Category

Basketball

Dec 20
0

Powell, Watkins power ‘Dogs to first conference win

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The Fresno State women’s basketball team earned their first conference win of the season in a 53-36 victory over the University of Wyoming in a Mountain West Tournament rematch on Dec. 20 at the Save Mart Center.

Last season, the Bulldogs entered the Mountain West Tournament as the sixth seed and made a deep run, but their run was cut short by the Cowgirls in the semi-final round. However, Head Coach Ryan McCarthy treated this game like any other. 

“Most girls on the team, I don’t think they’ve been to Laramie or could point it out on a map, so I think for a lot of them they didn’t know any better,” McCarthy said. “Sometimes that’s a good thing when you kind of play with a little bit of naivety.”

For guard Danae Powell, her motivation stems from the season ahead and her new teammates.

“I didn’t get to finish out last season playing against them, but I feel like my motivation was just about this year as a new team,” Powell said. “Especially earlier in the week we didn’t play how we know we can, so this was important for us to come out and win.”

Key players

Danae Powell (FS): 17 points, 7 assists, 2 steals.

Avery Watkins (FS): 12 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal.

Malene Pedersen (WYO): 17 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists.

What happened

In the first quarter, both teams were plagued by turnovers, with a combined 12 turnovers partly due to the stout defense played by both teams. However, the Cowgirls would gain the 11-6 edge over the Bulldogs to close out the quarter as a result of their strong passing game—with 4 assists to the ’Dogs’ one.

The Bulldogs opened the second quarter 12-2 scoring run generated by their physicality in the paint with eight paint points and five free throws attempted to earn an 18-13 lead seven minutes into the quarter. 

The ‘Dogs end the second quarter with a strong defensive showing, forcing the Cowgirls to operate late into the shot clock, a trend present throughout the second quarter as the Cowgirls were held to two second quarter points en route to the ‘Dogs’ 20-13 halftime lead. 

After one half, the Cowgirls were held to 5-20 (25%) from the field, but excelled beyond the arc, going 3-7 (42.9%).  The Bulldogs weren’t much better, going 7-23 (30.4%) from the field and 0-6 from three-point range, but they did go 6-9 (66.7%). 

The Cowgirls responded in the third quarter with a 12-4 run of their own, sparked by their balanced scoring effort, with four different players contributing to their run and thus gaining the 27-24 lead midway through the quarter.

The Bulldogs find their footing in the late minutes of the quarter to make the game competitive as they survive the Cowgirls’ scoring run with a 31-30 lead heading to the fourth quarter. 

The Bulldogs rode the third quarter momentum in the early minutes of the fourth quarter with help from Powell and Watkins, who combined for eight points to give the ‘Dogs the 41-30 lead.

To close out the game, the Bulldogs didn’t take their foot off the gas, as they pulled away with the 53-36 win.

What’s next

The Bulldogs continue conference play with two road games: Dec. 31 at 3 p.m. against former Bulldog Mariah Elohim and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Jan. 3 against Colorado State University at noon.

The ‘Dogs return to the Save Mart Center on Jan. 7 in a matchup against San Jose State University at 6:30 p.m.

Story written by Vincent Ordonio, cover photo by Ryan Sepulveda.

Dec 13
0

Fresno State crawls over Cougars in blowout win

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Behind lights out performances from freshman Ava Marr and sophomore Danae Powell, the Fresno State women’s basketball snapped a two-game losing skid to defeat Chicago State 81-62. 

With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 6-5 on the season to finish above .500 in non-conference play. Fresno State made the most of its opportunities beyond the arc, shooting 12-of-27 from three as a team. They made 47.6% of their shots overall and outrebounded the Cougars 46-26.

Key players 

Danae Powell (FS): 15 points, 7 assists, 3 steals

Ava Marr (FS): 20 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals 

Natalia Williams (CSU): 11 points, 6 rebounds

What happened 

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 20-6 lead in the first quarter thanks to threes from Ava Marr (2), Danae Powell and Emilia Long. They also held a 12-3 rebounding advantage over the Cougars, who made just 1-of-13 first quarter field goal attempts. 

Powell opened the second period still with a hot hand, draining a three from the top of the kep before going in for an and-one layup a minute later. The next possession, Powell found forward Avery Watkins open under the basket off the in bounds for another easy basket. 

Forward Jaisa Gamble followed it up with a pair of layups herself, giving Fresno State a 32-10 lead and forcing a Cougars timeout. Out of the break, Bulldog forward Morelia Chavez banked a three off the right wing to give the ‘Dogs a 26-4 run across eight minutes of play. 

Ending the half, Marr nailed a three from the right corner, the 8th-of-14 first half makes from beyond the arc for Fresno State to give them a 45-18 lead at half. The Cougars were held to 4-of-22 (0-4 from 3) from the field in the first half. 

Marr opened the second half with another three, her fourth of the game. The Cougars finally showed some life, going on a 13-9 run led by Keona McGee. They had the quarter tied at 19 points apiece until the final possession when Powell found Long open for a layup to give Fresno State a 66-37 lead heading into the fourth quarter. 

