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Basketball

Jan 17
0

Bulldogs down Cowboys in second straight win

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The Fresno State men’s basketball team (9-9) earned their third conference win and improve to 3-4 in conference play following a 63-60 win over the University of Wyoming (11-7) at the Save Mart Center on Jan. 17

Despite an off-game from the Bulldogs’ leading scorer guard Jake Heidbreder, the ‘Dogs got contributions from other players such as guard David Douglas Jr.—who credited the energy to the Red Wave. 

“It really gives us a home court advantage having the crowd bring the energy when you’re kind of tired,” Douglas Jr. said. “When you’re kind of tired, it just gives you that extra little push and momentum.”

Heidbreder didn’t make a field goal until early into the second half, which Head Coach Vance Walberg attributed to the stout defense from the Cowboys.

“[Wyoming] is a very good defensive team, and as you see, it was a pretty physical game.” Walberg said. “He came here to be a person who’s going to be one of the guys—the big shot on the team—and that’s what he came for.”

Key players

Deshawn Gory (FS): 13 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal

David Douglas Jr. (FS): 13 points (3-9FG, 2-7 3FG, 5-6 FT)

DJ Stickman (FS): 7 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 15 +/- (team high)

Leland Walker (UW): 17 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block

Nasir Meyer (UW): 13 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals

What happened

The Cowboys opened the first half with a 7-0 run sparked by their leading scorer guard Leland Walker (14.2 ppg), who went 3-3 from beyond-the-arc in the opening minutes. However, the Bulldogs—who rank third in pace in the Mountain West (MW)— responded with urgency and timely cuts to chip at the 13-9 Cowboy lead.

The Bulldogs kept their foot on the pedal, holding the Cowboys to a six minute scoring drought, and going on a 6-0 run as a result—but still trail 16-15. Even so, the Bulldogs fought back for their first lead of the game following a three-pointer from guard David Douglas Jr, making it 20-18 in favor of the ‘Dogs.

To close out the half, the Bulldogs lost the lead following a 7-0 Cowboy run, but after a three-pointer from guard Cameron Faas the ‘Dogs entered halftime down 27-26.

After one half, Douglas Jr. leads all scorers with eight points (3-6 FG, 2-5 3FG), followed by Cowboy guards Walker and Nasir Meyer, who both have seven points. Also, the Cowboys—who rank fourth in three-pointers made (8.4) and sixth in three-point percentage (34.3%) in the MW—shot 5-11 (45.5%) from three-point range and were on pace to exceed their season averages.

In contrast, the Bulldogs shot 3-12 (25%) from beyond-the-arc, the lone shot makers being Douglas Jr. and Faas (1-2 3FG)—with guard Jake Heidbreder still yet to attempt a three or make a field goal. Despite the poor three-point shooting, the Bulldogs got scoring contributions from seven different players inside the three-point line.

The Cowboys come out of halftime in a groove on offense, taking back the lead, but after Heidbeder’s first field goal make and an and-one, the ‘Dogs tie the game 37-37.

Following the Heidbreder baskets, both teams continued to exchange the lead—with the Bulldogs led by forward Deshawn Gory with 13 points, and the Cowboys led by Walker with 15 points as the game was tied once again 58-58 with two minutes left in the game.

In crunch time, the Bulldogs’ execution was sound on both ends of the floor—with clutch free throws made by Heidbreder and Douglas Jr. as well as some key stops on defense from guard DJ Stickman, including the one to seal the game, the Bulldogs came away with the 63-60.

What’s next

The Bulldogs take a brief road trip to The Pit, facing the University of New Mexico (14-3) on Jan. 21 at 6 p.m. The ‘Dogs then return home to take on a new face in the Mountain West, Grand Canyon University (10-6) on Jan. 24 at 4:30 p.m.

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

Jan 14
0

‘Dogs blow out Aggies in milestone performance

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Fresno State Head Coach Ryan McCarthy had a heart-to-conversation earlier this week with  guard Emilia Long regarding consistency and playing with pace. The senior responded with an all-around performance totaling 21 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds; the kind of performance McCarthy has come to expect out of Long over the past several years coaching her at the University of Alaska-Anchorage and now at Fresno State. 

“[Emilia] kind of embodies what we want our program to be about. Three girls on this team out of high school had division one offers, and she was not one of those players. And she just plays with that ultimate chip on her shoulder,” McCarthy said. 

Long, who surpassed the 1,000 points career milestone with an all-around performance, wasn’t the only one who had it going. The Bulldogs put together one of its best games of the season, defeating Utah State 86-56 while 35-73 (47.9%) from the field and outrebounding the Aggies 47-29. 

