Game 22: Fresno State (7-14, 3-7 MW) at UNLV (15-7, 4-6 MW)
Feb. 3, 2023 • 8 p.m. PT • Las Vegas, Nev. • Thomas & Mack Center
TV/ONLINE: FS1 (Tim Neverett & Richie Schueler)
RADIO: Bulldog Sports Network (Paul Loeffler & Marc Q. Jones)
SERIES HISTORY: UNLV leads 34-18 (overall)
LAST MEETING: Fresno State 76, UNLV 63 (1/21/23 • Fresno, Calif.)
UP NEXT: vs. San Jose State (Feb. 7), at Nevada (Feb. 10)
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).
Three Bulldogs - Moore (11.9 PPG), Baker (10.9 PPG) and Hill (10.4 PPG) - are averaging double-digits scoring.
OPENING TIP
Fresno State visits the UNLV Runnin' Rebels on Friday night at 8 p.m. PT at the Thomas & Mack Center.
The game will be broadcast on FS1 (television/web) and the Bulldog Sports Network (radio).
Fresno State is second in the MW in scoring defense in conference play (67.20 points allowed per MW game).
Fresno State is second in the MW in scoring defense (64.33 points allowed per game) for the 2022-23 season.
Fresno State is currently tied for eighth with Air Force in the MW standings.
Fresno State is seeking to snap a seven-game losing streak in road conference games.
Fresno State is in a stretch of playing three games in seven days, including the final two on the road.
SEASON NOTABLES
Fresno State's first six Division I nonconference opponents were all Top 125 KenPom teams.
Fresno State earned its first win over an Associated Press Top 25 opponent since 2002 when the Bulldogs handed then-No. 21/22 New Mexico 71-67 its first loss of the season on Jan. 3 at the Save Mart Center.
Fresno State powered past the UNLV Runnin' Rebels 76-63 on Jan. 21 at the Save Mart Center.
Fresno State enters having made 74.0 percent of its free throws (216-292), which has a chance to track down the school record for single-season free throw percentage (74.2 percent, 484-652, 1991-92).
Through games played on Jan. 31, 10 of 11 Mountain West programs were rated in the Top 110 nationally in strength of schedule. Nevada leads the MW at 24th nationally, while Fresno State is fourth (58th).
Through the first 21 games of the season, Fresno State has had 10 of its 13 scholarship players miss at least one game due to injury or illness and have combined to miss 67 games throughout the 2022-23 season.
Fresno State leads Northern and Central California in attendance during the 2022-23 season (4,598/game).
SERIES HISTORY: FRESNO STATE VS. UNLV
Fresno State trails its all-time series with UNLV, 18-34 (overall). However, the Bulldogs have won 10 of the last 14 meetings in the series - splitting the season series in each of the past two seasons.
Six of the last seven games in the series have been decided by two possessions or less.
Five of the last seven games in the series have been decided by one possession (three points or fewer).
Three of the last seven in the series have been decided by a single point (all three of those won by UNLV).
Fresno State defeated UNLV 76-63 at home in the first meeting between the programs this season (Jan. 21).
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.
FRESNO STATE PRODUCING NBA DRAFT LOTTERY PICKS, PROS
In the last 23 seasons, Fresno State has produced three NBA Lottery picks - Paul George (No. 10 overall in 2010), Melvin Ely (No. 12 overall in 2002) and Courtney Alexander (No. 13 overall in 2000) - while UNLV has two and San Diego State has one in that same 22-season span.
Overall, Fresno State has had 32 players go on to play in the NBA, including 21 being selected in the NBA Draft with five first-round picks (four since 2000).
Paul George current plays for the Los Angeles Clippers and Orlando Robinson plays for the Miami Heat.