FRESNO STATE (4-7) vs. CAL BAPTIST (5-6)
Dec. 21, 2024 • 2 p.m. PT • Fresno, Calif. (Save Mart Center)
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MEDIA COVERAGE
Mountain West Network / Bulldog Sports Network (BSN)
PxP: Paul Loeffler • Analyst: Marc Q. Jones
Stream: Mountain West Network
Listen: Bulldog Sports Network
Live Stats:Bulldogslive.com
X (Twitter):@FresnoStateMBB
FRESNO, Calif. — Fresno State closes out the nonconference portion of its schedule on Saturday, hosting Cal Baptist at the Save Mart Center. It will be the second meeting between the two programs during the last month after playing at the Acrisure Holiday Invitational, an 86-81 double overtime win for the Lancers.
Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. PT and will stream on the Mountain West Network.
QUICK LOOK
Fresno State ended a five-game skid last Saturday with a 73-65 win over San Diego that saw the Bulldogs outscore the Toreros 41-28 in the second half. The 28 points were the second-fewest the 'Dogs have allowed in a half this season.
It was the 10th game this season that has seen Fresno State trail at the half.
Saturday will mark the Bulldogs' second straight game at home, a first for Fresno State this season.
Fresno State is 3-1 at home this season.
Zaon Collins leads the team in points (13.3), assists (3.7) and steals (2.4) per game, and is third in rebounding (4.6). He has been a pest at the other end where he leads the Mountain West and is 22nd in the NCAA in steals with 2.44 per game.
Elijah Price is second in the MW and ranks 25th in offensive rebounds, grabbing 3.45 per game. He has five games with four or more.
Vance Walberg's high-tempo style has the Bulldogs second in the nation in adjusted tempo, averaging 74.6 possessions per 40 minutes.
Walberg is one of four current Division I head coaches who was a high school head coach the season before taking over their current head coaching position (Penny Hardaway, Bucky McMillan, Stan Waterman).
BY THE NUMBERS
74.6 - Fresno State is averaging 74.9 possessions per 40 minutes according to Kenpom. The Bulldogs have not averaged more than 70 since the 2001-22 season.
5.5 - Fresno State has been outscored by 5.5 points per game in the first half. The 'Dogs have trailed in 10 of 11 games.
17.0 - After scoring a season-low two points at Santa Clara, Jalen Weaver has averaged 17.0 points during his last two games.
A SECOND-HALF TEAM
Fresno State has proved to be a second-half team this year, scoring 429 of its 778 regulation points. The Bulldogs have score more points in the second half in nine of their 11 games.
Fresno State has trailed at the half in 10 of its 11 games. Margins have ranged from 3-17 points.
Fresno State has won games when trailing by five (San Diego), seven (Sacramento State) and 11 (Long Beach State) at the half.
HITTING RUNS
In 11 games, Fresno State has hit stretches of 10 points or more without its opponent scoring in six of them. The Bulldogs are 4-2 in those games.
Fresno State had a 14-point run at Long Beach State, 13 against CBU, 12 versus Prairie View A&M, runs of 11 against Sacramento State and BYU, and one of 10 versus San Diego.
EFFICIENT
Coming off a career-high 18 points against San Diego, Alex Crawford showed why he has been the Bulldogs' most efficient scorer this season. Versus the Toreros, the junior shot 88.9% from the floor (8-of-9).
Crawford is shooting 64.3% from the field. His average goes up to 72.1% on two-point attempts.
In nine appearances, Crawford has shot at least 60% in six of them.
FINDING HIS TOUCH
With back-to-back double-digit scoring performances in his first seven appearances of the season, Jalen Weaver got his shooting touch going at BYU with 15 points. The senior followed that up by matching his career high of 19 against San Diego.
Weaver has scored 34 points in his last two games after a season-low two (1-of-8) at Santa Clara.
SERIES HISTORY
Fresno State and Cal Baptist have met just once in their history.
The two met for the first time less than a month ago, Nov. 27, 2024.
CBU won the contest 86-81 in double overtime at the Acrisure Holiday Invitational