FRESNO, Calif.- Fresno State women's basketball felt the fast tempo of the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds at the Save Mart Center. Fresno State pulled through in the second half for the double-digit win on Monday night to open the 2024-25 season, 72-46.
How it happened
New set of five on the court as Maria Konstantinidou earned her first start in a Bulldog uniform. Out the gate Fresno Pacific leaned in for a layup in the paint, grabbing the first points of the night. Both teams matched shot-for-shot trading the lead well into the first ten. A 4-2 run for the Sunbirds gave a two-point edge with two minutes to go. A layup in the paint from Mariah Elohim saw an even game, before Fresno Pacific's Rillo launched a three-pointer off a Bulldogs travel.
Another nail biting period was in store for the Bulldogs. Saga Ukkonen connected from beyond the arc for her first points of the night, 15-13. Fresno Pacific would see their last lead of the night at the hands of Manu's second chance layup in the paint. Bulldogs would see the Sunbirds in their rear view from here on out as the Sunbirds saw their final lead slip away in the final two minutes of the second half. Fresno State continued building their lead with a 5-1 run to close out the first half.
'Dogs opened the second half with a five-point lead after a shot from the land of three by Kylee Fox. Bulldogs' took the ball and let loose, extending the gap to fourteen points by the end. Jacobs hit double-figures chucking in a shot from the paint. Ukkonen's second chance layup marked the Bulldogs' first double-digit lead of the night. Fresno State's tough defense held the Sunbirds to seven points in the third quarter.
Jacobs locked in her first double-double of the season off an offensive rebound, then handing herself a trip to the line good for two and earned 18 points for the night. Sunbirds scored on a 7-1 run to close the game and chipped a Fresno State 30 point lead to 26.
Notes
Maria Konstanintodiu earns her first start of her career as Bulldog.
Mia Jacobs and Mariah Elohim finish the night with double figures, Jacobs logs 18 and Elohim with 16
Mia Jacobs opens the season with a double-double, marking her sixth as a Bulldog and eighth of her career
Lucky No. 13, Fresno State held Fresno Pacific to 13 points in three of four periods
Fresno State spent 27 minutes with the lead
Four Bulldogs saw 20 or more minutes on the court; Kylee Fox & Mariah Elohim (28), Mia Jacobs & Saga Ukkonen (24)
Fresno State ups' their all-time series lead against Fresno Pacific, 5-0
Fresno State has defeated Fresno Pacific by at least 24 points in every meeting since 1995
Up next: Fresno State women's basketball continues the fun at the Save Mart Center as they host Santa Clara on Saturday, Nov. 9 with tip-off slated for 2 p.m. PT streaming live on the Mountain West Network.