FRESNO STATE (3-2) VS. UC SANTA BARBARA (2-2)
Nov. 27, 2023 | 6 p.m. PT | MWN | Save Mart Center Center | Fresno, Calif.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Stream - Mountain West Network / Radio - Bulldog Sports Network (BSN)
Play-by-Play - Paul Loeffler
Analyst - Marc Q. Jones
Sideline - Taylor Martinez
Stream: Mountain West Network
Live Stats: Bulldogslive.com
X (Twitter): @FresnoStateMBB
Tickets: Bulldog Ticket Office
FRESNO, Calif. — Fresno State returns home to the Save Mart Center on Monday night to host UC Santa Barbara at 6 p.m. The Gauchos are the Bulldogs' second opponent this season which made the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
QUICK LOOK
Fresno State wrapped up the 2023 Cancun Challenge on Wednesday in the championship game against No. 22 James Madison. The 'Dogs went 2-1 with wins over Morgan State (87-68) and New Mexico State (81-76).
Senior guards Isaiah Hill and Donavan Yap Jr. were selected to the Riviera Division All-Tournament Team. With two 20-point games, the first two of his career, Yap Jr. averaged a team-high 17.3 points per game while Hill was just behind him at 16.7 ppg.
Already taking two trips of more than 4,000 miles each, Fresno State will spend some much needed time at home in the coming weeks, playing five of its next six games in Fresno beginning with UCSB.
With seven newcomers to the squad, that group has stepped in quickly to help complement the returners in the scoring column. Newcomers have accounted for 46.0 percent of the scoring thus far.
Three of the Bulldogs' top six scorers are newcomers.
Wyoming transfer Xavier DuSell has been a big part of that group as the guard has poured in 59 points (11.8 ppg), third most on the team. He has hit double figures in four of five games in a Bulldog uniform.
ABOUT THE MATCHUP
Fresno State and UC Santa Barbara will be meeting for the 101th time in the series. UCSB leads 51-49.
After not playing for more than a decade, the Gauchos won last year's meeting 61-54 in Santa Barbara.
CANCUN ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
After going 2-1 in the 2023 Cancun Challenge, and being led by its senior guard duo of Isaiah Hill and Donavan Yap Jr., the two were named to the All-Tournament Team Riviera Division.
Yap Jr. posted the first two 20-point games of his career and averaged 17.3 ppg, 3.0 apg and 2.3 rpg. He shot 47.1 percent from the field and 54.5 percent from 3.
Hill averaged 16.7 ppg, 5.0 apg and 3.3 rpg. He shot 47.2 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from 3.
The two were perfect from the charity stripe, knocking down a combined 23-of-23.
HILL IN THE RECORD BOOK
Isaiah Hill, who started his collegiate career at Tulsa, moved into the Top 50 of Fresno State's all-time scoring list last season and is the 47th men's basketball player to score at least 900 points as a Bulldog.
Hill entered the 2023-24 season ranked 44th all-time in program history with 962 career points at Fresno State. He has quickly continued to move up the list, checking in at No. 31 with 1,033 points after five games.