The Cougars fought back in the fourth quarter but it was too late as Fresno State went on to win 81-62. Marr finished the night with six threes and a career-high of 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field. Powell, Gamble and Long also scored in double figures.

Injury bug

Star forward Ashlyn Rean (leg) is doubtful to return this season. Indiya Clarke (concussion) is considered day-to-day and questionable to play next week.

What’s next 

The Bulldogs will host San Diego State to begin Mountain West Conference play on Wednesday, Dec. 17 at the Save Mart Center with tip-off set for 6:30 p.m. The homestand will wrap up next Saturday (Dec. 20) versus Wyoming at 2 p.m.

Fresno State was picked to finish 9th in the conference before the season.

Recap written by Al Scott, cover photo by Ryan Sepulveda (Fresno Sports Magazine)

Dec 06
0

Fresno State iced out in loss to Pepperdine

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Poor shooting woes were the name of the game on Saturday as Pepperdine (6-2) handed Fresno State (5-4) its first home loss of the season, defeating the Bulldogs 65-45. 

The ‘Dogs had plenty of opportunities, Fresno State managed to pick up 17 steals. But between poor shooting (17-of-63 FG, 1-8 3PT FG), and being outrebounded 49-28, the Bulldogs were simply overmatched. 

Head Coach Ryan McCarthy spoke after the game on what he described as a ‘come to Jesus moment.’ 

“Our effort tonight was unacceptable and so ultimately this one falls on me,” McCarthy said. “The effort was a product of what we’ve allowed and moving forward, what we’re not going to allow.” 

One big cause for the Bulldogs struggles on offense and the boards was the absence of star forward Ashlyn Rean, who is out for the foreseeable future with an undisclosed injury. 

“Ashlyn is a difference maker. I’ve not coached many players that can get 20 or more points on 10 or 11 shots. Because she’s got a big motor, we can play her for long periods of time,” McCarthy said. 

He added that her presence down low serves as a “zone buster” to open things up on the outside, something that wasn’t going for them tonight. 

Key stats 

  • Emilia Long (FS): 23 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals
  • Shorna Preston (PEP): 14 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks

What happened 

Pepperdine jumped out to a 7-2 lead early on thanks to five points from guard Lina Falk. A Fresno State turnover then led to an easy layup for former Bulldog point guard Taija Sta. Maria. Avery Watkins responded with a pair of jumpers as part of an 8-2 run for the Dogs.

Pepperdine took over however, going on a 10-0 run in the final five minutes to close out the first quarter with a 19-10 Waves lead.

A pair of free throws from Watkins and a layup from Emilia Long cut the deficit to 22-16 2.5 minutes into the second quarter, but then the Bulldogs shooting woes continued, failing to convert another field goal in the quarter. Pepperdine had six players score at least four points in the first half to give themselves a 28-19 lead. 

The Waves extended their lead to 45-29 after three quarters. The Bulldogs offense struggled to establish any sort of rhythm and consistency. As a team, they had just two assists in the entire game (16 for Pepperdine). 

Long attempted to single-handily bring the Bulldogs back into the game late in the second half. The Port Angeles, Washington native had 23 points on the night, including 16 after halftime, though the efficiency was still missing. 

“It’s called bravery and thank God for Millie,” McCarthy said.

Coach McCarthy added that film is going to be a huge emphasis in the week ahead as the team looks to correct some of the struggles it saw on Saturday, particularly offensively. 

What’s next 

The Bulldogs stay in California next week as they head north to Moraga, California to take on the Saint Mary’s Gaels on Wednesday, Dec. 10. That game is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. 

Fresno State will host Chicago State next Saturday at 5 p.m. before beginning Mountain West Conference play at home on Dec. 17 versus San Diego State.

Recap written by Al Scott, cover photo by Ryan Sepulveda (Fresno Sports Magazine)

Nov 30
0

Bulldogs winning streak snapped in ‘Return to Selland’

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A special day was spoiled by a rough second half, as Fresno State fell 6-3 following a 76-71 loss to Cal State University Bakersfield on Sunday afternoon at Selland Arena in front of several alumni and one of its biggest crowds of the season (4,374 attendance). Head Coach Vance Walberg expressed his frustration after the game, on not being able to deliver the Red Wave a victory.

“I’m just disappointed for the fans,” Walberg said. “We’ve been playing pretty darn good basketball, and today we kind of laid an egg.” 

Walberg said that practicing more zone defense will be an emphasis. Protecting the interior was a struggle against the Roadrunners, stopping Dailin Smith in particular. 

The 6’6” guard was flowing in and out of the key without much trouble at all, scoring 30 points (21 in second half). He made 6-of-13 from the field and 9-of-10 from the line to lead the game in scoring.

 A big chunk of his production came late in the half when Bulldog guard DJ Stickman came out of the game holding his hip. The freshman returned to the game about five minutes later but it was too little, too late. 

“DJ is probably our best defensive player,” Walberg said. “(Losing him) hurt a bit, but we got to find a way to get it done.”

Fresno State made just 24-of-65 (37%) of its field goal attempts, something Walberg would certainly like his squad to improve upon.

