FRESNO STATE (8-6, 1-0 MW) VS SAN JOSE STATE (5-7)
Wed. Jan. 3, 2024 | 7 p.m. PT | NBC Sports Bay Area | Mountain West Network | Provident Credit Union Event Center | San Jose, Calif.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Watch: Mountain West Network
Watch:NBC Sports Bay Area
Play-by-Play: Chris Slyvester
Stats:Statbroadcast
Listen: BulldogSportsNetwork
Play-by-Play: Matt Norville
Twitter (X): @FresnoStateWBB
FRESNO, Calif.- Fresno State women's basketball team will face their first road opponent of the conference against the San Jose Spartans on Wednesday night.
BULLDOG BONES
Fresno State is 1-0 to start conference play
Fresno State has been 0-4 on road matches this season
Fresno State joins four other Mountain West teams at 1-0 (UNLV, San Diego State, Wyoming and New Mexico)
Fresno State is coming off of a win against Air Force, 59-49
Bulldogs will open conference play for the Spartans in San Jose
Bulldogs have scored 30+ points from the paint in the last three games (34, vs Air Force), (32, vs Arizona State) and (30, vs Sacramento State)
Two Bulldogs scored in double-digits against Air Force (12, Deajanae Harvey and Keely Brown)
'Dogs are 0-3 when playing on Wednesdays
Fresno State enters the second week of conference play with a +7.41 scoring margin (+10.0 MW) a +3.14 rebounding margin (+4.0 MW)
Fresno State was predicted to finish the season in 10th place
ABOUT THE MATCH UP
Fresno State and San Jose State will meet for the 85th time in program history since their first meeting in 1973 and their 44th meeting in San Jose. Fresno State leads the all-time meetings 63-23. San Jose leads the series with a one game win streak. The last time out, the Spartans took the victory in San Jose on Feb. 25, 2023, 73-66.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Head coach April Phillips is entering her second season leading the Spartans
In the 2022-23 campaign Coach Phillips led the Spartans to the quarterfinal game in the Mountain West Tournament
San Jose State is coming off a loss in their last non-conference game against Saint Mary's, 52-70
Spartans are coming into conference play with a 5-7 record
San Jose State added six new players to their 2023-24 roster (Jyah LoVett, Kaliyah Dillard, Mame Ndoye, Maya Anderson, Sydni Summers, Finau Tonya)
Spartans have also earned one MW Honor this season (LoVett, FoTW)
ROSTER DIVE
San Jose State's Freshman Joyah LoVett, who was tabbed Freshman of the Week (Nov. 20) has been a core starter for the Spartans this season going 11-for-11
Other starters for the Spartans include Sabrina Ma (12/12) and Amhyia Moreland (12/10)
Moreland shoots 60% from the field, 67% from the three and 60% from the foul line, averaging 6.3 rebounds and 11.3 points
Against Saint Mary's top scorers for the Spartans were LoVett (15), Moreland (13) and Ma (11)
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS
Sabrina Ma will be the lone returning starter to face the 'Dogs since Feb. 2023. Against Fresno State Ma would record 20 points, 6-of-11 from the three and four rebounds. Moreland, a current starter for the Spartans will also be back, last time out she recorded one point, two steals, two rebounds and shot 0-5 from the field.
Leading scorer for the Spartans was Jada Holland who put up 21 points, three assists, three steals, six rebounds, 6-of-9 from the field and 9-of-9 from the foul line.
JA HEARD IT HERE
Senior Deajanae "Ja" Harvey led the Bulldogs in three categories against Air Force last Saturday. Harvey would lead in scoring (12 pts), rebounds (7) and steals (4). Harvey would have a standout period in the fourth to pull the Bulldogs through a conference opener victory. With a one point lead to start the last ten minutes of play Harvey would use all ten minutes on the court to keep the 'Dogs up. Recording nine of the teams 21 points and shooting 57% from the field going 4-of-7.
BULLDOG HIGHLIGHTS
Fresno State is 1-0 to start conference play
Head coach Jaime White now holds a 5-5 record in conference opener games
Two Bulldogs' would record double-digits, Deajanae Harvey (12) and Keely Brown (12)
Fresno State team highs; Points (Keely Brown, 12 and Deajanae Harvey, 12), rebounds (Deajanae Harvey, 7) and assists (Deajanae Harvey, 3)
Bulldogs would have their largest lead of the game with 11 points in the fourth quarter
Fresno States' largest scoring run of the night, 7-0
Fresno State would shoot 45% from the field (23-of-51), 26% from the three (4-of-15) and 75% from the foul line, going 9-of-12
Fresno State is now 6-1 when leading at half
Bulldogs would see their highest scoring period in the fourth with 21 points
MW STANDINGS
Conference play has started along with a fresh set of rankings. Fresno State remained high in the Mountain West rankings all through the non-conference portion of the season and still sees time at the top after the first week of play. Mia Jacobs, Keely Brown and Deajanae Harvey start the Bulldogs off in the individual rankings. Harvey leads the Bulldogs with two top ten rankings.
Deajanae Harvey is…
No. 1 in steals with 4
No. 8 in assists with 3
T12 in rebounds with 7
T17 in scoring with 12 points
Keely Brown is tied for No. 5 in 3PFGM with 2 and joins Harvey tied at No. 17 in scoring with 12 points
Mia Jacobs is No. 4 in FT% with 83% (5-of-6)
Fresno State is ranked…
No. 1 in steals with 10
T1 in offensive rebound percentage at 85%
No. 2 rebounding margin (+4.00)
T3 in FG% at 45% going 23-of-51
T3 scoring margin (+10.00)
No. 7 in scoring offense with 59 points