Game 8: Fresno State (4-3) at Portland State (3-2)
Dec. 1, 2022 • 6 p.m. PT • Portland, Ore. • Viking Pavilion
ONLINE: ESPN+
LIVE: BulldogsLive.com
LAST MEETING: Fresno State 75, Portland State 70 (Dec. 2, 1988 • Fresno, Calif.)
SERIES HISTORY: Fresno State leads 1-0
Game 9: Fresno State (4-3) at Sacramento State (5-1)
Dec. 3, 2022 • 12 p.m. PT • Sacramento, Calif. • The Nest
ONLINE: ESPN+
LIVE: BulldogsLive.com
LAST MEETING: Fresno State 105, Sacramento State 57 (Dec. 8, 2009 • Fresno, Calif.)
SERIES HISTORY: Fresno State leads 17-6
THE BREAKDOWN
After traveling to Daytona last week, Fresno State will remain away from Fresno this week playing games at Portland State and Sacramento State. It will be the third and fourth games in a row away from home after opening the season with five straight at the Save Mart Center.
Fresno State has held opponents to a Mountain West-low 48.3 points per game, ranking 7th in the NCAA.
Jaime White led team's own three of the program's Top 5 marks for scoring defense. The 48.3 points per game allowed this season is 10.7 ppg below the program's current record.
The Bulldogs have kept five of seven opponents below 50 points. It is the most in a season for Fresno State since 2016-17.
LOCKING UP
After allowing the third-most (70.6 - 2020-21) and fifth-most (69.1 - 2021-22) points per game in program history in the last two seasons, an expected change this season was an emphasis on defense. A staple under Jaime White teams when she first arrived, the 'Dogs have returned to tough defensive play, holding five of its first seven opponents below 50 points.
The Bulldogs rank No. 7 nationally in scoring defense, holding opponents to 48.3 points per game.
While the 'Dogs have been aggressive defensively, forcing 19.6 turnovers per game, they have done so without fouling, committing the 12-fewest fouls per game in the NCAA at 13.4.
HOLDING UNDER 50
In the last three seasons, Fresno State has held just three opponents under 50 points. The Bulldogs have surpassed that total in the first five games this season. They have since added to that total with five through seven games. It is the first time the 'Dogs have held at least five under the 50-point mark since 2015-16 (7). The difference--that team did it in 34 games.
During Jaime White's first three seasons at Fresno State, the Bulldogs held 19 opponents below 50 points, four in 2016-17, seven in 2015-16 and eight in 2014-15.
The 'Dogs have not held three straight opponents under 50 points since White's first season.
The 49 points allowed to Fresno Pacific were the lowest for a Bulldog opponent in a season opener since 2004 (Pepperdine - 38).
For just the second time in the last decade, Fresno State held a Division I opponent to 40 points or less. The last time was on Jan. 11, 2017 against Air Force (40 points).
MOVING UP THE BULLDOG DEFENSIVE SCORING CHARTS
By holding five opponents below 50 points, it ranks tied for the 14th-most in program history. While it may seem impressive having done that in just seven games, even more impressive that it has been done during an age of offense.
Since 2010, it is tied for the fifth-most in a season. Since 2000, it is tied for the eighth-most. Since 1980, is tied for the ninth-most.
Of the 18 seasons that have seen at least five opponents held below 50 points, six of them came during the 1970s.
IN A DIFFERENT CLASS
Through seven games, Fresno State is holding teams to 48.3 points per game. While just under a quarter of the season has been played the Bulldogs are allowing more than 10 points less per game than the program record of 59.0 ppg.
The Top 5 scoring defenses in program history have allowed between 59.0-60.1 points.
Three of those were coached by Jaime White (2015-16: 59.5ppg; 2016-17: 59.9 ppg; 2014-15: 60.1 ppg).
