Game 15: Fresno State (6-8, 2-1 MW) at Colorado State (8-8, 0-3 MW) • V1
Jan. 7, 2022 • 1:30 p.m. PT • Fort Collins, Colo. • Moby Arena
TV/ONLINE: Mountain West Network
RADIO: Bulldog Sports Network (Paul Loeffler & Marc Q. Jones)
SERIES HISTORY: Colorado State leads 24-17 (overall) & 18-3 (in Fort Collins, CO)
LAST MEETING: Colorado State 65, Fresno State 50 (2/11/22 • Moby Arena)
UP NEXT: at San Jose State (Jan. 10); vs. Air Force (Jan. 14)
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 (11.9 PPG) and Baker (11.8 PPG) - are averaging double-digits in scoring this season.
OPENING TIP
Fresno State visits the Colorado State Rams on Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. PT at Moby Arena.
The game will be broadcast on Mountain West Network (stream) and the Bulldog Sports Network (radio).
Fresno State enters Saturday's game tied for fourth in the Mountain West with a 2-1 record in conference play.
Fresno State earned its first win over an AP Top 25 opponent since 2002 when the Bulldogs handed No. 21/22 New Mexico 71-67 its first loss of the season on Tuesday night at the Save Mart Center.
Fresno State's first six Division I nonconference opponents were all in the Top 125 KenPom teams.
Through games played on Jan. 5, nine Mountain West programs were rated in the Top 140 nationally in strength of schedule. Colorado State is second in the MW, while Fresno State had the third strongest schedule.
Fresno State enters Saturday's game 2-1 in Quad 2 games (wins at UC Irvine and versus No. 21/22 UNM).
SERIES HISTORY: FRESNO STATE VS. COLORADO STATE
Fresno State trails its all-time series with Colorado State, 17-24 (overall), which includes a 3-18 record against the Rams on the road in Fort Collins, Colo.
Fresno State is seeking to snap seven-game losing streak to Colorado State.
Fresno State is seeking its first road win at Colorado State since an 82-79 overtime victory on Jan. 6, 2018.
Fresno State is seeking its second road win at Colorado State since 1994 (first in Hutson's tenure).
This will mark the fourth road game in the series since the teams have played at the Save Mart Center (last meeting in Fresno was back on Feb. 4, 2020 - an 80-70 loss to the Rams). During this stretch, the Bulldogs and Rams also met in the 2021 MW Tournament in Las Vegas.
'DOGS KNOCK OFF NO. 21/22 LOBOS, 71-67
Led by four Bulldogs in double figures, Fresno State knocked off No. 21/22 New Mexico 71-67 on Jan. 3 at the Save Mart Center in front of a season-high 4,868 fans. The loss was UNM's first of the season and the Lobos were the last undefeated team in the nation entering the game.
Fresno State notched its first win over a Top 25 team since defeating San Diego State 59-57 on Jan. 3. 2015. (Note: The Aztecs were ranked 25th in the USA Today Coaches Poll, but were not ranked in the AP Top 25.)
The Bulldogs snapped their 29-game losing streak to Associated Press Top 25 teams as Fresno State's last victory over an AP Top 25 team came back on Feb. 10, 2002 - a 58-52 win over No. 14 Oklahoma State at Selland Arena in downtown Fresno (Fresno State's home arena from 1967-2003).
It was Fresno State's 99th all-time game against an AP Top 25 team (20-79 record vs. AP Top 25).
This was the 10th game played against an AP Top 25 team in head coach Justin Hutson's tenure with the Bulldogs (first win).
This was Jemarl Baker's ninth game as a Bulldog with at least 10 points (seventh this season).
Eduardo Andre scored a career-high 12 points and also had a career-best four steals for the Bulldogs.
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.