FRESNO STATE (10-13, 3-7 MW) at AIR FORCE (8-15, 1-9 MW)
Feb. 10, 2024 | 1 p.m. MT/12 p.m. PT | MWN | Clune Arena | USAF Academy, Colo.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Stream: Mountain West Network
Radio: Bulldog Sports Network
Play-by-Play: Paul Loeffler • Analyst: Marc Q. Jones
Stream: Mountain West Network (BSN)
Listen: Bulldog Sports Network
Live Stats: Bulldogslive.com
X (Twitter): @FresnoStateMBB
FRESNO, Calif. — Coming off its third Mountain West win, and first conference road win, Fresno State will travel to Air Force on Saturday afternoon.
Tipoff from Clune Arena is scheduled for 1 p.m. MT/12 p.m. PT and will stream on the Mountain West Network.
QUICK LOOK
The Bulldogs are currently in a two-week stretch with three out of four on the road before taking their final bye of the season (Feb. 18-23).
Since Dec. 18 (13 games), Isaiah Pope has led the Bulldogs offensively, averaging 11.5 points per game during that stretch. All eight of the senior's double-figure games have come in the last 13 games.
Isaiah Hill continues to lead Fresno State in scoring (12.2 ppg) and assists (6.5 apg) on the year. The point guard is averaging 9.0 assists per game over his last seven outings, and ranks No. 9 nationally in assists per game, third in the MW.
During the first two weeks of conference play, junior Enoch Boakye has round into form, averaging 11.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game in his last seven. That stretch includes the first four double-doubles of his career.
Boakye (8.4) ranks No. 4 in the MW in rebounding per game and is No. 2 in defensive boards (6.0).
Transfer Xavier DuSell is second on the team in scoring at 10.3 points per game. The senior leads the 'Dogs in 3-point percentage, connecting at 40.3 percent clip (60-of-149), 38th nationally. He sits second in the MW in 3-pointers made per game (2.61).
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 53.0 percent of the scoring thus far.
Fresno State ranks fourth in the Mountain West in field goal percentage (47.3%) and fast break points (10.4).
Depth has come in handy as the Bulldogs' bench is averaging 21.6 points per game, tops in the MW.
ABOUT THE MATCHUP
Fresno State is 27-9 all-time against Air Force and 12-4 at the Academy.
The 'Dogs are 6-0 in their last six trips to Air Force. Four of those games have been separated by six points or less.
In the last six trips to Air Force (6-0), the average margin of victory for the 'Dogs is 9.3 points per game but does include a 25-point win in 2022.
THE FLOOR GENERAL
In 22 games, Isaiah Hill has dished out 144 assists. He has dished out at least eight assists in eight games this season, including a season-high 10 three times.
Seven of Hill's seven-plus assist performances have come in his last nine games.
In his last 25 games, Hill has recorded 166 assists.
Hill has 27 games at Fresno State with at least six assists.
In 110 games as a Bulldog, Hill ranks fourth in career assists, moving up seven spots this season.
Hill sits No. 3 in the Mountain West, and No. 9 in the NCAA, this season with 6.5 assists per game.
In conference play, Hill is second, averaging 7.2 per game. In just the last six games, Hill's average is up to 9.0 per outing.
CONNECTING FROM DEEP
Shoot from outside. That's what was expected and what Wyoming transfer Xavier DuSell has brought to Fresno State. With a team-high 60 made 3-pointers through 23 games, DuSell is above the 2.0 per game he made in his 86 games at Wyoming.
DuSell is shooting a team-high 40.3 percent, 38th in the NCAA while ranking No. 2 in the MW in made 3's per game (2.61).
DuSell has twice matched his career high in 3's made in a game with six, doing so against Pacific on nine attempts and San Jose State on 10 attempts. He has made six 3's in a game six times in his career.
DuSell knocked down 5-of-11 against Air Force.
DuSell has shot at least 50 percent from beyond the arc in 10 of 23 games.
DON'T NOCH HIM
At 6-foot-11, 250-pound, Enoch Boakye has been a presence inside for the 'Dogs and began to find his rhythm two weeks into conference play. In the last seven games, the center has averaged 11.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
While Boakye had played in 50 games in two seasons prior to this year, minutes were scarce. This year, he's playing over 20 minutes per outing and the time is starting to show. He has recorded the first four double-doubles of his career in the recent stretch.
Strong on the glass, Boakye ranks No. 4 in the MW in rebounding grabbing 8.4 per game.
The center has five games with at least 13 rebounds including a 16-board effort against UCSB.