LIMITING QUARTER SCORING
Fresno State has played a total of 28 quarters this season, in eight of those the Bulldogs have held their opponents to single digits. It has been a recipe for success as the 'Dogs are 4-1 in games in which they have held their opponent to single digits in at least one quarter.
Only one opponent has scored more than 20 points in a quarter (CSU Bakersfield - 28). It resulted in a three-point loss. On the flip side, the Bulldogs are 3-0 when scoring 20 points in a quarter.
Fresno State is 2-2 when allowing teams to score 15 points in any quarter.
STINGY AROUND THE ARC
Aiding Fresno State's scoring defense has been defense along the 3-point line. Fresno State ranks second in the Mountain West in 3-point percentage defense at 25.5 percent.
Last week at the Daytona Beach Invitational, the Bulldogs held Delaware and Penn State to a combined 2-of-21 (9.5%).
CRASHING THE GLASS
While Fresno State may look undersized compared to several of its opponents, the Bulldogs have outrebounded five of its seven opponents. The 'Dogs rank third in the Mountain West in rebounding margin at +5.14, and are second in rebounding defense, allowing opponents to grab just 33.3 per game.
Last week, Fresno state outrebounded long and more athletic front courts by four against Delaware and was a staggering +17 against Penn State.
ANOTHER CHAPTER IN HER BOOK
With her 239th point at Fresno State,
Amiee Book reached 1,000 points for her collegiate career. The point, of course, came on a 3-pointer for the sharpshooter on Nov. 25 against Penn State. It was the 170th made 3-pointer of her career.
Book is the eighth player to score her 1,000th career point as a Bulldog under Jaime White, joining Alex Sheedy, Bego Faz Davalos, Candice White, Maddi Utti, Aly Gamez, Haley Cavinder and Hanna Cavinder.
Book is the 29th player in Fresno State history to score 1,000 career points.
Prior to Book's arrival, the New Zealand native scored 761 points in three seasons at Cal State Fullerton.
LOCKDOWN DEFENDER
While Fresno State's defense has been the sum result of its parts, one of the biggest parts has been Long Beach State transfer Thea Mikkelsen. The sophomore from Denmark has embraced being a lockdown defender, taking on the challenge of guarding a team's best scorer. That was no more evident than when the Bulldogs faced Penn State. Guarding 2022 All-Big Ten first team selection Mckenna Marisa, who entered the game averaging 18.4 points per game, and averaged 22.2 ppg a season ago, Mikkelsen held her to just six points (2-of-13).
It was Marisa's lowest output since Feb. 18, 2021 at Iowa (2 points), and her second-lowest since the start of 2020-21 season.
SCOUTING PORTLAND STATE
Portland State is 3-2 on the season with wins over Warner Pacific, Seattle and Utah Valley with losses to San Diego and Boise State.
The Vikings went 5-24 last season with an 0-20 mark in Big Sky play.
PSU was selected 10th in the Big Sky preseason poll released on Oct. 26.
Sophomore guard Esmeralda Morales leads the Vikings and ranks fourth in the Big Sky averaging 18.2 points per game while checking in second nationally in minutes per game (39.6)
Offensively, the Vikings are fourth in the Big Sky and 49th nationally in three point percentage (35.9) while defensively they are fourth in the Big Sky & 93rd nationally in scoring defense (59.2).
SCOUTING SACRAMENTO STATE
Sacramento State is 5-1 this season and is heading into Saturday's contest on a five-game winning streak with wins over Santa Clara, UC Santa Barbara, UC Davis, Cal Poly and UTEP.
The Hornets posted a 14-16 mark in 2021-22 with a 10-10 mark in Big Sky play finishing seventh in the conference.
Sacramento State was picked fifth in the Big Sky preseason poll.
Senior guard Kahlaijah Dean ranks third in the Big Sky averaging 18.7 points and is second in the conference in assists per contest (5.5).
The Hornets lead the Big Sky in both three point percentage (41.3) and field goal percentage (48.6) ranking fourth and 16th nationally, respectively.