“I feel like we cut a lot better the last couple games. This game, a little bit of pumping and so forth took us out,” Walberg said. 

He added that they are a much better shooting team, particularly from beyond the arc than they showed. They made just 8-of-33 of their attempts on Sunday. If you removed point guard Zaon Collins, that number goes to just 5-of-27 (18.5%). 

Key players

  • Zaon Collins (FS): 17 points, 4 assists, 4 steals
  • Jake Heidbreder (FS): 20 points, 3 rebounds
  • Dailin Smith (CSUB): 30 points, 6 rebounds 
  • CJ Hardy (CSUB): 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists

What happened 

A back-and-forth affair early on. The Roadrunners got a three from AJ George. A minute later, CJ Hardy pulled up for a midrange jumper. Then former Bulldog Pierre Geneste Jr. quieted the Red Wave with an alleyoop dunk. 

The Bulldogs responded with a trio of threes from Jake Heidbreder, Zaon Collins and Jac Mani. Collins would drain another one from the top of the key to give the Bulldogs an 18-15 lead 10 minutes into the half. 

Following a stepback jumper from Hardy, Fresno State went on a 9-0 run thanks to a pair of layups from DeShawn Gory and Collins. Wilson Jacques also added a dunk. The run forced a Roadrunners timeout with Fresno State leading 25-17. 

Fresno State’s offense being able to not completely fall apart when Heidbreder is on the bench has been a struggle all season, but they were able to manage for a few minutes in the first half on Sunday, finding open threes for Cameron Faas and David Douglas Jr. 

Bakersfield kept themselves in it however. Tom Mark nailed a jumper off the key to cap off an 8-0 run to draw the Roadrunners deficit to just 31-28. 

Fresno State used a pair of driving layups from Heidbreder and Stickman to take a 40-34 lead into halftime. Collins led all scorers with 13 points. He also had 4 steals. 

The Bulldogs only led by six points despite a 27-12 rebounding advantage at halftime, something Walberg has pushed as an area of emphasis they need to improve on. 

Scoring was hard to come by in the second half for both teams. The Bulldogs were able to get Heidbreder going a little though after a quiet first half. The Clemson transfer passed out to Mani, only to then cut backdoor for a give and go layup to give Fresno State a 53-45 lead with 12:34 left before a media timeout. 

Out of the break, Gory converted an and-one and a driving layup to extend the ‘Dogs lead to 10. A pair of free throws from Dailin Smith and a coast-to-coast layup, and-one from Hardy cut it to 5. Smith added another layup and two more makes from the charity strip to give the Roadrunners a 10-0 run, cutting the deficit to just one. 

Smith made an off-balance jumper while getting fouled by Heidbreder, then converted the and-one to tie the game at 62 with 4:38 remaining. A pair of baskets from Smith and Hardy gave the Roadrunners a 66-64 lead a minute later. 

Fresno State struggled to make shots down stretch, while not being able to prevent baskets going in on the other end resulting in Bakersfield taking home the victory, 76-71. 

What’s next 

Fresno State will play at #22 Arkansas next Saturday, Dec. 6. at Bud Walton Arena. This will be the only non-conference game played outside of California this season. Walberg and Associate Head Coach John Welch are both familiar with Razorbacks Head Coach John Calipari during their time at Kentucky together. 

“One of the most talented coaches in our country who has been ahead of the trends. His style of play will help get recruits and be appealing to fans. He is a gatherer who will bring people together for a common cause,” Calipari said in a statement, following Walberg’s hiring in April of last year. Now he’s going up against Walberg. 

“John’s a very good friend. I appreciate him getting us a chance to go out there and play them,” Walberg said. 

Fresno State will wrap up non-conference play at Cal State Northridge on Wednesday, Dec. 10 before beginning Mountain West Conference play at UNLV on Saturday, Dec. 20. The Bulldogs will return to the Save Mart Center on Dec. 30 to host Utah State. 

Walberg added that despite the loss, he enjoyed the atmosphere and would like to be able to make the ‘Return to Selland’ game an annual thing.

Recap written by Al Scott, cover photo by Vincent Ordonio (Fresno Sports Magazine)

Nov 21
0

Bark over bite, Fresno State wins 3rd straight

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Grinning ear to ear, Head Coach Vance Walberg spoke after the game following the team’s three game winning streak. 

“It feels great winning. I always tell you, ‘best drug in the world,” Walberg said. 

Fresno State improved to 5-2 with an 85-76 victory over the University of New Orleans on Friday night, led by Clemson transfer Jake Heidbreder who scored a career high 33 points. Zaon Collins also flirted with a triple double. 

“It’s the hardest working team I’ve probably been on. Everyone’s in the gym every day getting extra shots up, working together, doing all this type of stuff to where we’re gonna make the shots. What happens when you work that hard,” Heidbreder said. “It’s showing the game is just the reward of it.”

Heidbreder leads the team scoring 19 points per game this season, while shooting 50% from the field and 35.4% from beyond the arc.

The Bulldogs have now won 4 of its last 5 games since losing to USC Upstate. The team is just one win away from its win total from a year ago. Walberg remains optimistic that there is still potential to grow.

