were all in the Top 125 KenPom teams.
Fresno State is playing its 20th season at the Save Mart Center (first game was back on Dec. 5, 2003).
SERIES HISTORY: FRESNO STATE VS. NEW MEXICO
Fresno State leads its all-time series with New Mexico, 20-17 (overall), which includes a 14-4 home record against the Lobos in Fresno (8-3 at the Save Mart Center).
Fresno State has won the last six matchups overall with New Mexico (eight of the last nine games).
Fresno State is 8-1 versus UNM in head coach Justin Hutson's tenure (only loss: L, 78-64 • 1/7/20 • The Pit).
Fresno State has won its last seven home games played against New Mexico.
The last home loss in the series between Fresno State and New Mexico was back on Jan. 2, 2016 (77-62), which was the Bulldogs' lone home conference loss that season, which ended with a 2016 Mountain West tournament championship and NCAA Tournament appearance.
Fresno State has swept New Mexico in each of the last two seasons, which have included three games at the Save Mart Center, a road game at The Pit and a neutral site MW tournament first round contest.
FRESNO STATE VERSUS TOP 25 TEAMS
Tuesday's game will mark the 11th time that Fresno State has hosted a Top 25 team at the Save Mart Center.
Fresno State is seeking its first win over a Top 25 team since defeating San Diego State 59-57 on Jan. 3. 2015. (Note: The Aztecs were ranked 25th in the USA Today Coaches Poll, but were not ranked in the AP Top 25.)
Fresno State is seeking to snap a 28-game losing streak to Associated Press Top 25 teams with the Bulldogs' last victory over an AP Top 25 team coming back on Feb. 10, 2002 - a 58-52 win over No. 14 Oklahoma State at Selland Arena in downtown Fresno (Fresno State's home arena from 1967-2003).
This will be Fresno State's 98th all-time game against an AP Top 25 team (19-78 record vs. AP Top 25).
This will be the 10th game played against an AP Top 25 team in head coach Justin Hutson's tenure with the Bulldogs (0-9 record in his first three seasons, no AP Top 25 opponents last season).
'DOGS CORRAL COWBOYS IN MW OPENER
A three-pointer by Jemarl Baker with 1:01 to play in regulation lifted the Fresno State men's basketball team into the lead as the Bulldogs opened Mountain West play with a 58-53 victory over Wyoming on Wednesday night at the Save Mart Center. The Bulldogs were led by Baker with 20 points as the fifth-year senior connected on a season-high four three-pointers and went 8-of-15 from the field. Isaih Moore added 13 points and corralled nine rebounds, co-leading the team with Leo Colimerio, who chipped in eight points and nine boards for Fresno State. Wyoming was led by 16 points from Noah Reynolds.
BULLDOGS' DEFENSE HOLDS UTAH STATE'S POTENT OFFENSE TO SEASON-LOW OUTPUT
Fresno State's defense held Utah State, which was averaging 85.1 points per game, to a season-low 67 points, but the Bulldogs couldn't overcome scoring droughts in falling 67-54 at Utah State on Dec. 31, 2022.
Baker recorded his second-straight 20-point output in the MW road-opening loss to the Aggies.
Fresno State recorded its third-best single-game free throw percentage (12-for-13 FT, 92.3 percent) in a conference game since joining the MW in 2012.
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.