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Fresno State back home to host Utah State

Game 20: Utah State (16-5, 5-3 MW) at Fresno State (7-12, 3-5 MW) • V1

Jan. 28, 2023 • 4 p.m. PT • Fresno, Calif. • Save Mart Center

TV/ONLINE: CW59/Mountain West Network (Ralph Wood & Jack Fertig)

RADIO: Bulldog Sports Network (Paul Loeffler & Marc Q. Jones)

SERIES HISTORY: Utah State leads 40-23 (overall) • FS leads 15-12 (in Fresno, CA)

LAST MEETING: Utah State 67, Fresno State 54 (12/31/22 • Logan, Utah)

UP NEXT: at Wyoming (Jan. 31); at UNLV (Feb. 3)

THE BREAKDOWN

Fresno State entered the 2022-23 season bringing back eight returners, which includes four seniors in Jemarl Baker, Jordan Campbell, Anthony Holland and Isaiah Hill along with juniors Destin Whitaker, Donavan Yap and Leo Colimerio and sophomore Steven Vasquez.

Fresno State head coach Justin Hutson is in his fifth season back home in the Central Valley.

The Bulldogs are coming off a 23-win campaign in 2021-22 and a postseason title after winning The Basketball Classic, presented by ERACISM, in April - two 23-win seasons (2018-19 and 2021-22).

Seven new players have joined the program: guards Jordan Brinson (Salt Lake CC), Alexander Gorton (Palm Beach Atlantic), Joseph Hunter (San Joaquin Memorial HS) and Jeff Sims (Santa Rosa Academy) along with forward Isaih Moore (Southern Miss) and centers Chuks Isitua (IUPUI) and Eduardo Andre (Nebraska).

Three Bulldogs - Moore (12.1 PPG), Baker (10.9 PPG) and Hill (10.4 PPG) - are averaging double-digits scoring.

OPENING TIP

Fresno State hosts the Utah State Aggies on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. PT at the Save Mart Center.

The game will be broadcast on CW59 (television), MWN (stream) and the Bulldog Sports Network (radio).

Fresno State leads the MW in scoring defense in conference plays (64.63 points allowed per MW game).

Fresno State is second in the MW in scoring defense (62.95 points allowed per game) for the 2022-23 season.

Fresno State is currently tied for seventh in the MW standings - two games back of fifth place.

Fresno State earned its first win over an Associated Press Top 25 opponent since 2002 when the Bulldogs handed then-No. 21/22 New Mexico 71-67 its first loss of the season on Jan. 3 at the Save Mart Center.

Fresno State's first six Division I nonconference opponents were all Top 125 KenPom teams.

Fresno State enters having made 73.5 percent of its free throws (197-268), which has a chance to track down the school record for single-season free throw percentage (74.2 percent, 484-652, 1991-92).

Through games played on Jan. 26, 10 of 11 Mountain West programs were rated in the Top 105 nationally in strength of schedule. San Diego State leads the MW at 22nd nationally, while Fresno State is sixth (70th).

Fresno State leads Northern and Central California in attendance during the 2022-23 season (4,321/game).

Fresno State's stifling defense forced 19 turnovers (15 in the first half) on Tuesday at Boise State.

Fresno State's coaching staff will wear suits and special adidas sneakers during Saturday's game as part of a national campaign - "Suits & Sneakers Week" - to raise awareness and encouraging people to educate themselves about cancer prevention, screening, and early detection.

SERIES HISTORY: FRESNO STATE VS. UTAH STATE

Fresno State trails its all-time series with Utah State, 40-23 (overall), which includes losses by the Bulldogs in seven of the last eight meetings with the victory coming last season - a 61-54 win on Jan. 18, 2022.

In last year's lone meeting, Fresno State erased a 16-point deficit to defeat USU at the Save Mart Center.

Fresno State enters Saturday with a 7-8 record against Utah State in games played at the Save Mart Center.

FRESNO STATE CONTENDING IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST

Since joining the Mountain West in 2012, Fresno State has won the 2016 conference tournament championship and finished as high as second in the regular season. The Bulldogs have finished no lower than seventh in league play in its first 10 seasons in the Mountain West, which includes six first round byes in the MW Tournament. In the last seven MW campaigns, the 'Dogs won an average of 10.3 MW contests per year -- twice going 13-5 against MW opponents, including Hutson's first season at Fresno State during the 2018-19 season. Fresno State averaged nearly 10 conference victories per season (9.7) in Hutson's first four seasons as the Bulldogs' head coach.

DIALING UP THE HEAT ON D

Fresno State has limited 29 of its last 32 opponents in regular season games, including 16 of 19 games this season, to fewer than 70 points.

Long known as one of the best defensive coaches in the country, Justin Hutson brought has installed defensive principles, which helped the Bulldogs rank fifth nationally in scoring defense in 2021-22.

Fresno State currently leads the Mountain West in scoring defense in conference play (64.63 points allowed per MW game).


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