Key players

  • Emilia Long (FS): 21 points (8-13 FG), 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal
  • Ava Marr (FS): 16 points (6-11 FG), 2 rebounds
  • Ellie Livingston (USU): 16 points (5-8 FG)
  • Jamisyn Heaton (USU): 15 points, 4 rebounds

What happened 

Utah State came out hot in the opening minute of the game, winning the tip and getting the ball to Jamisyn Heaton down low who scored over the top of Fresno State guard Indiya Clarke. After a Danae Powell triple, Aggies guard Elise Livingston answered with a three of her own. 

The Bulldogs fought back and a few minutes later, Jaisa Gamble stepped back for a 15-foot mid range jumper, forcing an Aggies timeout. After the break, the Bulldog defense forced a bad pass leading to another timeout. The Bulldogs kept the pressure, going on a 21-9 run to end the first quarter, leading 24-14. 

Two minutes into the second quarter, a three from Ava Marr and layups from Powell (2) and Gamble gave the ‘Dogs a 33-14 lead and forced the fourth and final Aggies timeout of the game. 

“I’m not sure what we were doing that necessarily caused that, but it was good for us in the second half, because they couldn’t stop any momentum for us,” McCarthy said. 

Fresno State went into halftime with a commanding 42-25 lead, led by guard Emilia Long (12 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds. Livingston had 12 first half points for the Aggies, who struggled to shoot overall besides Livingston (5-20 FG).

After not scoring for the first 3-and-a-half minutes of the second half, the Bulldogs scored on back-to-back-to-back possessions with threes from Marr and Long as well as a Powell-and-one layup. Two possessions later, Marr nailed another trey in front of the Fresno State bench giving the ‘Dogs a 54-31 lead with 4:21 remaining in the third quarter. 

Fresno State went into the fourth with a 68-42 lead, a lead that only continued to grow. Fresno State finished the night with five players (Long, Powell, Gamble, Marr, and Djessira Diawara) scoring in double figures en route to a 86-56 win. 

It was an especially impressive night for Diawara, who scored 12 points (5-7 FG) in addition to grabbing five rebounds and two steals. Clarke and Avery Watkins were also key contributors on the glass, each grabbing 10 rebounds.

What’s next

The win improves the team to 5-2 at home (2-0 neutral) but the Bulldogs still have yet to find their footing away from the Save Mart Center with a 1-7 road record, something McCarthy is keen on changing. He recalled after his first game at UAA in 2012 when his athletic director brought him into his office and told him “home games don’t really matter, because you ain’t a four letter word until you go out and beat somebody on the road.” 

“I’ve told our team that, ‘this is cute, this is cool. But if we’re going to get any respect in this league, [on the road] is where it’s going to be, every road game in this conference is difficult,’” McCarthy said. 

The Bulldogs will have two opportunities to improve on that road record in the coming week, playing at Nevada this Saturday, Jan. 17 at 1 p.m. and then at Boise State next Wednesday (1/21). The ‘Dogs return to the Save Mart Center on Jan. 24 to host Colorado State at 2 p.m. for Heroes Day and Greek Night. 

Recap written by Al Scott, cover photo by Vincent Ordonio (FSM).

Jan 13
0

Bulldogs topple Rams in 2nd conference win

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The Fresno State men’s basketball team (8-9) secured their second conference win in a 79-69 victory over Colorado State University (11-6) at the Save Mart Center on Jan. 13.

The Bulldogs shot well above their season average from three-point range (31.5%), going 8-20 (40%) in the win, which was sparked by guard Jake Heidbreder and David Douglas Jr.—who earned his first start of the season.

 “I expected [Douglas Jr.] to start from the beginning of the year, but his knee injury put him behind—little-by-little, he’s been getting back to it.” Head Coach Vance Walberg said. “I would have loved to leave him in, but you could see him just huffing and puffing down the court.”

Despite the Rams inching closer in the final minutes, Walberg was pleased with the late game performance. 

“As long as the ball gets to [Heidbreder] and he gets fouled, I’m very happy with the execution,” Wahlberg said.

Key players

Jake Heidbreder (FS): 21 points, 2 steals.

Deshawn Gory (FS): 14 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals.

Brandon Rechsteiner (CSU): 18 points, 2 steals.

Carey Booth (CSU): 15 points, 9 rebounds, 1 block.

What happened

Both teams opened the game hot on offense, trading buckets. Douglas Jr. started things off for the Bulldogs, draining his first three-point shot attempt of the game, which ignited the ‘Dogs’ offense as five different players contributed to the scoring column. 

