Game 13: Fresno State (7-5) at No. 11 UCLA (11-1)
Dec. 20, 2022 • 7 p.m. PT • Los Angeles, Calif. • Pauley Pavilion
TV/ONLINE: Pac-12 Network Los Angeles (PxP: Anne Marie Anderson / Analyst: Maylana Douglas)
RADIO: Bulldog Sports Network (PxP: Matt Norville)
LIVE: BulldogsLive.com
LAST MEETING: UCLA 89, Fresno State 80 (Dec. 7, 2018 • Los Angeles, Calif.)
SERIES HISTORY: UCLA leads 16-2
BULLDOG BONES
Fresno State heads into its final nonconference game riding a three-game win streak, all coming at home.
No. 11 UCLA will be the Bulldogs first ranked opponent since playing at No. 13 Washington on Dec. 4, 2015, and their highest ranked opponent since hosting No. 4 Stanford on Dec. 28, 2013.
The 'Dogs have held 10 straight opponents below their season averages with six of those being more than 10 points below their average.
Fresno State has held opponents to 51.4 points per game, ranking ninth in the NCAA.
Jaime White led team's own three of the program's Top 5 marks for scoring defense. The 51.4 points per game allowed this season is 8.6 ppg below the program's current record.
The Bulldogs have kept seven of its 12 opponents below 50 points. It is the most in a season for Fresno State since 2016-17.
Leading the Bulldogs and ranking eighth in the Mountain West in scoring (12.5), Yanina Todorova earned the first MW Player of the honor of her career on Dec. 19. The senior recorded her second career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds on Saturday against Utah Valley.
After scoring her 1,000th career point against Penn State, Amiee Book has scored 81 points in the last five games which includes a career-high 31 points at Portland State. The senior has knocked down 18 3-pointers in that stretch.
Like Book, Amaya West began heating up recently as well, recording five straight double figure games which includes the three highest single-game outputs of her career (18, 19, 23). The run the last three weeks has moved West up to 10th in scoring in the MW.
MOVING UP THE BULLDOG DEFENSIVE SCORING CHARTS
By holding seven opponents below 50 points, it ranks tied for the seventh-most in program history. While it may seem impressive having done that in just 12 games, even more impressive that it has been done during an age of offense.
Since 2010, it is tied for the third-most in a season. Since 1980, is tied for the fourth-most.
Of the 13 seasons that have seen at least five opponents held below 50 points, five of them came in the 1970s.
IN A DIFFERENT DEFENSIVE CLASS
Through 12 games, Fresno State is holding teams to 51.4 points per game. While more than a third of the season has been played the Bulldogs are holding teams to more than seven 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).
KEEPING 'EM CLOSE
If you like close games, odds are good that you'll see one with the Bulldogs. Seven of Fresno State's 12 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 3-0 in games separated by 4-5 points.
Fresno State has twice missed a go-ahead attempt 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, Northern Arizona and Utah Valley, not allowing a fourth-quarter lead change.
START FAST
The first quarter this season has been telling for the Bulldogs. In all seven Fresno State wins, the 'Dogs have led after the first quarter. Four of those have seen the Bulldogs with a double-digit lead after 10 minutes.
Fresno State is 7-1 when leading after the first quarter. The lone loss, the 'Dogs led by just one.
TAKING ON THE CHALLENGE
With the Bulldogs' top three scorers gone from last season, Yanina Todorova took on the scoring load early for the 'Dogs. The fifth-year senior from Bulgaria is averaging 12.6 points per game, eighth in the Mountain West. It is 8.1 points above the 4.5 she averaged in her first two seasons at Fresno State.
Todorova scored a career-high 26 points Nov. 11 versus CSU Bakersfield.
The Bulgarian opened the season by scoring in double figures in back-to-back games for the first time since the end of the 2021-22 season against Missouri and Rice.
Todorova is tied with Amaya West for the team lead in double figures scoring games with seven.
The senior earned the first MW Player of the Week honor of her career on Dec. 19 after recording her second career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds against Utah Valley.
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, looking to be more of a scorer in her 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 in double figures in five straight games. That run has included the three highest scoring games of her career. She is currently 10th in the Mountain West, averaging 12.0 points per game.
More aggressive in getting to her spots, West has combined to shoot 31-of-64 (48.4%) in the last five, averaging 17.4 points per game.
SCOUTING UCLA
UCLA is off to a hot start to the season starting 11-1 with its only loss to No. 1 South Carolina.
The Bruins are ranked No. 11 in this week's AP Top 25 poll, are on a four-game winning streak and are a perfect 6-0 at home this season.
UCLA went 18-13 last season with an 8-8 mark in the Pac-12 to finish seventh in the Pac-12. The Bruins advanced to the WNIT semifinals winning four contests before falling to South Dakota State.
As a team, the Bruins lead the Pac-12 in offensive boards per game (16.9) and are second in rebounds per game (45.2) & free throw percentage (74.5).
Senior guard Charisma Osborne ranks fourth in the Pac-12 averaging 18.2 points per game while leading the team with 6.8 boards per game.