Game 13: Fresno State (5-7, 1-0 MW) at Utah State (11-2, 0-0 MW)
Dec. 31, 2022 • 11 a.m. PT • Logan, Utah • Dee Glen Smith Spectrum
TV/ONLINE: CBS Sports Network (Dave Ryan & Dan Dickau)
RADIO: Bulldog Sports Network (Paul Loeffler & Marc Q. Jones)
SERIES HISTORY: Utah State leads 39-23 (overall) & 25-7 (in Logan, Utah)
LAST MEETING:Fresno State 61, Utah State 54 (1/18/22 • Fresno, Calif.)
UP NEXT: vs. No. 22 New Mexico (Jan. 3), at Colorado State (Jan. 7)
THE BREAKDOWN
Fresno State entered the 2022-23 season bringing back eight returners, which includes four seniors in Jemarl Baker, Jordan Campbell, Anthony Holland and Isaiah Hill along with juniors Destin Whitaker, Donavan Yap and Leo Colimerio and sophomore Steven Vasquez.
Fresno State head coach Justin Hutson is in his fifth season back home in the Central Valley.
The Bulldogs are coming off a 23-win campaign in 2021-22 and a postseason title after winning The Basketball Classic, presented by ERACISM, in April - two 23-win seasons (2018-19 and 2021-22).
Seven new players have joined the program: guards Jordan Brinson (Salt Lake CC), Alexander Gorton (Palm Beach Atlantic), Joseph Hunter (San Joaquin Memorial HS) and Jeff Sims (Santa Rosa Academy) along with forward Isaih Moore (Southern Miss) and centers Chuks Isitua (IUPUI) and Eduardo Andre (Nebraska).
Two Bulldogs - Moore (11.8 PPG) and Baker (11.0 PPG) - are averaging double-digits in scoring this season.
OPENING TIP
Fresno State will visit the Utah State Aggies on New Year's Eve (Saturday) at 11 a.m. PT.
The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network (television) and the Bulldog Sports Network (radio).
Since joining the league in 2012, Fresno State is 2-8 in MW road openers (1-3 in Hutson's tenure).
Fresno State's first six Division I nonconference opponents were all in the Top 125 KenPom teams.
Fresno State is playing its 20th season at the Save Mart Center (first game was back on Dec. 5, 2003).
SERIES HISTORY: FRESNO STATE VS. UTAH STATE
Fresno State trails its all-time series with Wyoming 39-23 (overall), which includes a 7-25 record against the Aggies in Logan.
Fresno State won the only meeting between the programs last season, rallying from a 16-point deficit to defeat Utah State 61-54 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif.
The victory was the second against the Aggies in Hutson's tenure, with the other triumph coming in 2019 when Braxton Huggins scored a then-career-high 33 points, including eight 3-pointers, to lead the Bulldogs to a thrilling 78-77 road win in the Spectrum. Huggins hit the game-winner with 5.2 seconds on the clock.
'DOGS CORRAL COWBOYS IN MW OPENER
A three-pointer by Jemarl Baker with 1:01 to play in regulation lifted the Fresno State men's basketball team into the lead as the Bulldogs opened Mountain West play with a 58-53 victory over Wyoming on Wednesday night at the Save Mart Center.
The Bulldogs were led by Baker with 20 points as the fifth-year senior connected on a season-high four three pointers and went 8-of-15 from the field.
Isaih Moore added 13 points and corralled nine rebounds, co-leading the team with Leo Colimerio, who chipped in eight points and nine boards for Fresno State (5-7, 1-0 Mountain West).
Wyoming (5-8, 0-1 MW) was led by 16 points from Noah Reynolds.
FRESNO STATE CONTENDING IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST
Since joining the Mountain West in 2012, Fresno State has won the 2016 conference tournament championship and finished as high as second in the regular season. The Bulldogs have finished no lower than seventh in league play in its first 10 seasons in the Mountain West, which includes six first round byes in the MW Tournament. In the last seven MW campaigns, the 'Dogs won an average of 10.3 MW contests per year -- twice going 13-5 against MW opponents, including Hutson's first season at Fresno State during the 2018-19 season. Fresno State averaged nearly 10 conference victories per season (9.7) in Hutson's first four seasons as the Bulldogs' head coach.