“We’re going to get much better than what we are now. Hopefully that translates to wins, but I just know we’re still trying to figure out how to do certain things,” Walberg said.

Key players

  • Jake Heidbreder (FS): 33 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal.
  • Zaon Collins (FS): 14 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals. 
  • Jakevion Buckley (NOLA): 25 points, 14 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal. 
  • MJ Thomas (NOLA): 16 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists. 

What happened 

It was the Jake Heidbreder show in the first half. The Clemson transfer scored the Bulldogs first eight points of the game and 14 of the first 19, giving Fresno State a 19-14 lead seven-and-a-half minutes into the game. 

“I gave him 52 seconds off tonight. But he’s in that kind of shape where he can keep playing, keep playing, keep playing. And you know, he tries to work down it, his opponent, that’s what we’re trying to do. I just got to find ways to get him shots a little bit easier for him,” Walberg said.

During that span, Privateers big man Churchill Abass was given a flagrant two and ejected after biting Fresno State point guard Zaon Collins while scrambling for a loose ball (Yes, that is a real sentence).

“[Zaon] comes up with some goofy stuff. ‘He bit me,’ you know, so we asked the referees to check it, and he obviously bit him,” Walberg said. “In 48 years of coaching, I’ve never seen that in the basketball game.”

Walberg added that Abass was a pretty good rebounder and he was relieved it gave them a bit of a break in that department. The two squads both finished with 36 rebounds on the night.

A pair of free throws a few minutes later from New Orleans forward MJ Thomas cut the score to 22-20. Fresno State took control of the game over the next several minutes with a 15-6 run, extending its lead to 37-26. The Bulldogs last field goal in the first half however came on a layup from Heidbreder with over six minutes remaining. 

The Privateers took advantage, erasing an 11 point deficit to make it 39-37 with 43 seconds left in the first half. A pair of free throws from Gasper Kocevar gave the Bulldogs a 41-37 lead going into halftime. 

At half, Heidbreder had 19 points to lead Fresno State in scoring. New Orleans had three players with 8+ points. Neither team shot particularly well; however, with Fresno State making 12-of-31 from the field. New Orleans made 11-of-29 and just 2-of-11 from beyond the arc. 

Jakevion Buckley opened the second half with a layup but it was answered right back with a dish from Collins inside to big man Wilson Jacques. DeShawn Gory and Heidbreder followed with a pair of threes to give the Bulldogs a 49-41 lead. 

The Privateers went on a brief 5-0 run before Collins found Jacques again. The next possession, following a rebound Collins found Gory open in front of the Bulldog bench for a corner three. De ja vu entered the building as the Privateers went on another 5-0 run, thanks to a pair of jump shots from Coleton Benson. 

Bulldog forward Cameron Faas made a layup with just over eight minutes left in the game, giving Fresno State a 69-61 lead. A bad pass leading to a turnover forced a Privateers timeout. 

“We’re gonna live and die with Jake shooting,” Walberg said.

They did just that and it worked out.

The Bulldogs went on to win 85-76 led by Heidbreder, who made 11-of-14 from the field including 4-of-6 from three. Fresno State as a team shot 47% from the field and 9-of-27 from three. 

Collins had 14, 10 and 7 in a do-it-all effort. He also had three steals on defense. Gory (11 points) was the only other Bulldog to score in double figures. 

“They are our two leaders. They’re the ones that got to perform each night,” Walberg said. “Tonight they both had a very good game and that’s why we won.”

Buckley had 25 points (9-of-16 FG) to lead New Orleans. He also had 14 rebounds. 

What’s next

The Bulldogs will play at Pepperdine on Wednesday, Nov. 26, before hosting CSU Bakersfield downtown at Selland Arena on Sunday, Nov. 30 to finish the month. 

It is worth noting that Pepperdine beat New Orleans 90-79 on Tuesday, Nov. 18. 

The Bulldogs don’t return to the Save Mart Center until Dec. 30, hosting Utah State for the second game of Mountain West Conference play. 

Story written by Al Scott, photos from Vincent Ordonio (Fresno Sports Magazine)

Nov 12
0

UCSD stifles Bulldogs late comeback attempt

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The Fresno State men’s basketball team (2-2) falls to the University of California, San Diego (3-0) in a 78-73 loss on Wednesday evening. 

After making the game competitive halfway through the second half, and even taking a brief lead, the Bulldogs were unable to complete the 13 point comeback.

After a slow start, guard Zaon Collins helped the Bulldogs erase the 13 point deficit with his two-way performance, recording seven of his nine points and three of his four steals in the second half—something that head coach Vance Walberg wants to see more of.

“Zaon should be giving us 14, 15 points a game—six, seven, eight, assists a game—that’s what I expect from him, I think he’s that good.” Walberg said. “I just gotta find a way to open up a few more things for him.”

The Bulldogs also had strong play off the bench, with 33 of the 73 points coming from the second unit—with Mani contributing 21 points. 

Guard Bastien Rieber, despite it not showing up in the box score, made a big impact off the bench with his grit on both ends on the floor. 

