GAME 7: FRESNO STATE (5-1, 0-0 MW) VS HAWAII (3-1, 0-0 BW)
Fri. Nov. 29, 2024 | 2:30 p.m. HT | 4:30 p.m. PT | ESPN+ | Spectrum Sports Network | SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center | Honolulu, HI.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Watch: ESPN+ | Spectrum Sports
Play-by-Play: Kanoa Leahey
Analyst: Nani Crockett
Stats: Statbroadcast
Twitter (X): @FresnoStateWBB
IG: @FresnoStWBB
GAME 8: FRESNO STATE (5-1, 0-0 MW) VS No. 1 UCLA (5-0, 0-0 B10)
Sat. Nov. 30, 2024 | 12:00 p.m. HT | 2:00 p.m. PT | SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center | Honolulu, Hi.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Stats: Statbroadcast
Twitter (X): @FresnoStateWBB
IG: @FresnoStWBB
GAME 9: FRESNO STATE (5-1, 0-0 MW) VS UT MARTIN (1-4, 0-0 OVC)
Sun. Dec. 1, 2024 | 12:00 p.m. HT | 2:00 p.m. PT | SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center | Honolulu, Hi.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Stats: Statbroadcast
Twitter (X): @FresnoStateWBB
IG: @FresnoStWBB
FRESNO, Calif.- Fresno State women's basketball team travels to Honolulu for the Rainbow Wahine Showdown this Thanksgiving weekend at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. Bulldogs will start the tournament against Hawaii on Friday, Nov. 29. Tip-off is set for 2:30 p.m. HT/ 4:30 p.m. PT, streaming on ESPN+ and Spectrum Sports Network.
Fresno State will then face off against No. 1 UCLA on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 2:00 p.m. HT/ 4 p.m. PT and UT Martin on Sunday, Dec. 1 at 2:00 p.m. HT/ 4 p.m. PT. Neutral games will not be streamed.
BULLDOG BONES
Bulldogs travel to Honolulu for the Rainbow Wahine Showdown to face off against Hawai'i, No. 1 UCLA and UT Martin
Hawai'i will be Fresno State's third Big West opponent of the season
Fresno State improves to 5-1 after a win against CSUN, 90-73
Mia Jacobs has four games this season with 10+ rebounds and a free-throw percentage of at least 80.0 (min. 5 FTA). The most such games by any D-1 player this season (Cincinnati's Jillian Hayes, 3 games)
For the first time since 2016 head coach Jaime White will faced a ranked opponent
Coach White is 0-2 against ranked opponents
The last time Fresno State faced more than one ranked opponent in a single season was in 2009-10, Fresno State went 0-2
Fresno State has won three of the last four games by double-digits: CSUN (+17), at UC San Diego (+12), UC Riverside (+10)
Fresno State will face the newly ranked No. 1 team, UCLA, after they defeated South Carolina, 77-62
Jacobs is the second player in MW history with at least 90 points, 40 rebounds and 13 steals through her first four games of a season and the first Bulldog in program history.
WHAT'S TO COME THIS WEEK
Fresno State travels to paradise for the Rainbow Wahine Showdown in Honolulu, Hawai'i on Thanksgiving week.
Fresno State will start the tournament taking on hosts Hawai'i on Friday, Nov. 30. Tip-off is set for 2:30 p.m. HT/ 4:30 p.m. PT and will be streamed on ESPN+ and Spectrum Sports. Neutral site games against No. 1 UCLA (Nov. 30) and UT Martin (Dec. 1) will not be streamed.
ABOUT THE MATCH UP
Fresno State will see three opponents over the course of the weekend.
Fresno State will visit Hawai'i for the 24th time and 52nd time in program history. Fresno State leads the all-time meetings 26-25 and trails the Rainbow Warriors when visiting, 10-13. Bulldogs hold a ten game series win streak.
Fresno State will face UCLA for the 20th time in program history and for the sixth time on neutral ground. Bruins lead the all-time meetings, 17-2, and have seen a win in the last ten meetings.
Fresno State and UT Martin will meet for the first time in program history.
OLD STOMPING GROUNDS
The redshirt sophomore Avery Watkins returns to Honolulu, this time as the opponent. Watkins spent two seasons at Hawai'i before transferring to Fresno State.
Watkins was one of two players to transfer out from the 2023-24 team. The forward saw little time on the court after suffering a season ending injury.
This season, Watkins has played in four games, averaging six minutes per game, shooting 33% from the field, 50% from the three and 25% from the foul line.
THE TALE OF TWO BIGS
This weekend Mia Jacobs will meet a likely opponent in UCLA's Lauren Betts. The pair match even statistically. Through six games, Betts totals 97 points, 60 rebounds and 13 blocks. On the flip side Jacobs totals 114 points, 61 rebounds and 16 steals. Jacobs sees larger success from the three-point line averaging 23%, while Betts doesn't hold a single attempt. Betts stands as tougher defender with 13 blocks to Jacobs four. The pair stand on even footing, both owning four double-doubles this season.
IT'S A SHOWDOWN
Fresno State hits the road with their longest win streak since 2021 at four games. Bulldogs will face tough competition on the court this weekend.
Hawai'i holds a strong presence on their home court, coming into the weekend with a 13 game home win streak.
UCLA is newly crowned No. 1 after snapping South Carolina's 43-game win streak.
OPPONENT BREAKDOWN
HAWAI'I
Head coach Laura Beeman enters her 13th season leading the Rainbow Warriors
Hawai'i rides a 13-game home win streak
Rainbow Warriors were ranked at No. 1 in the Big West Coaches poll for the third straight year
Hawai'i is coming off a win to Eastern Washington, 67-55 at home
The team holds a lot of playing experience with 9 upperclassmen eight of which are seniors and return all but two players from last year's team
Hawai'i has shot over 42% from the field in all four games, outscoring opponents in three of the four games
Rainbow Warriors average 68.3 ppg
Core starters for Hawai'i have been Philips (4/4) with Tamilo, Wahinekapu and McBee each grab three starts
The 6-foot-5 freshman R. Tamilo averages 10 ppg, 3.0 rpg
Hawai'i's last win against Fresno State came on Feb. 15, 2007 in Honolulu, 79-65
UCLA
Head coach Cori Close begins her 14th season with the Bruins, in her tenure at UCLA Close saw eight 20+ win seasons
For the first time in program history UCLA is ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll
UCLA earned their No. 1 rank after defeating then No. 1 South Carolina at home on Saturday, 77-62
Against the Gamecocks, five players scored in double-figures and Lauren Betts earned her fourth double-double of the season (11 points, 14 rebounds)
Bruins are undefeated at 5-0 to start the season
This season UCLA became one of the newest Big 10 members
UCLA opened the season in Paris, France at the Adidas Arena against Louisville
Bruins lowest scoring period of the season (13 points) came in the first period of their season opener and have not scored less than 14 points in a period since then
Five players were named to preseason watch lists; Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Award watch list (Kiki Rice, Charlisse Leger-Walker), Chery Miller Small Forward of the Year watch list (Angela Duglaic), Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year watch list (Janiah Barker), and Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Award watch list (Lauren Betts)
UT MARTIN
Head coach Kevin McMillan enters his 16th year at UT Martin
Skyhawks are coming off their first win of the season against Missouri State, 74-66
UT Martin shoots 37% from the field, 29% from the three and 71% % from the charity stripe
Anaya Brown tied her career-high with 25 points and notching the 11th double-double of her career against Missouri State