However, guard Brandon Rechsteiner kept the Rams within reach scoring 10 of the Ram’s 12 points to chip at the early 18-12 Bulldog lead.

To close out the half, the Rams struggled to find scoring elsewhere, as the Bulldogs began to pile on to their early lead. With well-balanced scoring, seven different Bulldogs added to the total score. With guard Jake Heidbreder leading the way (nine points), and Douglas Jr. trailing him (8 points), the Bulldogs enjoyed a 36-22 lead at halftime.

After one half of basketball, the Bulldogs—who rank number one in opponent three-point percentage—held the Rams to 2-13 (11.1%) from beyond-the-arch, which is no easy feat as the Rams are one of the premier three-point shooting teams in the conference (41% from three-point range, first in the Mountain West).

To open the second half, the Rams found their groove from three-point range to trim the 41-37 Bulldog lead, but forward Jac Mani offered some scoring relief—which Walberg valued.

“[Mani] is a very good offensive player, he knows I’ve been on his tail. If he becomes a better defensive player. He’s going to play a lot more,” Walberg said. “He gives us a weapon that helps when you can stretch somebody out.”

After the Rams tied the game 41-41 with a 19-3 run, the Bulldogs responded with a 7-2 run of their own sparked by the play of Mani, who scored 6 of the ‘Dogs’ 12 second half points to give them the 48-43 cushion.

Following the run, the Bulldogs continued to ride the wave on offense, generated by the steady scoring contributions from their rotation players. But, the Rams returned to their in-season form, draining shots from the three-point line to inch closer to the Bulldogs’ 63-55 lead with three minutes remaining.

To close out the game, the Bulldogs’ late game execution was textbook, as they took care of the ball and drained their free-throws en route to the 79-69 win.

What’s next

The Bulldogs welcome Wyoming State University (11-5)—who rank second in the Mountain West in scoring (84 points per game)—at the Save Mart Center on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 4 p.m. 


Story and cover photo via Vincent Ordonio (FSM).

Jan 07
0

‘Dogs take care of business against Spartans

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The Fresno State women’s basketball team (8-8) earned their second conference win of the season, beating San Jose State University (2-14) 67-52 on Jan. 7 at the Save Mart Center.

The name of the game for the Spartans was their 2-3 zone, which they stayed in for the majority of the game. As a result, the Bulldogs shot 30% from the field, 10% less than their season average (41%). Head Coach Ryan McCarthy saw this game as a lesson to learn from.

“They did a good job of making us guess what were good shots and bad shots,” McCarthy said. “From a maturity stand-point, this will really help us as we’re able to watch film and show [the players], ‘Hey, you had this opportunity here, and we didn’t take it, and this was the result of you not taking the shot you’ve practiced.”

Despite the performance from guards Emilia Long and Danae Powell, a performance that fwas forward Indiya Clark, who displayed grit and confidence in her shot throughout the game—something that didn’t go unnoticed by McCarthy.

“A casual basketball guy will look at this and be like, ‘[Indiya] was 1-11, but she led us in rebounding, she led us in offensive rebounding, and she got fouled the most,’ so she did a lot of things that impact winning,” McCarthy said. “Indiya should have been 1-20 because she probably passed on nine shots because she was feeling bad.”

McCarthy added that this effort is a common trend in practice which led to her back-to-back starting nods.

“She’s been very consistent in practice for us, and she’s just a big, strong woman,” McCarthy said. “That’s not somebody you want to get run over by, so she just gives us that edge that I felt we needed the last couple of games.”

Key players

Emilia Long (FS): 22 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal.

Danae Powell (FS): 20 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals.

Indiya Clark (FS): 11 points (8-10 on free-throws), 9 rebounds, 2 steals.

What happened

Powell opened the game with a solo scoring run, scoring the ‘Dogs’ first eight points of the game. The rest of the team pitched in on the defensive end, forcing the Spartans to seven early turnovers, converting them to seven points to earn the early 8-3 lead.

In the final minutes, the Spartans’ found their footing on both ends of the court, giving the Bulldogs problems on defense with their 2-3 zone and chasing after loose balls to trim the ‘Dogs’ lead to 19-14.

In the second quarter, the duo of Long and Clark powered the Bulldogs through the quarter, scoring a combined 18 of the ‘Dogs’ 27 second quarter points. 

Clark started things off with getting to the free throw line, attempting all of the Bulldogs’ six second quarter free throws, going four of six from the line. Clark handed the scoring baton to Long, who went five-for-five from the field to contribute to the Bulldogs’ 46-23 lead heading into halftime. 

