FRESNO STATE (6-4) VS. PORTLAND STATE (8-3)
Dec. 18, 2023 | 7 p.m. PT | MWN | Save Mart 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 will play its final home game of 2023, hosting Portland State on Monday night. It will be the fourth straight game for the Bulldogs at the Save Mart Center. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. PT and will stream on the Mountain West Network.
Following Monday's contest, Fresno State won't be back at the Save Mart Center for 19 days.
QUICK LOOK
Fresno State is 5-1 on its home court this season and have not allowed an opponent to score 70 points at the Save Mart Center this year.
Fresno State ranks second in the Mountain West in effective field-goal percent (55.7%) and third in field goal percentage (49.2%), 3-point percentage (36.2) and fast break points (13.4).
Depth has come in handy thus far as the Bulldogs' bench is averaging 23.8 points per game, best in the MW.
Senior Isaiah Hill has done the heavy lifting for Fresno State thus far, leading the team in scoring (14.3 ppg) and assists (6.1 apg). Whereas the point guard ranks No. 13 in the Mountain West in scoring, he ranks 17th nationally in assists per game, fourth in the MW.
Donavan Yap Jr. is second on the team in scoring at 10.3 points per game. The senior leads the 'Dogs in 3-point percentage, connecting at 44.8 percent clip (13-of-29).
With seven newcomers to the squad, that group has stepped in quickly to help complement the returners in the scoring column. Newcomers have accounted for 45.2 percent of the scoring thus far.
The 'Dogs rank No. 5 in the MW in rebounding margin (+1.9) with Enoch Boakye third in the league getting 7.7 rpg.
ABOUT THE MATCHUP
Fresno State and Portland State will meet for just the fifth time in their history with the 'Dogs winning each contest.
The Bulldogs and Vikings have not met since Nov. 29, 1980, a 31-point victory for the 'Dogs in Fresno.
THREE IN A ROW IN FRESNO
With its recent home stretch, Fresno State has won three straight games, with one more contest to play at the Save Mart Center.
The Bulldogs have not won three consecutive regular-season games since Jan. 11-18, 2022. The 'Dogs closed that season with four straight wins during the postseason to win The Basketball Classic.
Fresno State started the 2021-22 season with five straight wins.
NOT PLAYING CLOSE
Whether at home or on the road, Fresno State games for the most part haven't been close. Seven of the Bulldogs' 10 games have been separated by double digits.
Fresno State is 2-1 in the two games separated by five points or less.
Four games have been separated by more than 20 points (2-2).
SCORING FROM THE BENCH
Depth is big in a long season and Fresno State has been trying to develop that. Fresno State is getting 23.8 points per game from its bench, best in the Mountain West.
A bench player has scored in double figures in seven out of 10 games for the Bulldogs.
The 'Dogs are 2-0 this season when two bench players reach double figures.
70 IS THE MAGIC NUMBER
70 points. Through 10 games, 70 has been the number that the Bulldogs' offense is looking for. All but one of Fresno State's wins have come when scoring more than 70 points. When they don't hit that mark, it has all but once resulted in a loss for the 'Dogs.
FLOOR GENERAL
Through 10 games, Isaiah Hill has dished out 61 assists. His eight assists in the season opener against Fresno Pacific were tied for the second-most in a game in his Bulldog career. He matched that last week against UCSB. Against CSU Bakersfield, he dished out a season-high nine assists.
In his last 11 games, Hill has recorded 83 assists.
Hill has 19 games at Fresno State with at least six assists.
In 98 games as a Bulldog, Hill ranks seventh in career assists, moving up four spots this season.
While Hill sits No. 4 in the Mountain West, and No. 17 in the NCAA, this season with 6.1 assists per game, he can also score, putting up 14.3 points per game, 13th-most in the MW.