“[Rieber] is going to give you everything he’s got everytime—he’s just a tough little son of a gun,” Walberg said.

Key stats

  • Zaon Collins (FS): 9 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals.
  • Jac Mani (FS): 21 points (8-9 fg, 2-3 3fg), 7 rebounds.
  • Leo Beath (UCSD): 22 points, 5-10 from three, 7 rebounds, 2 assists.
  • Tom Beattie (UCSD): 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists.

What happened

The Bulldogs open the game with a slow start on offense with four early turnovers, and the Tritons capitalize with an 11-5 lead six minutes into the game.

The Bulldogs respond with grit on both ends, chasing loose balls, and following a putback by Mani and a three-pointer from guard Bastien Rieber, the ‘Dogs now trail 11-10.

The grit continued to be on display, but after chasing a loose ball, guard Zaon Collins exited the game grabbing his left shoulder—but would come back a few possessions later donning tape.

While Collins was out, the guard Tom Beattie and the Tritons kept the Bulldogs’ defense honest, draining shots from beyond-the-arch and doing damage in the paint to add to their 19-16 lead 11 minutes into the first half. 

However, the Bulldogs’ second unit would provide a spark, led by Mani’s offense and Reiber’s spirit, who combined for 15 points. But, it wasn’t enough, as the Tritons continued to work the paint to go up 42-30 heading into halftime.

The second half was headlined by the performance from Collins on both ends of the floor. Collins scored nine points midway through the half, came away with three steals, and four assists to help tie the game 57-57. 

Mani also pitched in, scoring 10 points on 4-4 shooting from the field and 2-2 from three-point range midway through the half.

But, the play from Beattie and forward Leo Beath—who combined for 13 points—was enough to keep the Tritons afloat and battle through the Bulldogs’ barrage on offense to tie the game 62-62.

To close out the game, Beath continued his strong performance to help the Tritons pull away with the 

What’s next

The Bulldogs’ showcase of resilience in this game was something that Walberg values, and called it something to build on. 

“The beauty of what we have this year is we got guys that care and they want to get better,” Walberg said. “I think you’re going to see that progression.”

The Bulldogs continue their home stand as they look to bounce back against Utah Valley University on Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. at the Save Mart Center.

Story written by Vincent Ordonio, cover photo by Ryan Sepulveda (Fresno Sports Magazine)

Nov 11
0

‘Dogs continue to grow with win over Seattle

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The ‘Mayhem’ era is off to a great start with the Fresno State (3-0) women’s basketball team defeating Seattle University on Tuesday night 78 to 53. 

Alaska Anchorage transfers Emilia Long and Ashlyn Rean combined for 40 points on 70% shooting from the field. The coach they followed from Alaska to Fresno isn’t surprised. 

“They’re proving there’s not a big difference from an elite Division II player to a mid-major player,” Head Coach Ryan McCarthy said after the game. 

Fresno State shot 51.6% from the field as a team and outrebounded the Redhawks 31-23 in the victory. 

Key Players

  • Emilia Long (FS): 21 points (10-14 FG), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal. 
  • Ashlyn Rean (FS): 19 points (9-13), 7 rebounds, 1 steal.
  • Tamia Stricklin (SEA): 9 points (3-6), 5 rebounds, 1 steal.

What happened 

Emilia Long does a lot of the things for the Bulldog basketball team, which was very apparent early in the first quarter on Tuesday night. 

“Millie’s an elite athlete, and she’s grown into a really good basketball player,” McCarthy said. 

The 5’9 point guard from Port Angeles, Washington opened the game with a jumper, then proceeded to block a shot at the other end. A few minutes later, Long maneuvered through the key for a layup over two Redhawk defenders. She then nailed a three-pointer at the top of the key on the next possession, giving the ‘Dogs an 11-2 lead and forcing a Seattle timeout. 

“It wasn’t my best game defensively,” Long said. “it was nice to hit some shots early on, like if you hit that first shot, then you can get things going pretty easily.”

Fresno State extended its lead to 24-10 thanks to forcing a pair of turnovers and a pair of layups from forward Avery Watkins. Forward Ashlyn Rean capped off the 26-12 quarter with a layup. 

Long was quite active again in the second, sparking a 16-5 run, offensively and defensively. She finished the half with 13 points, on 6-of-7 shooting from the field. 

Rean added 10 points and four rebounds as well to give the ‘Dogs a 44-25 lead. The Redhawks were led by Jana Vesic, who scored seven points off the bench. 

The Bulldogs started out cold in the second half, allowing Seattle to open with a 7-2 run. The ‘Dogs responded with a 16-3 run to close the third quarter, leading 62-35. 

Seattle started out hot again in the fourth quarter with an 8-1 run, including four points from Ella Brubaker (finished with 8 points).

Despite holding a 20+ lead for most of the second half, McCarthy didn’t let off the gas pedal. 

“Whether you’re up by 30 or down by 30, you know, I just think of staying in that process mindset. You know that it is a process, and it is about growth,” McCarthy said.

His players have responded well to having a passionate coach.