After one half of basketball, Long leads all scorers with 18 points, followed by Powell with 13. The Spartans have yet to have a player reach double-digit points, with their highest scoring players being forward Gabriela Pato and guard Maya Anderson with five points each. The Spartans also turned the ball over 18 times, which the Bulldogs converted into 10 points.

In the second quarter, both teams had a lid on the basket. The Bulldogs went 2-15 (13.3%) from the field and 0-2 from beyond-the-arch, whereas the Spartans went 2-12 (16.7%) from the field and 2-11 (18.2%) from the three-point line. As a result, the score didn’t budge too much with the Bulldogs entering the final quarter up 54-33.

To close out the game, the lid remained on the basket for the two teams, mostly due to the strong defense. However, the Spartans would edge out the Bulldogs in the scoring column, outscoring the ‘Dogs 19-13—but, it wasn’t enough as the Bulldogs pulled away with the 67-52 victory.

What’s next

The Bulldogs continue conference play on the road, facing a familiar face in former Bulldog Holly Griffiths and Mountain West newcomer Grand Canyon University (3-12) on Jan. 10 at 12 p.m.

Recap/cover photo by Vincent Ordonio (FSM).

Jan 03
0

Price’s return to Fresno spoils Bulldogs quest for first conference win

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Elijah Price made his return to the Save Mart Center on Saturday afternoon and showed the Bulldogs exactly what they were missing, leading the Nevada Wolfpack to a 66-65 victory over Fresno State. 

The former Bulldog big man scored 15 points (5-10 FG) and grabbed 9 rebounds. His biggest impact came on the defensive end where he had four blocks and four steals, causing havoc in the interior. Fresno State Head Coach Vance Walberg had high praise for Price after the game. 

“He’s not a fantastic offensive player, but he’s going to find a way to score, he’s going to find a way to get to the free throw line. He’s going to rebound for you. He’s going to defend. He does all the intangibles that it takes to win games,” Walberg said. “That’s why we recruited him.”

The 6’9” forward averaged 10.5 PPG and 8.3 RPG and over two-and-a-half blocks plus steals per game as a redshirt freshman last season before transferring to Nevada. Price has put up similar results this season for the Wolfpack, though with increased efficiency from beyond the arc. 

For Fresno State, Jake Heidbreder scored 25 points on 9-of-19 from the field, including five threes. It wasn’t enough though as the loss marked six straight dropping the ‘Dogs to 6-8 on the season and 0-3 in the Mountain West after a 6-2 start. 

The close losses have been piling up but Walberg still believes in his team.

“We’re right there. I think we’re good enough to play with every team in this conference. I’m not saying we’re good enough to beat them all the time. But we’re good enough, and if we do want to beat them, we’ve got to do all the little things.”

Walberg added that offensive rebounding and protecting the basketball are two key areas of concern as the season progresses. 

“We’ve had a problem all year with taking care of the ball, and again, it came back and bit us today with 15 turnovers. We’ve got to keep our turnovers in that eight to 10 range, and we just didn’t do that,” Walberg said. 

Key players

  • Jake Heidbreder (FS): 25 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals
  • Wilson Jacques (FS): 8 points, 12 rebounds
  • Elijah Price (NEV): 15 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, 4 steals
  • Tyler Rolison (NEV): 16 points (6-11 FG)

What happened 

Price made his return to the Save Mart Center and made his mark early with a pair of early layups. It was the Jake Heidbreder show on Saturday though. Cameron Faas found the senior marksman open in the corner for his third three of the game. A Wilson Jacques dunk and a pullup jumper from Zaon Collins capped off a quick 8-3 run to give the Bulldogs an 18-15 lead (8:06 remaining in first half).

Collins found Deshawn Gory in the final minute of the half for an open three to give Fresno State a 26-21 lead heading into halftime. Neither team shot particularly well, making a combined 32 percent of its shots. 

After a rough first offensively, Nevada opened the second half with a pair of baskets from Tayshawn Comer and Kaleb Lowery. The Bulldogs answered back with a layup from Collins and a pair of fastbreak layups from Deshawn Gory. The Wolfpack responded though with a trio of threes from Vaughn Weems (two) and Lowery to cut Fresno State’s lead to 35-34. 

Wolfpack guard Tyler Rolison scored on three consecutive possessions, capping off a 15-6 run for Nevada. Heidbreder ended the run by nailing a three from the wing in front of the Fresno State bench to give the Bulldogs a 42-40 lead with 12 minutes remaining in the game. 

