FRESNO STATE (6-24, 2-17 MW) at SAN JOSE STATE (13-18, 6-13 MW)
March 8, 2025 • 2 p.m. PT • San Jose, Calif. (Provident Credit Union Event Center)
MEDIA COVERAGE
NBC Sports California / Mountain West Network
PxP:Dave Benz • Analyst:Marc Spears
Bulldog Sports Network (BSN) PxP:Matt Norville • Analyst:Marc Q. Jones
Stream:Mountain West Network
Listen:Bulldog Sports Network
Live Stats:Bulldogslive.com
X (Twitter):@FresnoStateMBB
FRESNO, Calif. — Fresno State will wrap-up the regular season Saturday afternoon with a trip to San Jose State, its final contest before the Mountain West Championships which begin on Wednesday.
The Bulldogs are seeking their sixth win in their last seven at the Provident Credit Union Event Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. PT and will air on both NBC Sports California and the Mountain West Network.
QUICK LOOK
San Jose State won the first meeting this year 94-91 in double overtime.
The Bulldogs are coming off a 62-58 win over Wyoming, their first since Jan. 17.
That win came after five straight single-digit defeats at home.
Four of the Bulldogs' last five games overall have seen low-scoring affairs with games going down to wire. Regulation scores were 52-51 with UNLV, 61-61 at Air Force, 66-61 with Boise State and 62-58 with Wyoming.
Fresno State is currently using its 10th different starting the lineup this season. That ranks as the 12th-most in the country this season.
In two of the last three games, Fresno State has gotten a pair of double-doubles from Elijah Price and Alex Crawford. For Price, it was his eighth and ninth of the year while for Crawford, it was his first and second.
Price finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds in the win against the Cowboys. Crawford had 15 points and 11 rebounds. Price matched his career high in points while Crawford matched his high on the glass.
One of the Bulldogs most consistent through conference play has been Brian Amuneke who is averaging 12.6 points per outing in his last 12 appearances. The reigning MW Freshman of the Week is averaging 50.9% from 3 during that span.
Fresno State is the only team in the MW with two freshmen averaging at least 6.0 points per game in conference play. Elijah Price is second at 10.7 ppg while Brian Amuneke is third at 9.6 ppg.
Amuneke has recorded eight double-figure games in his last 12 appearances.
Grabbing his seventh double-double of the year on Feb. 15, Elijah Price broke the program's Division I record for most double-doubles in a season by a freshman which was previously held by Paul George (2008-09). He has since recorded his eighth and ninth which is the second-most by a freshman in the country this year.
The redshirt freshman also ranks third in the country among freshmen in rebounding (8.1 rpg) and is tied for first in offensive rebounds (3.10).
BY THE NUMBERS
64 - In their last five games, the Bulldogs have held opponents to 64.0 points per game in regulation.
9 - Redshirt freshman Elijah Price has totaled seven double-doubles this year. It is the most by a Bulldog freshman, surpassing Paul George who had six during the 2008-09 season.
12 - Fresno State was +12 on the glass in its win over Wyoming, its largest rebounding differential of the season. Price, Crawford and Seck matched the Cowboys' output (33).
WHO'S STARTING TONIGHT?
Lineup changes have been something Fresno State has become all too accustomed to this season. With the Bulldogs' most recent adjustment on March 1, the team has deployed 10 different starting lineups this season which ranks tied for the 12th-most in the country this year.
Two different lineups were used for seven games each while the other eight have been used between 1-4 games each.
GAINING EXPERIENCE
With 10 different starting lineups, Fresno State has seen 10 different players earn a start this season. That is tied for the ninth-most different starters on a roster in the country. Of those 10, nine Bulldogs earned their first Division I start this season.
Only one team in 2024-25, UT Martin (10), has had more players on its roster earn their first career Division I starts. Tarleton State is tied for the Bulldogs with nine.
YOUTH ON THE RISE
By moving Brian Amuneke into the starting five on Feb. 22, Fresno State has played its last three games with two freshmen, one redshirt, and one true freshman in its starting lineup. In conference play, Elijah Price is averaging 10.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. Those numbers rank 23rd, third, fourth and seventh in the league. While Amuneke has not made the number of starts that Price has, the 18-year-old has blossomed in conference play where he is averaging 9.6 points per game, which ranks 34th in league play. Amuneke is also shooting 46.2% from outside (30-of-65), the seventh-highest clip in the conference. Only two of the six players ahead of him have more than 25 attempts.
Price and Amuneke are the only freshman teammates to average more than six points in Mountain West games.
Price has started all 30 games this season while Amuneke has started in four which includes the last three.
DOUBLING UP
In two of the last three games, Elijah Price and Alex Crawford each registered double-doubles in the same contest. It was the second and third times this season that multiple Bulldogs have recorded a double-double in the same game.
SERIES HISTORY
Fresno State leads the all-time series 98-79.
The Spartans own a six-game lead in San Jose (42-36).
The Bulldogs have won five of the last six in the Bay Area following a two-game skid (2016-2017).
The 'Dogs are 16-2 overall in the series since the back-to-back defeats on the Spartans' home court.