FRESNO, Calif. – Tempo. For much of the night, Fresno State controlled the pace against a Northern Arizona squad who entered the day averaging 80.2 points per game, but the Bulldogs held them to 17 below that on their way to a 68-63 win on Thursday night at the Save Mart Center.
The 68 points was just three shy of Fresno State's high for the year as the team shot 47.1 percent from the field (24-of-51) and 50 percent from 3 (6-of-12). Helping that efficiency was the second-half shooting of Amaya West and Amiee Book who combined for 12-of-16 from the field, scoring 30 of the team's 39 points.
West led the Bulldogs with a career-high 23 points, her first 20-point game in her four-plus seasons. Book knocked in five 3-pointers, finishing with 18 points.
How It Happened
Hitting one of their first five shots, the Bulldogs got their offense going through their defense. The 'Dogs forced nine turnovers, cashing them in for 12 points while holding NAU to just 2-of-10 in the period. The last five minutes saw four Bulldogs combine for 14 points as they held the Lumberjacks scoreless, taking a 21-5 lead into the second quarter.
Amaya West gave Fresno State an 18-point lead on its opening possession of the second but that lead began to disappear through the period as the 'Dogs made just one of their final seven shots of the half. NAU finished the final 6:05 of the period on a 12-3 run to cut the Bulldogs lead to 29-22 at the break.
The 'Dogs extended their lead to as much as 11 twice late in the third quarter on 3-pointers from Amiee Book who sank three in the final two-and-a-half minutes. On both occasions though, NAU answered with their own, bringing Fresno State's lead six at 46-40 with 10 minutes to play.
While Book had the a hot in the third, a hard foul sent the senior crashing to the floor early in the fourth. With 18 of their points on the bench, the Bulldogs turned to West. While NAU made 8-of-10 shots in the final six minutes to creep closer and closer, West kept them at bay, going 5-of-6 in the fourth and scoring 13 of the Bulldogs' 22 points in the quarter.
Notes
Fresno State's 68 points was 14 more than its previous high against a Division I opponent this season.
The Bulldogs handed NAU its first loss to a non-P5 opponent this year.
Fresno State won its first game this season when allowing an opponent to score more than 20 points in a quarter.
The Bulldogs score 20 or more points in two quarters of a game for the second time this season.
The five points allowed in the opening quarter was the third-lowest in a single quarter for a Bulldog opponent this year. The three lowest totals have all come in the first quarter.
The 'Dogs outshot their third straight opponent (47.1%-46.3%).
Fresno State grabbed 16 steals, its most against a Division I opponent since Dec. 7, 2019 (20 vs. Utah State).
Amaya West scored a career-high 23 points.
19 of West's points came in the second half as the senior was 8-of-9 from the field and 3-of-4 from the free throw line.
Amiee Book scored 18 points with 15 of those coming from deep, connecting on 5-of-7.
Book had a career-high six steals and a season-high seven rebounds.
Quotes
Head Coach Jaime White
On Amiee Book reaching 1,000 points...
"She works so hard, and she is just dead-eye with her shot, but there's not very often that a player gets to 1,000 points so I'm glad we got to get her to that thousand here."
On her takeaways from tonight...
"I think it is clear that we need to find a body and box out every time. I did like our press at moments tonight. I do think that that caused them to turn the ball over."
Amaya West, senior forward
On tonight's performance...
"Playing at home you want to win every game. I think we did a really good job, played good team defense and team basketball in general."
On what helped her reach a new career high...
"The coaches tell me a lot of time in practice that I need to force things so that way when it comes to the game I'm shooting what I shoot like in practice."
Next Up
Fresno State returns to the court on the Sunday, hosting UC Irvine for a 2 p.m. PT tip at the Save Mart Center. The contest will be televised locally on CW59 and stream on the Mountain West Network.