FRESNO STATE (3-7) vs. SAN DIEGO (3-7)
Dec. 14, 2024 • 4 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
Live Stats: Bulldogslive.com
X (Twitter): @FresnoStateMBB
FRESNO, Calif. — After playing its last two games away from home, Fresno State returns to the Save Mart Center on Saturday to host San Diego. It will be just third game for the Bulldogs at home during the last 32 days.
Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. PT at the Save Mart Center. The contest is part of a doubleheader with the women's team which hosts CSU Bakersfield at 1 p.m. Both teams will be wearing their black uniforms.
Halftime of the men's game will feature the annual Teddy Bear Toss. Items will be donated to Valley Children's Hospital.
QUICK LOOK
In the Mountain West, only San Jose State will have played as many nonconference games away from home as the Bulldogs through Dec. 11 (7). Like the 'Dogs, the Spartans will also have played just three home games during through Dec. 11.
Fresno State will play its final two nonconference games at home during the next eight days (San Diego, Cal Baptist).
2-1 at home this season, the Bulldogs will look to end their five-game skid at the Save Mart Center.
Prior to the Acrisure Holiday Invitational in Palm Desert, Calif., the Bulldogs pulled off the 26th-largest comeback in the final five minutes of a game in Division I history (11) in their win at Long Beach State.
It was one of seven times the 'Dogs have trailed by double-digits in the final minutes. They have outscored their opponent down the stretch in four of those.
Second on the team in scoring at 13.8 points per game, Zaon Collins has been a pest at the other end where he leads the Mountain West and is 14th in the NCAA in steals with 2.63 per game. The sophomore has four in each of the past two games.
Elijah Price paces the MW and ranks 30th in offensive rebounds, grabbing 3.40 per game. He has five games with four or more.
Amar Augillard leads the Bulldogs in scoring at 14.2 points per game. He has scored 20-plus points four times.
Vance Walberg's high-tempo style has the Bulldogs leading the nation in adjusted tempo, averaging 74.9 possessions per 40 minutes.
Walberg is one of four current Division I head coaches who was a high school head coach the season before taking over their current head coaching position (Penny Hardaway, Bucky McMillan, Stan Waterman).
BY THE NUMBERS
74.9 - Fresno State is averaging 74.9 possessions per 40 minutes according to Kenpom. The Bulldogs have not averaged more than 70 since the 2001-22 season.
2 - Only allowing one double-digit run through its first nine games, Fresno State allowed two at BYU to lead to its largest defeat of the season.
7.9 - With the Bulldogs playing seven of its first 10 games away from home, going 1-6, the 'Dogs have grabbed 7.9 less rebounds outside of Fresno and have been outrebounded by 9.6.
GETTING UP AND DOWN
Expected coming into the season, Vance Walberg's high tempo style has resulted in the Bulldogs' averaging the most possessions per 40 minutes in the country at 74.9. Fresno State is one of only three teams averaging more than 74 along with conference mate New Mexico.
During the past four seasons, Fresno State has averaged between 61.8 and 65.8 possessions per 40 minutes.
Fresno State has not averaged more than 70 possessions per 40 minutes in a season since 2001-02. That season the Bulldogs ranked No. 32 in adjusted tempo at 72.4.
NOT OVER TIL IT'S OVER
Fresno State has had a never say die attitude when facing double-digit second-half deficits. The Bulldogs' have trailed by double digits in the second half in eight games (1-7), but in five of those they have outscored their opponents in the final seven minutes. Three of those games have seen the 'Dogs outscore their opponents by double digits.
Against UCSB (22-8) and Long Beach State (14-0), Fresno State outscored their opponent by 14 points during the final minutes.
While the Bulldogs were leading Sacramento State by one with under two minutes to play the 'Dogs closed that game on a 6-0 run.
LIFE ON THE ROAD
During the first 36 days of the season, Fresno State played just three games at home. That stretch included a 15-day span in which the Bulldogs will play five of six games away from home, finishing the day before Thanksgiving in Palm Desert, Calif., at the Acrisure Holiday Invitational.
Beginning on Nov. 13, the Bulldogs played just two of nine games at the Save Mart Center during a 29-day period. The stretch concluded with a trip to BYU on Dec. 11.
In the Mountain West, only San Jose State played as many games away from home as the Bulldogs from Nov. 4-Dec. 11.
TAKING THE REINS
Zaon Collins has been everything the Bulldogs expected. The former Top-50 recruit leads the team in assists (3.9) and steals (2.6) per game, is second in points (13.8), and is third in rebounding (4.6). Collins has four games with at least 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Collins has been in double figures in all seven games he's played in, averaging 13.8 points per game.
He leads the MW in steals per game, swiping 2.63 per game, 14th in the NCAA.
SERIES HISTORY
Fresno State is 11-2 all-time against San Diego which includes winning five of the last six.
The Bulldogs are 7-0 all-time against the Toreros in Fresno.
Fresno State won last season's meeting 71-67 in San Diego on Dec. 29, 2023.
