FRESNO STATE (10-10, 3-4 MW) VS WYOMING (11-7, 6-1 MW)
Sat. Jan. 27, 2024 | 1 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 returns home to the Save Mart Center since almost 14 days to host the Wyoming Cowgirls on Saturday. Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m. Pt streaming live on the Mountain West Network.
BULLDOG BONES
Fresno State is now 3-4 in conference play
Head Coach Jaime White is one more win away from reaching 100 wins in conference play
Fresno State saw its ninth game with 3 or more players scoring in double figures, 8-1
Sophomore Mia Jacobs played her fifth game scoring in double-figures and third straight 20+ game
Against New Mexico, Fresno State saw their highest points off second chances with 20 and their lowest points from turnovers at 5
The last home win for the Bulldogs was on Jan. 18, 2020 with a 30+ point win over the Cowgirls, 89-59
The programs have seen two overtime games in the series history, both in Head Coach Jaime White's tenure, 1-1, the most recent was a double-overtime in Laramie on New Years Eve in 2022
Fresno State goes into Saturday's match with a +2.57 scoring margin (No. 5 MW) and +0.57 rebounding margin (No. 6 MW)
This season Fresno State has seen strong success at home with two conference wins at home this season, 8-3
Last home win for Fresno State
With the win against Utah State, Fresno State has already tied its win total and conference win total from a season ago. (10-22, 3-15 MW)
Three Bulldogs have been tabbed with Mountain West honors so far this season, Taija Sta. Maria (2x, Freshman of the Week, Oct. 6 & Nov. 16 ), Kylee Fox (Freshman of the Week, Nov. 11) and Mia Jacobs (Player of the Week, Dec. 26)
Fresno State earned their first true road win of the season against San Jose State, 70-67
Fresno State recorded their highest team score this season vs UC Merced, 100-47
WHAT'S TO COME THIS WEEK
Fresno State women's basketball team returns to the Save Mart Center on Saturday to face Wyoming. Tip off is scheduled for 1 p.m. The game is part of a doubleheader with the Bulldog men facing Air Force at 4 p.m. Both games will stream on the Mountain West Network.
ABOUT THE MATCHUP
Fresno State and Wyoming will meet for the 41st time in program history since the first meeting in march of 1990 and the 16th meeting in Fresno. Fresno State leads the all-time series at 22-18, but Wyoming comes into Saturday's matchup on a three-game win streak in the series.
In Fresno, the Bulldogs have seen strong success with eleven wins and holding the Cowgirls to just four. The last home win for the 'Dogs came on Jan. 18, 2020 on a thirty point win, 89-59. Since then Wyoming has only won the last meeting in Fresno in Feb. 12, 2022, 61-58.
JACOBS IS ON THE RISE
Mia Jacobs is climbing to the top with standout performances in a string of conference games. Earning her fifth game scoring 20+ points against New Mexico (24 points), she is just a point shy of playing back-to--back games scoring 25+ points or more. With 24 points at New Mexico, Jacobs played her fourth straight double-figure game.
Scoring her way to 1000 career points (566) and 500 points as a Bulldog (286). Jacobs is also ranked at No. 5 in the Mountain West scoring for conference games with 121 points.This season Jacobs has been tabbed as the Mountain West Player of the Week (Dec. 26) after her performance at Arizona State (31 points, 7 rebounds, 7 three-pointers)
QUEENS OF THE THREE
Fresno State has been holding the Mountain West's number one ranking in 3PFGM for the last three weeks. Bulldogs currently have 10 more made three-point field goals then the two teams tied at the No. 2 spot (UNLV & Colorado State). With five players shooting strong from the three and as a team they have scored double-figure from the three in the last two games (11, at New Mexico), (11, at Nevada)
Mia Jacobs has made 42 three-pointers this season (40%), 19 in conference play and a conference high of 6 at Nevada. Jacobs has only seen three games not making a single three-pointer (FPU, CSUF, AF)
Kylee Fox has made 37 three-pointers this season (38%), 16 in conference play and a season high of 5 vs Portland State.
Keely Brown has made 20 three-pointers this season, 7 in conference play and has made a 3-pointer every conference game except at New Mexico
Taija Sta. Maria has also made at least one three-pointer every game since Jan. 7 at San Diego State.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Head Coach Heather Ezell enters her second season leading the Cowgirls
Wyoming visits Fresno holding a 11-7, 5-1 MW record coming off back-to-back wins against Colorado State and Air Force
Their only loss coming from New Mexico 61-68
Despite their strong record in the conference, Wyoming has yet to see a player or freshman of the week
Wyoming sees the return of two starters with Malene pedersen and Allyson Fertig and see five newcomers
Wyoming scores 64.2 ppg while allowing 60.6 ppg, shooting 45% from the field, 28% from the three and 77% from the line. holding a rebound margin of +4.3 and +3.6 scoring margin
Two Cowgirls average over 10ppg with Fertig (14.2) and Pedersen (10.2)and just on the cusp is Barnes (9.3)
BULLDOG HIGHLIGHTS
Fresno State drops down to 3-4 in conference play and 1-6 on the road
This is the third set of back-to-back losses for the Bulldogs this season
Mia Jacobs earns her fifth game scoring 20+ points and was one point shy of scoring 25 points or more in back-to-back games (25, at Nevada) (24, at New Mexico)
Bulldogs are now 1-4 when their opponent shoots 50% or better from the field (51% New Mexico)
Team Highs: Points (Mia Jacobs, 25) Rebounds (Mia Jacobs, 8) Assists (Taija Sta. Maria & Mia Jacobs, 4) Three-pointers (Kylee Fox & Mia Jacobs, 4)
Fresno State is now 8-1 when three players are scoring double-digits
Two Bulldogs earn season high points; Tamia Stricklin and Malaya LeSueur (6 points)
Opponents saw the charity line 18% more than and took over 16 more shots
Fresno State shot more from the three (11-to-7), out-rebounded (35-to-31)
Bulldogs saw more second chance shots (20-to-7) and more points from the bench (23-to-4)
Three Bulldogs recorded double-digits, Mia Jacobs (24), Kylee Fox (16) and Taija Sta. Maria (10)
MW STANDINGS
Conference play has begun 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 into another week of conference play. Mia Jacobs, Kylee Fox, Taija Sta. Maria and Deajanae Harvey start the Bulldogs off in the individual rankings. Four Bulldogs see top-ten rankings and Mia Jacobs still leads the team now with six top ten spots.
In the top-ten…
Mia Jacobs is…
T1 in 3PFGM with 19 (2.71 avg)
No. 1 in 3PFG% at 45% 19-of-42
No. 5 in scoring 121 points (17.29 avg)
No. 7 in rebounds with 51 (7.29 avg)
No. 9 in FG% 45% 39-86
No. 10 in FT% 72% 24-33
Taija Sta. Maria is…
T5 in assists with 26 (3.71 avg)
No.3 in asst/TO with a 2.60 ratio (26-to-10)
Kylee Fox is T6 in 3PFGM with 16 (2.29 avg)
Deajanae Harvey is No. 3 in steals with 14 (2.0 avg)
Fresno State is…
No. 1 in 3PFGM with 62 (8.86 avg)
No. 2 in scoring offense with 438 points (69 ppg)
No. 2 in TO margin +3.00
No. 3 in 3PFG% at 36% going 62-171
No. 4 in steals with 53 (7.57 avg)