Game 11: Fresno State (5-5) vs. UC Irvine (5-1)
Dec. 11, 2022 • 2 p.m. PT • Fresno, Calif. • Save Mart Center
TV/ONLINE: CW59 / Mountain West Network (PxP: Ralph Wood / Analyst: Jack Fertig & Amy Parrish-Finch)
RADIO: Bulldog Sports Network (PxP: Matt Norville)
LIVE: BulldogsLive.com
LAST MEETING: Fresno State 63, UC Irvine 45 (Nov. 26, 2016 • Los Angeles, Calif.)
SERIES HISTORY: Fresno State leads 20-3
TICKETS: Bulldog Ticket Office / GoBulldogs.com
BULLDOG BONES
Fresno State snapped its three-game losing streak on Thursday night when the team returned home for a 68-63 win over Northern Arizona. The Bulldogs' defense held NAU 17 points below its season average.
The 'Dogs have two more games at home before finishing the nonconference season at UCLA. Eight of the Bulldogs' 13 nonconference games this season will be played in Fresno.
Fresno State has held opponents to 52.5 points per game, ranking 17th in the NCAA.
Jaime White led team's own three of the program's Top 5 marks for scoring defense. The 51.3 points per game allowed this season is 7.7 ppg below the program's current record.
The Bulldogs have kept five of its nine opponents below 50 points. It is the most in a season for Fresno State since 2016-17.
While strong defense has kept the 'Dogs in games, they have struggled in one possession games, going 0-4 in contests separated by three points or less but do have wins by four and five points.
After scoring her 1,000th career point against Penn State, Amiee Book has been on fire since, scoring 61 points which includes a career-high 31 points at Portland State. The senior has knocked down 13 3-pointers in the last three games.
Like Book, Amaya West began heating up last week as well, scoring 15 and 18 points last week before dropping a career-high 23 against Northern Arizona, with 19 (8-of-9) coming in the second half to hold off NAU.
Steady throughout the young season, Yanina Todorova is averaging a team-high 12.8 points per game, seventh-best in the Mountain West.
KEEPING 'EM CLOSE
If you like close games, odds are good that you'll see one with the Bulldogs. Six of Fresno State's 10 games have been nail-biters with the difference being five points or less. Unfortunately, the 'Dogs are 0-4 in games separated by three points or less, but are 2-0 in games separated by 4-5 points.
Fresno State has twice missed a go-ahead attempts at the buzzer (Cal Poly, Sacramento State) and missed a third that would have tied a game (CSU Bakersfield).
The Bulldogs held off late rallies from Delaware and Northern Arizona, not allowing a fourth-quarter lead change.
START FAST
The first quarter this season has been telling for the Bulldogs. In all five Fresno State wins, the 'Dogs have led after the first quarter. For of those have seen the Bulldogs with a double-digit lead after 10 minutes.
Fresno State is 5-1 when leading after the first quarter. The lone loss, the 'Dogs led by just one.
LIMITING QUARTER SCORING
Fresno State has played a total of 40 quarters this season, in nine of those the Bulldogs have held their opponents to single digits. It has been a recipe for success as the 'Dogs are 5-1 in games in which they have held their opponent to single digits in at least one quarter.
Four opponents have scored more than 20 points in a quarter. Fresno State is 1-3 in those games with the one win coming in its latest game versus Northern Arizona. On the flip side, the Bulldogs are 4-2 when scoring 20 points in a quarter.
GETTING PAST THE MILESTONE
When Amiee Book got past the 1,000 point mark, the rim has appeared to expand for the shooter. Scoring 61 points in the last three games, the fifth-year senior is shooting 56.1 percent from the field. A near 40 percent 3-point shooter in a career, Book began the season at 21 percent but that has risen more than 13 percent in the last week after shooting 13-of-24 (54.2%) from deep.
Book started this run with a career-high 31 points at Portland State, going 8-of-14 from 3. The eight 3-pointers were the second-most in program history.
TURNING THE CORNER
For four years, Fresno State had been familiar with Amaya West during her days playing for Nevada. Now with the Bulldogs, West's role has changed, looked to be more of a scorer in final collegiate season. Struggling to find her shot through the first seven games, shooting 18-of-63 (28.6%), those appear to be a part of the past as West has begun to settle in, scoring 15, 18 and a career-high 23 in the last three games.
More aggressive in getting to her spots, West has combined to shoot 20-of-33 (60.6%) in in the last three, with the bulk of her offense coming in the second half when the 'Dogs need it most.
Of West's 56 points, 44 have come in the second half when she has shot 16-of-22 from the field (72.7%).
SCOUTING UC IRVINE
UC Irvine is 5-1 this season with victories over Whittier College, Sacramento State, Seattle, LIU and Eastern Washington with a double overtime loss at Washington.
The Anteaters posted a 21-12 overall record in 2021-22 and a 14-4 mark in the Big West to finish second in the league while making the WNIT.
UCI was picked sixth in the Big West preseason poll.
Senior forward Naomi Hunt leads the Anteaters in scoring at 11.7 points per game and rebounds (5.3 rpg.)
UC Irvine leads the Big West in scoring defense (54.5 ppg.), turnovers forced per game (24.33), rebounds per game (38.7) and assists per game (15.2).