Fresno State (2-0, 0-0) vs Pepperdine (2-1, 0-0)
Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023 | 5 p.m. PT | Mountain West Network | Save Mart Center | Fresno, Calif.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Watch: Mountain West Network
Stats: BulldogsLive.com
Radio: Bulldog Sports Network (BSN)
Matt Norville, Taylor Martinez
Fresno State (2-0, 0-0) vs CSU Bakersfield (0-2, 0-0)
Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023 | 7 p.m. PT | EPSN+ | Icardo Center | Bakersfield, Calif.
Watch: ESPN+
Stats: StatBroadcast
Social Media
Instagram: @FresnoStWBB
Twitter (X): @FresnoStateWBB
FRESNO, Calif- Fresno State women's basketball will play their first game of the week at home to host Pepperdine at 5 p.m. PT in a double-header night. The 'Dogs will then hit the road to close out the week against the Roadrunners on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. PT.
BULLDOG BONES
Fresno State enters the 2023-24 season with the addition of seven new players, three transfers and four freshman
Bulldogs earned their first triple digit win of the season vs. UC Merced (100-47) and the second triple digit win for head coach Jamie White's in her time at Fresno State
True Freshman Taija Sta. Maria was tabbed as the Mountain West Freshman of the Week (Nov.13), the first MW honor of the 2023-24 season
Bineta Diatta earns the Bulldogs' first double-double of the season vs UC Merced (14 points, 14 rebounds)
*Fresno State women's basketball team is ranked in the Top-10 nationally; No.7 nationally (No.2 MW) in Free Throw Percentage (86.8) and No.8 nationally (No.1 MW) in Rebound Margin (25.0)
Fresno State has not lost to Pepperdine at home since their first meeting in the Save Mart Center on Jan. 8, 1994.
'Dogs will face their first road test of the season against the Roadrunners this Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023 at 7 p.m. PT
*Ranked out of 348 teams via NCAA Statistics as of Nov. 13, 2023
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT - Pepperdine
Pepperdine is sitting 1-2 going into Wednesday's game, the Waves are coming off a win against CalTech (79-42).
Pepperdine's only loss has come from fellow Mountain West opponent, New Mexico.
Fresno State is the first of three Mountain West opponents the Waves will face in their MW road trip, with Nevada and Boise to follow.
Fresno State and Pepperdine will meet for the 14th time on Wednesday and for the fifth time at home.The 'Dogs trail the all-time meetings 6-7, and are 4-0 at the Save Mart Center. The last meeting between the teams was in a double-overtime loss (81-78) in Malibu on Nov. 18, 2012.
Pepperdine has seen a shift in its roster since last season, with losing three players to the transfer portal (Becky Obinma, No.16 Notre Dame), (Meaali'i Amosa, UC San Diego), (Ally Stedman, Miami), the Waves will see only one starting returner, Jane Nwaba.
Pepperdine roster features eight transfers from Division 1 schools, four of which are coming from a Power-5 conference. Mi'Cole Cayton (Minnesota), Myra Gordon (Alabama), Maggie Vick (Iowa State) and Lexi Griggsby (Uni. Washington.)
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT - CSU Bakersfield
Fresno State will take on their first road game of the non-conference portion against CSU Bakersfield, tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. PT on ESPN+
Fresno State and CSU Bakersfield will meet for the 13th time on Saturday and for the seventh time in Bakersfield.The 'Dogs lead the all-time meetings 9-3, and are 5-1 at the Icardo Center. The last meeting between the teams, the Roadrunners narrowly beat the 'Dogs at home (56-53) on Nov. 11, 2022.
CSU Bakersfield is sitting 0-2 going into Saturday's game, after opening the season to the Golden Bears, the Roadrunners are now coming off another loss against University of Pacific (54-67).
The Roadrunners will be missing a few players for the 2023-24 season. With two seniors gone and three entering the transfer portal, most notably Hennie van Schaik (Louisville).
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Freshman Taija Sta. Maria has been tabbed as the Mountain West's first Freshman of the Week.
After recording a combined 37 points in just two games (12, vs Fresno Pacific; 25, vs UC Merced), six rebounds, six assists and five steals. Sta. Maria earns the Mountain West's first Freshman of the Week honor for the 2023-24 season. Sta. Maria is the first freshman to be selected since Tamia Stricklin in Dec. 13. 2022.
Sta. Maria scored two 3-pointers off of steals against UC Merced, with the second score off a steal happening in the fourth period. Sta. Maria is ranked second in the MW individual highs for points, only one point behind Colorado State's Hofschild (MW Preseason Player of the year) (Nov.13).
INTERNATIONAL NIGHT
With the addition of four new internationals on the roster in Mia Jacobs (Australia), Bineta Diatta (Senegal), Maria Konstantinidou (Germany) and Taija Sta. Maria (Canada) the Bulldogs now have a total of nine internationals, the most head coach Jamie White has had on a single roster. These four 'Dogs join the current five international players, Thea Mikkelsen (Denmark), Elif Dila Bayrak (Turkey), Alannah Chatfield (Australia), Maria Doreste (Spain) and Franka Wittenberg (Germany)