Neither team was able to establish much of a lead throughout the game. A pair of free throws from Rolison was answered by a Collins layup. An and-one from Price was sandwiched in between a pair of Gory layups (14 points). A couple minutes later, Price made it back to the basket for another three only for Heidbreder to nail another three from the corner to give the ‘Dogs a 57-53 lead with five minutes to go. 

Hiedbreder drove to the layup to give the Bulldogs a 65-64 lead with 25 seconds remaining in the game but Fresno State had no answer for Rolison who had 14 second half points including a layup with 10 seconds to go. Fresno State had one more opportunity to go down the court but couldn’t find anything open. 

“I wanted to try and set up a screen at midcourt and see what we get, but it got stuck. I tried to call the time out there, and [the refs] didn’t recognize it until it got tipped,” Walberg said. 

Walberg thought the team played 39 minutes of “pretty good” basketball, but the inability to finish it off “feels like a waste.” 

What’s next

The Bulldogs hit the road again next week for a pair of in-state matchups beginning with San Jose State at the Provident Credit Union Event Center on Tuesday at 7 p.m. They will end the week on Saturday playing the San Diego State Aztecs at 8 p.m. from Viejas Arena.

Recap written by Al Scott, cover photo by Ryan Sepulveda (FSM).

Dec 30
0

‘Dogs come up short despite big night from Jacques

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The Fresno State men’s basketball team (6-7) have yet to earn their first conference win in a 72-63 loss to Utah State University (11-1) on Dec. 30 at the Save Mart Center.

In a game that started off slow for the Bulldogs, guard Bastien Rieber was an immediate spark off the bench as well as throughout the game, a trend head Coach Vance Walberg sees everyday in practice.

“Even when you don’t play, I want you to understand you’re still valuable,” Walberg said. “There’s times when basketball players play three to six minutes, but every practice, [Rieber] still comes out and busts his tail.”

Another highlight for the Bulldogs was center Wilson Jacques, who recorded his sixth double-double of the season and extended his double-double streak to five straight games. 

Jacques made a living in the post, where he created most of his points, and crashed the boards on both ends of the floor—something Walberg values. 

“Wilson probably jumps that high, his heart’s this big,” Walberg said. “He’s a stud, he’s a force inside—it’s a big load for people to have to carry. We just got to get some more help around and knock a few more outside shots and I think we’ll open up the inside.”

Key players

Jake Heidbreder (FS): 21 points, 3 steals, 38 minutes.

Wilson Jacques (FS): 15 points, 12 rebounds, 1 steal.

MJ Collins Jr. (USU): 18 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals.

Mason Falslev (USU): 16 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals.

What happened

The Aggies opened the game with a full-court press, which gave the Bulldogs fits on offense, causing five early turnovers and forcing the ‘Dogs into poor shot selection. The Aggies also used this intensity on offense, generating points off paint touches and kickouts to gain the early 16-8 lead.

10 minutes into the game, Rieber checked in and provided an immediate spark, forcing two turnovers and timely cuts to the basket. His effort was contagious as Jacques crashed the boards on both ends of the floor to help cut into the Aggies’ 18-13 lead.

But the Aggies continued to play through the number one scorer in the Mountain West, guard MJ Collins Jr. (20.1 ppg), who bloomed the Aggies lead to 35-26 heading into halftime. 

Through one half, Collins Jr. leads all scorers with 10 points followed by Rieber’s 8 points—the lone bench scorer for the Bulldogs. For the Aggies, they showed a well balanced two-way effort, with eight players contributing to the scoring column and five players contributing to the team’s nine steals. The Bulldogs were spearheaded by Rieber and his ability to get to the line, shooting five of the team’s nine free-throws. 

Aggies start the second half hot with the help of backcourt duo Collins Jr and Mason Falslev, but with some off-ball movement, the Bulldogs get some threes to fall from guards Jake Hiedbreder and Cameron Faas to cut the lead down to 48-40 six minutes into the quarter.

Despite the momentum and getting stops on defense, the Bulldogs struggled to capitalize on offense as they went five minutes without a made field goal—which was put to an end after a Heidbreder layup and a Jacques hook shot to trim the Aggies’ lead to 64-55.

Following the field goal drought, the Bulldogs made a late-game push led by the post play of Jacques—who was one of the lone shot-makers in the final minutes—but it wasn’t enough to halt the Aggies’ late game execution en route to their 72-63 win.

What’s next

The Bulldogs continue conference play at home against former Bulldog Elijah Price and the University of Nevada, Reno (9-3), which eliminated the ‘Dogs in the first round of the 2025 Mountain West Tournament, on Jan. 3 at 4 p.m.

Recap written by Vincent Ordonio, cover photo by Ryan Sepulveda (FSM).

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
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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
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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)