FRESNO STATE (4-13, 0-6 MW) vs. AIR FORCE (3-14, 0-6 MW)
Jan. 17, 2025 • 7 p.m. PT • Fresno, Calif. (Save Mart Center)
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MEDIA COVERAGE
Mountain West Network / Bulldog Sports Network
PxP:Paul Loeffler • Analyst:Marc Q. Jones • Sideline:Taylor Martinez
Stream: Mountain West Network
Listen: Bulldog Sports Network (BSN)
Live Stats: Bulldogslive.com
X (Twitter): @FresnoStateMBB
FRESNO, Calif. — Coming off its first bye of Mountain West play, Fresno State will host Air Force on Friday night at the Save Mart Center. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. PT.
Friday will be Fresno State's Salute to Services game. All active duty military and veterans will receive free admission.
QUICK LOOK
It is the second straight home game for the Bulldogs, after having played 10 of their first 16 games away home.
The Bulldogs and Falcons are each looking for their first Mountain West win of the season.
Fresno State is 13-4 all-time at home against Air Force but the two sides have split the last four in Fresno.
Fresno State opened its Mountain West season with a gauntlet that included facing six of the top seven teams according to the preseason poll. The only team it does not include is preseason favorite Boise State.
The Bulldogs are 1 of 3 teams in the MW to have four players in double figures. Zaon Collins (12.9), Alex Crawford (11.0), Jalen Weaver (10.9), Mykell Robinson (10.8).
Three of those four each have at least one 20-point game after Crawford put up a season-high 26 at Utah State (Jan. 4). Collins and Crawford have two apiece.
Attempting his most shots this season in his last three games, Crawford is averaging 20.0 points per game in that stretch while shooting 56.8% from the field (21-of-37).
Jasir Tremble has been the Bulldogs biggest deep threat in recent weeks, shooting 71.4% from beyond the arc in his last five games.
Fresno State has trailed at the half in 14 of 17 games, and is being outscored by an average of 6.8 points per game in the first half.
Struggling from beyond the arc in the first third of the season, the Bulldogs have begun to heat up, making 71 3-pointers in their last eight games (8.9 per game). They had made just 52 in their first nine games (5.8).
Zaon Collins leads the team in points (12.9), assists (4.2) and steals (2.2) per game, and is fourth in rebounding (3.9). He has been a pest at the other end where he is second in the Mountain West in steals.
Elijah Price ranks fourth in the country among freshmen in rebounding (8.9 rpg), offensive rebounds (2.94), and fifth in double-doubles (4).
BALANCE ON OFFENSE
Fresno State is one of three teams in the Mountain West which currently has four players averaging at least 10 points per game along with Boise State and New Mexico. Zaon Collins leads the team at 12.9 points per game with Alex Crawford at 11.1, Jalen Weaver at 10.9 and Mykell Robinson at 10.3.
Three of the four Bulldogs have at least one 20-point game while Weaver's high is 19.
LET THE THREES FALL
Struggling to score from 3 for the majority of the season, Fresno State's shots have begun to fall from outside as of late. Since knocking down 12 3-pointers at BYU on Dec. 11, the Bulldogs have made 71 3's in their last eight games (8.9 per game). Prior to that, they made 52 in their first nine games (5.8).
Fresno State had not made double-digit 3-pointers in a game until Dec. 11 and has four in the seven games since.
In the last six games, the 'Dogs are shooting 44.1% from 3 with 56 made 3's.
GETTING HANDSY
Only three players in the Mountain West have produced at least six steals in a game this season, and two of those players reside in Fresno. Zaon Collins was the first, collecting six at UCSB on Nov. 13. Elijah Price recorded his six-steal game on Dec. 31 versus New Mexico.
The Bulldogs rank fourth in the MW in steals, producing 7.7 per game.
ASSERTING HIMSELF
With the ability to take a game over due to a superior athletic ability over many, Alex Crawford put it all on display at Utah State (Jan. 4). With the Bulldogs needing a spark in the second half, the junior provided it scoring 19 of his season-high 26 points on 10-of-13 shooting, including four highlight dunks. He followed up his performance in Logan with 21 points at Colorado State.
Crawford has shown flashes of what he can do, having games with 17 and 18 points, but against the Aggies he bested those in just the second half, going 8-of-9 for 19 points.
Crawford has averaged 12.3 shot attempts in the last three games after just one game with 10 or more in his previous 12 games.
SERIES HISTORY
Fresno State is 28-9 all-time against Air Force.
The Bulldogs are 13-4 against the Falcons at home.
The last four meetings have been split with three of those games separated by single digits.
Five of the last seven games in the series have been decided by six points or less.