FRESNO STATE (1-1) VS. MORGAN STATE (2-1)
Nov. 15, 2023 | 7:30 p.m. PT | MWN | Save Mart Center Center | Fresno, Calif.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Stream - Mountain West Network / Radio - Bulldog Sports Network (BSN)
Play-by-Play - Paul Loeffler
Analyst - Marc Q. Jones
Sideline - Taylor Martinez
Stream: Mountain West Network
Live Stats: Bulldogslive.com
X (Twitter): @FresnoStateMBB
Tickets: Bulldog Ticket Office
FRESNO, Calif. — Fresno State returns home to the Central Valley to host Morgan State, its first game of the 2023 Cancun Challenge, at the Save Mart Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT. The Bulldogs will then travel to Cancun to play the remaining two games of the tournament next week.
Fresno State will being hosting International Night on Wednesday. The Bulldogs have six players on its roster who hail from outside the United States (Brazil, Canada, Dominican Republic, England, Haiti, Nigeria).
QUICK LOOK
While the 'Dogs just returned from a more than 4,000-mile trip, they are set to go on their second trip of similar distance in the first three weeks of the season when they head to the Yucatan Peninsula for the Cancun Challenge (Nov. 21-22).
In last week's season opener, Fresno State got 39 points combined from four of its newcomers. The number increased to 45 points in the Bulldogs' second game at Kent State. 61.8 percent of Fresno State's scoring this season has come from its newcomers.
Wyoming transfer Xavier DuSell has been a big part of that as the guard has poured in 37 points. His 18.5 points per game is tied for fourth in the Mountain West.
Fifth-year senior point guard Isaiah Hill is tied for second in the MW in assists per game at 7.5 to go along with his 10.5 points per contest.
Hill continues to move up the Bulldog record book through the opening week of play, moving to No. 37 in scoring and No. 9 in assists.
ABOUT THE MATCHUP
Wednesday will be the first-ever matchup between Fresno State and Morgan State, two schools that are separated by more than 2,300 miles.
HILL IN THE RECORD BOOK
Isaiah Hill, who started his collegiate career at Tulsa, moved into the Top 50 of Fresno State's all-time scoring list last season and is the 47th men's basketball player to score at least 900 points as a Bulldog.
Hill entered the 2023-24 season ranked 44th all-time in program history with 962 career points at Fresno State. Following his 10 points against Fresno Pacific in the season opener, he has moved up to No. 40, passing Cezar Guerrero.
With 11 points at Kent State, Hill moved up three more spots and passed Paul George in the process.
FLOOR GENERAL
Through two games, Isaiah Hill has dished out 15 assists. His eight assists in the season opener against Fresno Pacific were tied for the second-most in a game in his Bulldog career.
In his last five games, Hill has recorded 37 assists with his lowest single-game output of six.
Hill has 16 games at Fresno State with at least six assists.
In 90 games as a Bulldog, Hill ranks ninth in career assists, moving up two spots this season.
BRINGING THE THREES
In his Bulldog debut, Xavier DuSell gave Fresno State fans a taste of what's to come from the marksman. The Wyoming transfer knocked down 4-of-7 from outside and led the 'Dogs with 19 points. The senior matched that mark in Game No. 2 going 4-of-7 at Kent State en route to an 18-point performance.
DuSell averaged 2.0 made 3-pointers per contest in 86 games at Wyoming.
INSTANT OFFENSE
With the Bulldogs looking for a spark at Kent State, in came in the form of freshman Isaac Taveras. The 6-foot-5 quick, aggressive freshman got to the bucket with ease in the second half, scoring 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting and producing two steals in 15 minutes.
GOING INTERNATIONAL
With three internationals already on the roster in Eduardo Andre (England), Leo Colimerio (Brazil) and Chuks Isitua (Nigeria), the Bulldogs added three more players with passports to its roster during the offseason. The 'Dogs brought in transfers Enoch Boakye (Canada) and Pierre Geneste Jr. (Haiti) along with freshman Isaac Taveras (Dominican Republic).
When they make their debuts, the three additions will be the 29th, 30th and 31st international players to play for Fresno State.
Boakye will be the fourth Canadian to play for the Bulldogs while Geneste Jr. and Taveras will be the first from their countries.
Colimerio was the Bulldogs' fourth player from Brazil while Andre and Isitua were the first to play for Fresno State from England and Nigeria.