Game 19: Fresno State (7-11, 3-4 MW) at Boise State (15-5, 5-2 MW)
Jan. 24, 2023 • 6 p.m. PT • Boise, Idaho • ExtraMile Arena
TV/ONLINE: FS1 (David Gascon & Dave Miller
RADIO: Bulldog Sports Network (Paul Loeffler & Marc Q. Jones)
SERIES HISTORY: Boise State leads 26-22 (overall) & 15-8 (in Boise, Idaho)
LAST MEETING: Boise State 68, Fresno State 63 [OT] (1/28/22 • Fresno, Calif.)
UP NEXT: vs. Utah State (Jan. 28); at Wyoming (Jan. 31); at UNLV (Feb. 3)
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 - Moore (12.1 PPG), Baker (11.3 PPG) and Hill (10.1 PPG) - are averaging double-digits scoring.
OPENING TIP
Fresno State visits the Boise State Broncos on Tuesday at 6 p.m. PT at ExtraMile Arena.
The game will be broadcast on FS1 (television) and the Bulldog Sports Network (radio).
Fresno State is currently tied for sixth place in the MW with a 3-4 record in conference play.
Fresno State is second in the MW in scoring defense (62.94 points per game allowed).
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's first six Division I nonconference opponents were all Top 125 KenPom teams.
Fresno State enters having made 74.8 percent of its free throws (190-254), which if the percentage holds through the end of the season would set a new school record (74.2 percent, 484-652, 1991-92).
Through games played on Jan. 21, eight Mountain West programs were rated in the Top 100 nationally in strength of schedule. San Diego State leads the MW at 22nd nationally, while Fresno State is sixth (70th).
In Fresno State's last game, the Bulldogs' bench scored 20 points (8-8 FG, including 4-4 3FG).
SERIES HISTORY: FRESNO STATE VS. BOISE STATE
Fresno State trails its all-time series with Boise State, 26-22 (overall), including losses in four of the last five meetings with the Broncos, but even at 5-5 in the last 10 contests between the conference foes.
Fresno State head coach Justin Hutson is seeking to become the first head coach in program history to win three road games at Boise State (2-2 at Boise State in Hutson's tenure).
Last season, Boise State swept the season series between the programs with the Broncos winning 65-55 in Boise (Anthony Holland was unavailable due to health and safety protocols) and 68-63 in overtime in Fresno.
BULLDOGS POWER PAST RUNNIN' REBELS, 76-63
Behind a career-high 28 points from Isaiah Hill, the Fresno State men's basketball team defeated UNLV 76-63 on Saturday afternoon at the Save Mart Center in front of a season-high 5,950 fans.
In addition to Hill's standout performance, Eduardo Andre added a career-high 16 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for his third double-double of the season for Fresno State (7-11, 3-4 Mountain West).
Jordan Campbell chipped in nine points off the bench and Leo Colimero tacked on eight points and dished out three assists to help Fresno State defend its homecourt.
UNLV (12-7, 1-6 MW) was led in scoring by Elijah Harkless with 15 points and Keshon Gilbert added 11 for the Rebels, who dropped their fourth straight game.
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 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 22-season 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 currently plays for the Los Angeles Clippers and Orlando Robinson plays for the Miami Heat.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
"I come from a family of educators. My father was a teacher. My aunt was a teacher. Academics are very important to me. It's in my DNA." - Fresno State head coach Justin Hutson
Fresno State was rewarded for a second straight season with the NABC Team Academic Excellence Award (team GPA 3.0 or higher) with Baker and former Bulldog Orlando Robinson being named to the 2021-22 NABC Honors Court (GPA 3.2 or higher).
Eight Bulldogs were named Academic All-Mountain West with Baker earning MW Scholar-Athlete honors.
In Hutson's first four seasons, 22 Bulldogs earned Academic All-MW honors.