Game 18: Fresno State (8-9, 1-3 MW) vs. San Diego State (12-4, 2-1 MW)
Jan. 11, 2022 • 6 p.m. PT • Fresno, Calif. • Save Mart Center
TV/ONLINE: Mountain West Network (PxP: Matt Norville / Sideline: Taylor Martinez)
RADIO: Bulldog Sports Network (PxP: Matt Norville / Sideline: Taylor Martinez)
LIVE: BulldogsLive.com
LAST MEETING: San Diego State 77-69 in San Diego, Calif. on Feb. 19, 2022
SERIES HISTORY: Aztecs lead 30-26
BULLDOG BONES
Fresno State heads into its third straight home game on Wednesday night, hosting San Diego State.
In their first five conference games, Fresno State will play four top five teams in the MW's preseason poll (Colorado State, Wyoming, UNLV, San Diego State).
The Aztecs are the second Bulldog opponent in the last week to enter the Save Mart Center with 12 wins.
While the 'Dogs have struggled on the road, seven of their eight have come at home.
In 10 games at the Save Mart Center, the Bulldogs are 7-3, holding opponents to 49.1 points per contest.
In total, the 'Dogs have held 13 opponents below their season averages with eight of those being held more than 10 points below their average.
Wednesday's matchup will feature the league's top two defenses with San Diego State allowing 55.6 points per game and Fresno State at 56.2 points per game.
NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION
Cutting down the turnovers. After not recording a game with less than 10 turnovers through the first two months of the season, Fresno State posted back-to-back games with less than 10 to open 2023. The Bulldogs have turned the ball over 13 times during their last two games.
Fresno State's four turnovers against UNLV (Jan. 5) was the second-lowest single-game turnover total in program history.
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 8-2 when leading after the first quarter.
LIMITING QUARTER SCORING
Fresno State has played a total of 68 quarters this season, in 15 of those the Bulldogs have held their opponents to single digits. It has been a recipe for success as the 'Dogs are 8-3 in games in which they have held their opponent to single digits in at least one quarter.
Seven opponents have scored more than 20 points in a quarter. Fresno State is 1-6 in those games with the one win coming versus Northern Arizona. On the flip side, the Bulldogs are 6-3 when scoring 20 points in a quarter.
BRINGING SUNSHINE TO A CLOUDY DAY
With Fresno State's two other bigs in its rotation unavailable for Jan. 7's game against San Jose State, Sydney Dethman was the lone 'Dog brightening up the paint. Always with a smile on her face, the sophomore had a reason to smile on that day as she had a career day, earning her first double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Playing more than 37 minutes, Dethman shot 8-of-10 in the game, going 6-of-6 in the second quarter.
Only getting 80 minutes of action as a freshman, Dethman has stepped up, playing 381 minutes in Year 2. With that time has come an increased average of 5.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.
Dethman has posted the first two double-figure scoring games of her career during the last month.
SCOUTING SAN DIEGO STATE
San Diego State enters Wednesday's contest against the Bulldogs with a 12-4 record and a 2-1 mark in the Mountain West.
The Aztecs are coming off a 76-70 loss at home to UNLV on Saturday and are 2-1 on the road this season.
SDSU was picked to finish fifth in the MW preseason poll with senior guard Sophia Ramos named to the preseason All-MW team.
The Aztecs posted a 15-16 overall record in 2021-22 and went 8-10 in MW play to finish seventh in the league.
SDSU leads the MW in scoring defense as opponents only average 55.6 points per game. The Aztecs also rank second in the conference in field goal percentage (44.5 percent), field goal percentage defense (36.5 percent), steals (10.9), three-point percentage (34.8 percent), and turnovers forced per game (20.6).
Ramos ranks fifth in the MW in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.64) and is seventh in assists per game (3.4).