FRESNO STATE (7-6) VS AIR FORCE (7-6)
Sat. Dec. 30, 2023 | 2 p.m. PT | Mountain West Network | Save Mart Center | Fresno, Calif.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Watch:Mountain West Network
Stats: BulldogsLive.com
Listen: Bulldog Sports Network (BSN)
Play-by-Play: Matt Norville
Sidelines: Taylor Martinez
Twitter (X): @FresnoStateWBB
FRESNO, Calif.- Fresno State women's basketball team will host the Air Force Falcons this Saturday to open Mountain West Conference play this Saturday.
BULLDOG BONES
Fresno State will open up Mountain West conference play with a 7-6 non-conference record
Head coach Jamie White is currently 4-5 in conference opener games
Three Bulldogs have been tabbed with Mountain West honors, Taija Sta. Maria (2x, Freshman of the Week), Kylee Fox (Freshman of the Week) and most recently Mia Jacobs (Player of the Week, Dec. 26)
'Dogs are on even footing with the Falcons both coming into conference play with a 7-6 record and a loss on the road.
Taija Sta. Maria is nationally ranked in the Top 100 in three categories...
No. 56 in assists with 57 (3rd MW)
No. 68 in assists/TO with a 2.19 ratio (4th MW)
No. 93 in assist per game with 4.4 (4th MW)
Mia Jacobs is the most prominent Bulldog in the Mountain Wests individual statistics, Jacobs seeing herself in the Top 10 of the conference three times
'Dogs will kick off the new year on the road to face San Jose State and San Diego State
Fresno State was predicted to finish the season in ninth place
*Ranking via NCAA Stats, ranked out of 145 for assists, 250 assist/to ratio and 248 for APG
ABOUT THE MATCH UP
Fresno State and Air Force will meet for the twenty-second time in program history since their first meeting in 1997 and the twelfth meeting at the Save Mart Center. Fresno State leads the all-time meetings, 18-4, with the 'Dogs last win in Feb. 2022 (75-67). The Falcons are holding onto a two win streak in the series, with the Falcons last win at the Save Mart Center in Feb. 2023, 74-59.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Head coach Chris Gobrecht is in her ninth season leading the Falcons
The Falcons sit 7-6 coming into conference play with a 1-3 record on road matches
Air Force is coming off back-to-back losses at Clemson (70-54) and at SMU (75-44)
As a team, the Falcons; average 61.6 ppg, have -4.8 scoring margin, shoot 36% from the field (22.5 avg), have a -5.6 rebounding margin (34.2 RBG), shoot 26% from the three (75-of-282) and 73% from the foul line (142-of-193)
Air Force will see three returning starters from last year
USAFA saw their largest incoming class with eight new additions to the roster
Smith will be the only returning Falcon that started in last seasons game against Fresno State, Smith recorded 23 points, 4 rebounds, and 2-of-3 from the three
ROSTER DIVE
Core starters for the Falcons are Madison Smith, Dasha Macmillian, and Jayda McNabb each going 13/13 on starts, not far behind are Milahnie Perry and Taylor Britt each with 12 starts
In the MW…
Smith is No. 3 in steals with 36
McNabb is No. 8 in steals with 25
Perry is No. 4 in scoring with 194 points
Britt is No. 1 in steals with 40
MOUNTAIN WEST PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sophomore Mia Jacobs earns her first Mountain West in-season honor this week. After playing a season and career high game against Arizona State at the Jerry Colangelo Hall of Fame Series in Phoenix.
Jacobs racked up 31 points, 7 three-pointers, seven rebounds, one steal and one assist against the Sun Devils. Jacobs would lead the field in both points scored and three-point field goals made.
Jacobs would be a strong leader for the Bulldogs against a Pac-12 team taking the offensive lead for the team. Totaling 31 points, Jacobs would account for 40% of the team's points. Rolling through downtown, of the seven three-pointers made by Jacobs, four of them would be game changing shots for the team.
Jacobs would close out the game shooting 63% from the three going 7-of-11 and recording four 3-pointers in the final ten minutes of play. In a close game that came down to the wire, Jacobs would shoot two 3PFG in the last minute of the fourth quarter to get the team within 2 points with 9 seconds left.
Jacobs' marks the third Bulldog to receive Mountain West Weekly Honors this season and is the first Bulldog this season with Player of the Week honors.
TWO FOR THE BOOKS
Two Bulldogs would record a career night this last week, Mia Jacobs and Sydney Dethman.
Mia Jacobs etches her name into the 'Last Time in Bulldog History' in five places after a stellar game in Phoenix. In individual statistics, with 31 points Jacobs replaces Haley Cavinder (30 points) for 30 Points by a Player. Jacobs' also tied Haley C. with 12 field goals made by one player.
Both Jacobs (31 points) and Dethman (21 points) replaced the Cavinder twins for Two Players with 20 or more points in the same game.
Jacobs replaces Amiee Book in one category and ties in another. Against ASU Jacobs made seven three-pointers would replace Books' six 3PFGM against New Mexico in 2022. Jacobs now ties Book with 11 three-pointers attempted.
MOUNTAIN WEST STANDINGS
Conference play is here and the Bulldogs are ready to go. Fresno State has remained high in the Mountain West rankings all throughout the non-conference portion of the season. Mia Jacobs and
Taija Sta. Maria continued to see time in the top ten rankings for individual statistics in the Mountain West.
Mia Jacobs has entered back into the top ten for scoring at No. 7 with 165 points (13.75 avg) through twelve games
Jacobs' enters at No.9 in 3PFGM with 23 at a 1.92 avg
Jacobs also moves up to No. 6 in rebounds with 80 (6.67 avg) through twelve games
Taija Sta. Maria has stayed at No. 4 this week in assists with 57 (4.38 avg) and drops to No. 4 in assists/turnover ratio (2.19 ratio) through thirteen games.
Fresno State is ranked...
No. 3 in scoring offense with 890 points (68.46 avg)
No. 4 in 3PFG% at 35% going 88-of-251
No. 4 in 3PFGM with 88 (6.7 avg)
No. 4 scoring margin (+6.92)
No. 5 rebounding margin (+3.08)