“It gets us going, it lights a fire under us to never get comfortable. It doesn’t matter what the score is. We have a standard that we have to reach every day, and if we don’t hit that standard, then it’s just not good enough,” Long said. “It’s a growth mindset.”

The Bulldogs went on to win 78-53. 

What’s Next

The Bulldogs will be on the road for nearly a month before hosting Pepperdine on Dec. 6 at the Save Mart Center. 

In the meantime, McCarthy’s squad will face at least five teams including Brigham Young University, Washington and Santa Clara. 

“We’re going to play some really, really good basketball teams, and it’s going to be a good challenge,” McCarthy said. “The road sometimes can be an advantage. You get to control sleep patterns, you get to control what they eat. You get to control their social life. We want to come into this road trip, going in as one team, and regardless of whatever the outcome is in those three contests, to come out on the other end is a better basketball team.”

Step one is facing BYU this Saturday, with tipoff at 1 p.m.

Nov 08
0

Fresno State rides second half wave in win over Beach

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Winning college basketball games isn’t easy, and the wins have come few and far between for Fresno State over the last few years. 

After today’s game, Head Coach Vance Walberg was still lamenting the loss Wednesday to USC Upstate. 

“I freaking hate losing. I want to win every gosh darn game. Wednesday hurt me. Wednesday really, really hurt,” Walberg said. 

Fortunately for Walberg, his team turned the page and easily handled Long Beach State in a Saturday afternoon of hoops at the Save Mart Center, with a 82-62 win over the Beach. 

“I thought the effort, especially on the defensive side, was phenomenal. The first half offensively, we were really struggling. Couldn’t really do too much, but I thought our defense kept us in the game,” Walberg said. 

The Bulldogs held the Beach to 7-of-27 shooting from the field in the first half, while forcing 10 turnovers. Offensively, the ‘Dogs made 15-of-24 shots, including 8-of-14 from beyond the arc. 

Grad transfer Jake Heidbreder led the way for the Bulldogs again offensively, making 8-of-13 shots for 24 points to go with three assists and a pair of steals. 

“Jake is Jake, he just finds a way to move, keep cutting,” Walberg said. “When we go down, I’m asking {Wilson Jacques} ‘just go find Jake’s man. Let’s find a pin down that’s getting in flow,’ because just that alone is going to open up so many different things.”

They were especially effective in the second half in that plan, with Heidbreder scoring 16 points, making shots while opening up opportunities for other guys to make an impact. 

Key Players

  • Jake Heidbreder (FS): 24 points (8-13), 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals. 
  • Wilson Jacques (FS): 12 points (4-7), 13 rebounds, 1 block, 2 steals. 
  • Petar Majstorovic (LBSU): 9 points (4-10), 6 rebounds, 2 assists. 

What happened 

Walberg opted to switch the lineup up a bit, replacing big man Makhan Diouf with Cameron Faas, a transfer senior. 

The Bulldogs missed 6-of-7 shots to begin the game before a nice jumpshot by Zaon Collins to tie the game 4-4 (15:00 remaining). A couple plays later, Gavin Sykes took advantage of a Bulldog turnover, draining a shot from distance. 

A minute later, DJ Stickman forced a steal before getting the ball to Collins who laid in the ‘Dogs third basket of the game. A forced turnover on the following possession forced the Beach to foul and call timeout. 

Stickman, a true freshman and former Clovis West standout, has been under Walberg’s tutelage for most of his basketball journey. The ‘athletic freak’ as his coach called him after the game, continues to get minutes (17 on Saturday) thanks to his defense and playmaking, beyond the stat sheet. 

“He’s an athletic freak,” Walberg said. “I’ve had him for eight years, so he knows exactly my expectations, and I feel a bit more comfortable with him out there. I know he’s going to play his butt on defense. I know he’s going to be solid. I know he’s going to rebound, and if he puts a ball in one or two times, that’s a big bonus.”

Walberg added that before the game, he told Stickman DJ ‘I don’t care how many fouls you have, just get your butt out there. Give me the defense I know you can do.’

The Bulldogs would keep Long Beach State scoreless for six-and-a-half minutes, led by Stickman and Wilson Jaques, each forcing a steal during that period. 

Jacques in particular was critical to the ‘Dogs win on Saturday, posting the first double-double of the season for Fresno State. He took accountability after the game for some of his own struggles.

“I was so mad at myself, because I know I can do a lot better,” Jaques said. 

The French freshman has started to adapt but acknowledges that transitioning to Walberg’s offense has not always been easy. He also said that he sees the potential though in this team. 

“It was kind of complicated, because you got a particular way to play. But I am still learning, I’m still making some mistakes. I gotta do a better job to find Jake and other guys,” Jacques said. “One of the things wonderful with this team is that we still improve, we still have so many things that we can do better.” 

Heidbreder nailed a three-pointer from the left wing to give the Bulldogs a 25-15 lead with 4:03 remaining in the first half. 

Fresno State went into halftime up 28-20, despite making just 1-of-9 threes in the first half. 

