FRESNO STATE (5-16, 1-9 MW) at BOISE STATE (14-7, 6-4 MW)
Feb. 1, 2025 • 2 p.m. MT / 1 p.m. PT • Boise, Idaho (ExtraMile Arena)
MEDIA COVERAGE
Mountain West Network
PxP: Jay Tust • Analyst: Brian King
Bulldog Sports Network (BSN)
PxP: Paul Loeffler • Analyst: Marc Q. Jones
Stream: Mountain West Network
Listen: Bulldog Sports Network
Live Stats: Bulldogslive.com
X (Twitter): @FresnoStateMBB
FRESNO, Calif. — Fresno State continues its two-game road trip on Saturday at Boise State. It will be the first meeting of the season with the Broncos as they are one of two Mountain West opponents that the Bulldogs have yet to see.
Tipoff at ExtraMile Arena is set for 2 p.m. MT/1 p.m. PT and will stream on the Mountain West Network.
QUICK LOOK
The Bulldogs are 8-17 all-time in Boise and have dropped their last three games at ExtraMile Arena.
Fresno State's last win in the series came in Boise on March, 2, 2021, 67-64.
During the last five games, Fresno State has held four of its opponents to below 70 points in regulation. Two of those contests ended in overtime defeats along with a five-point defeat regulation.
The Bulldogs have shot north of 75% at the free-throw line during three of their last four games. Fresno State's previous high going into the stretch was 73.7% in the season opener.
One of the top producers in steals in the conference, Fresno State came up with a season-high 13 on Tuesday at Wyoming. It was the most in a game by the Bulldogs since 2019 (March 14, 2019 vs. Air Force).
In Mountain West play, Fresno State is one of two teams in the conference with three players in the Top 20 in scoring--Alex Crawford (13.8pg - 12th), Jalen Weaver (13.7ppg - 13th), Zaon Collins (11.8ppg - 19th).
Since the start of 2025, Crawford is averaging 17.4 points per game, posting four 20-point games in his seven games. It is the fourth-highest average in the conference since the start of January.
Grabbing his sixth double-double at Wyoming, Elijah Price moved into a tie for the second-most by a freshman in the country this season. The redshirt freshman also ranks fourth in the country among freshmen in rebounding (8.2 rpg) and offensive rebounds (2.90).
Jalen Weaver is coming off his first career 20-point game with 23 at Wyoming. The senior is averaging 14.6 points per game over his last five.
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
17.4 - In the last seven games, Alex Crawford is averaging 17.4 points per game, the fourth-highest average in the conference since the start of 2025.
16.6 - In the last seven games, Fresno State is averaging 16.6 made free throws per game while earning 6.6 more attempts than its opponents.
72.0 - In the last five games, Fresno State has allowed opponents to average 72.0 points per game in regulation. The Bulldogs were giving up 81.7 in the previous 16 games.
IMPLEMENTING THE ZONE
In an unprecedented move for Vance Walberg, he has gone to mixing in a zone defense in recent weeks with changes to his personnel. The Bulldogs first pulled it out against Nevada (Jan. 11) and has used it in each game since.
In four of the last five games, the 'Dogs have held opponents to below 70 points in regulation. In the previous 17 games, Fresno State allowed 70 or more points in regulation in 13 (1-12).
The Bulldogs are 4-1 when holding teams below 70 points. Fresno State has also lost three games in overtime while opponents were held below 70 points in regulation (Cal Baptist, Nevada, Wyoming).
Walberg is said to have only used the zone "about four times" in his career, and gives credit to his current zone defense to assistant coach Jaren Harris who ran it while at Chipola Junior College.
GET TO THE RACK
A product of Vance Walberg's system is getting to the free-throw line, set up by constant drives to the bucket. The Bulldogs have used that to their advantage, attempting 22.6 free throws per game which ranks 46th nationally and second in the MW.
Fresno State has attempted 6.6 more free throws per game than its opponents.
Against Sacramento State, the 'Dogs were +17 in free throw attempts. At Long Beach State, they held a +40 differential in attempts. Both games resulted in single-digit wins for the Bulldogs as they overcame shooting below 35% from the field.
In the last seven games, Fresno State has averaged 16.6 made free throws per game. The difference in the Bulldogs' win over Air Force was that they shot a season-high 91.3%. The previous four games saw the 'Dogs below 71%.
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.
Fresno State's 13 steals at Wyoming (Jan. 28) was its most since swiping 13 against Air Force in the 2019 Mountain West quarterfinals (March 14, 2019).
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. That performance not only sparked the Bulldogs, but sparked himself. Crawford has been in double figures six of the last seven games including 20-point games in three of them.
Crawford has shown flashes of what he can do, having games with 17 and 18 points early in the year, but against the Aggies he bested those in just the second half, going 8-of-9 for 19 points.
Scoring 122 points in his last seven games (17.4 ppg), Crawford has averaged 12.8 shot attempts in that stretch (13, 12, 12, 13, 12, 16, 12) after just one game with 10 or more in his previous 12 games.
Crawford's 17.4 points per game since the start of 2025 ranks fourth in the MW.
PRICE IS RIGHT
After redshirting the 2023-24 season at Drake, Elijah Price made the decision to return back to his home state and join Fresno State, and it's quickly paying off for both sides. A Swiss-army knife type of player, the 6-foot-9 Price has throughout the season. He is the only Bulldog to start every game.
Price has posted six double-doubles in 21 games with his first in conference play coming against New Mexico on Dec. 31 with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Price also showed off his defensive abilities against the Lobos, producing a season-high six steals while matching his season high in blocks with three.
Price's six double-doubles matches the most by a Bulldog since Eduardo Andre had six during the 2022-23 season.
Price's double-double at Wyoming moved him one ahead of the five that Orlando Robinson had as a freshman during the 2020-21 season.
SERIES HISTORY
Boise State leads the all-time series 29-22.
Fresno State is just 8-17 all-time in Boise, dropping four of the last five in the series.
The Bulldogs' last win in Boise is the program's last win against the Broncos, a 67-64 result on March 2, 2021.