That poor shooting A trio of threes from Cameron Faas (two) and DeShawn Gory out of the break gave the Bulldogs 37-24 lead less than two minutes into a timeout, forcing a Beach timeout. Faas hit another three a few minutes later. 

Havoc defense, sound shooting and resilience led to a 34-16 run for the Bulldogs across 10 minutes of play, capped off by a pair of free throws from Jac Mani to give Fresno State a commanding 59-36 lead with 11:09 remaining in the second half.

On Wednesday, the Bulldogs started out strong but fell flat. They made sure to correct that.

“You just can’t give games away at this level. I felt like we gave that game away. I thought we played hard, but there’s just a lot of little freaky things that happened. I just felt today that we played so much harder, and we can play with today’s intensity. You know, I think good things will happen, and it’s my job to make sure they do,” Walberg said. 

The big lead at the end of the game allowed Walberg to get minutes for some guys at the end of the bench including Troy Jenkins and newcomers Matteo Porter and Aram Soqui Urbano. 

The Bulldogs went on to win 82-62, shooting 50% from the field and outrebounding the Beach 38-26. 

“This is a completely different team, I’ll tell you. We had a lot of good kids last year. We have a lot of really good kids this year, but this group plays as a team. They share the bond,” Walberg said. 

What’s Next

The ‘Dogs will host the Tritons of UC San Diego this coming Wednesday. 

UCSD (1-0) got off to a hot start to the season with a 105-73 victory over La Verne on Monday, after making the NCAA tournament last season, following their victory in the Big West conference tournament. Forward Leo Beath scored 24 points in just 25 minutes to lead them in scoring. 

“Look at the next couple games that we have. You got UCSD. You got Utah Valley, who’s always there, they are picked to win their league. Then you got Stephen F Austin, so, I mean, we got a few good ones coming up. I think it’s gonna be a nice challenge for us,” Walberg said. 

UCSD will host Houston Christian tonight before coming to Fresno. Wednesday’ game will mark the fourth of eight home games in November for the Bulldogs. Tipoff at the Save Mart Center is set for 6 p.m. 

Nov 05
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Photo by Vincent Ordonio (FSM).

The ‘disappointing’ ‘Dogs drop heartbreaker to USC Upstate

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A new season brings a fresh start and for the Fresno State men’s basketball team, that means hope and unfortunately more disappointment to the 2025-26 season. 

After an 88-51 throttling over Fresno Pacific to begin the season on Monday, the Bulldogs struggled to hit shots down the stretch, dropping a “buy game” to the USC Upstate Spartans 67-66 seconds on Wednesday evening at the Save Mart Center. 

Fresno State Head Coach Vance Walberg spoke to the media after the game, frustrated and ‘disappointed’ by his team’s showing. 

“We’re a lot better than that…we should’ve been up 15, 17, probably 20 points,” Walberg said. “We left a lot of points on the board.

The Bulldogs struggled to shoot the basketball, making just 22-of-62 shots and 7-of-30 from beyond the arc. It was particularly bad in the second half when they made just 3-of-15 three-point attempts.

He implores fans to ‘keep believing’ and it will ‘take some time’ for the Bulldogs to get to where they want to be.

Key Players

  • Zaon Collins (FS): 18 points (8-14), 4 rebounds, 3 assists
  • Jake Heidbreder (FS): 12 points (3-13), 2 steals.
  • Karmani Gregory (USC Upstate): 15 points (6-14), 3 assists.
  • Mason Bendinger (USC Upstate): 13 points (6-11), 8 rebounds, 2 steals. 

What happened 

After “not being aggressive enough” for his Walberg’s liking on Monday, Fresno State starting point guard Zaon Collins came out of the gate with a point of emphasis to get to the basket. Collins would score eight of the Bulldogs first 15 points, including a second-chance jumper with 13:35 left in the first half to give the ‘Dogs a 15-6 lead. 

Almost a minute later, Bulldogs forward DeShawn Gory and Spartans guard Carmelo Adkins traded a pair of threes. Adkins pulled up for another jumpshot on the next possession. He would score 10 points off the bench to lead the Spartans in first half scoring. 

Collins had some familiar faces on the court with him, facing off against former Salt Lake City Community College teammates Coen Collier and Mason Bendinger. 

The latter of which, made a jumpshot to pull the Spartans with two points with 9:18 remaining, the closest they would get within the Bulldogs prior to halftime. 

The ‘Dogs would go on a 17-7 run, extending its lead to 12 including a three pointer in the final minute of the half from forward Jac Mani. A free throw from Adkins made it 36-25 Bulldogs going into halftime. 

Bulldog guard Jake Heidbreder had a quiet first half scoring just four points in 17 minutes, being held in check. Two minutes into the half, the Clemson transfer more than doubled his scoring including a second-chance three to give the ‘Dogs a 40-31 lead. 

Some sloppy play combined with the hot hand of Spartans guard Karmani Gregory allowed USC Upstate to draw itself back into the game. A fastbreak three for the redshirt junior brought the score within one point before a three from Heidbreder made it 52-48 (11:24 left in half). 

USC Upstate wouldn’t go away, going on a 15-9 run including a trio of baskets and a pair of free throws from Bendinger, including a pair over Collins. 

A jumper at the top of the key for Bendinger forced a timeout from Walberg. Three missed shots from the Bulldogs called for another timeout (1:23 remaining). 

The Bulldogs got the ball in the final few seconds down three, after an intentional foul, Bulldog freshman Aram Soqui Urbano nailed a pair of free throws to make it 67-66. The Bulldogs fouled with 1.4 seconds left and after a missed free throw got the ball with 1 second.

Collins put up a prayer from beyond half court but to no luck. 

USC Upstate had three players with 13+ points including Gregory, who scored 12 of his 15 points in the second half. Adkins (13 points, 8 rebounds) and Bendinger (14 points) scored in double figures as well for the Spartans. Jafeth Martinez had three blocks in 19 minutes off the bench. 

Collins made 8-of-14 shots to lead the Bulldogs in scoring with 18 points. He also had four rebounds, three assists and a steal. Heidbreder (12 points) was the only other Bulldog to score more than eight points. The fifth-year senior made 3-of-13 from the field, all three makes coming from beyond the arc. He also had two steals. 

Walberg said after the game that getting Heidbreder more opportunities is paramount to the success of the team. 

“We have to find the right time and the right place to be able to get him the ball. And then the biggest, the best way we want to try to do that is in transition and flow. And we’re still struggling on how to do that. He also needs to get to the free throw line a lot more,” Walberg said. 

What’s Next

Walberg is ready to turn the page.

“It’s done. It’s over with. Tomorrow, when we get on that floor, we’re thinking, Long Beach State. Hopefully we learn from this,” Walberg said. 

The ‘Dogs will host the Beach this Saturday afternoon. LBSU (0-1) began its season on Tuesday at San Diego State, falling 77-45 to the Aztecs. Forward Petar Majstorovic (13 points, 10 rebounds) was the only Beach player to score in double figures. 

Saturday’s game will mark the third of eight home games in November for the Bulldogs. Tipoff at the Save Mart Center is set for 2 p.m. 

Nov 03
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‘Dogs earn first win in the “McCarthy Era”, beating FPU 87-38

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Fresno State women’s basketball earns their first win in the “McCarthy Era” against Fresno Pacific University, beating the Sunbirds 87-38 on Monday, Nov 3 at the Save Mart Center. 

The win was spearheaded by the Bulldogs’ suffocating defense, which resulted in 22 steals and  37 Sunbird turnovers. The ‘Dogs also got strong guard play from guards Dane Powell and Emilia Long, something head coach Ryan McCarthy valued. 

“The guards did a really good job—this is as offensively efficient as we’ve seen them,” McCarthy said. “Our biggest thing was taking care of the ball and not giving it to the other team.”

McCarthy also liked their effort on the defensive end, noting that’s going to be the expectation every night. 

“I thought we were really good defensively, we pretty much dominated—thats the expectation every night,” McCarthy said.

The Bulldogs’ effort on the court was another highlight of the game—whether it was on loose balls, offensive rebounds, or picking up full-court. 

“That’s the standard of this program, if you don’t get on the fifty-fifty’s you’re going to have a longer practice,” McCarthy said. “If we can’t win those, we can’t have “mayhem” on our shirts.”

Key stats

  • Danae Powell: 18 points (8-12),  3 assists, 4 steals.
  • Jaisa Gamble:18 points (8-12), 3 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals.
  • Emilia Long: 14 points (6-12), 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 4 steals.

What happened

To open the game, the Bulldogs showed an immediate full-court press upon tip-off and that effort was on display throughout the first quarter—diving on loose balls, resulting in 9 steals and 12 Sunbird turnovers

The Bulldogs also had the size advantage, and it showed on the boards, grabbing 19 rebounds and 8 offensive rebounds for seven second chance points to add to the ‘Dogs’ 21-6 first quarter.

The second quarter belonged to the Bulldogs, holding the Sunbirds to zero points (0-14) and seven second quarter turnovers. On top of that, the ‘Dogs also tested the paint defense of the Sunbirds, and passed, scoring 12 of their 21 second quarter points in the paint en route to their 42-6 lead heading into halftime. 

In the third quarter, momentum switched sides, with the Sunbirds finding some rhythm of their own. 

The Sunbirds outscored the Bulldogs 21-19, doing their damage in the paint (8 paint points) and on the defensive end as they came away with a blocked shot to go with their two steals. But the Sunbirds still found themselves in a 61-27 hole.

To close the game, the Bulldogs found their footing, with their five steals and Gamble scoring 14 of the ‘Dogs’ 12 points.

In the fourth quarter, Gamble found herself running the offense at times as she looked to make the right play. 

“I think I’m just looking for the advantage—the advantage means getting a step on the offense and getting into that domino effect where we can keep going at them,” Gamble said. 

What’s next

The Bulldogs are on the road as they take on California State University, Bakersfield on Friday, Nov. 7 at 6:30 p.m. They will return home to the Save Mart Center on Tuesday, Nov. 11, with tipoff at 6:30 p.m.

Recap by Vincent Ordonio (Fresno Sports Magazine)