FRESNO STATE (5-15, 1-8 MW) at WYOMING (10-10, 3-6 MW)
Jan. 28, 2025 • 6:30 p.m. MT / 5:30 p.m. PT • Laramie, Wyo. (Arena-Auditorium)
MEDIA COVERAGE
Mountain West Network
PxP: Keith Kelly • Analyst: Kevin McKinney
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. — After playing three of its last four games in the Central Valley, Fresno State returns to the road for the week, beginning with a trip to Wyoming on Tuesday evening. Tipoff at Arena-Auditorium is set for 6:30 p.m. MT/5:30 p.m. PT and will stream on the Mountain West Network.
QUICK LOOK
After playing three of its last four games in the Central Valley, Fresno State returns to the road for the week, beginning with a trip to Wyoming on Tuesday evening.
The Cowboys are one of three conference opponents that the Bulldogs have yet to face.
Fresno State is 6-12 all-time in Laramie, dropping its last three games. The Bulldogs' last win at the Double A came on Jan. 18, 2020.
After only holding a halftime lead once in their first 14 games, the Bulldogs have led at the half in three of their last six games.
The 'Dogs are 2-2 with the lead at the half this season. Both wins came when leading by 17.
During the last four games, Fresno State has held three of its opponents to below 70 points in regulation.
The Bulldogs have shot north of 75% at the free-throw line during the last three games. Fresno State's previous high was 73.7% in the season opener.
In Mountain West play, Fresno State is the only team in the conference with three players averaging at least 12 points per game--Alex Crawford (14.3pg - 10th), Jalen Weaver (12.5ppg - 18th), Zaon Collins (12.4ppg - 19th).
Since the start of 2025, Crawford is averaging 18.8 points per game, posting four 20-point games in his six games. It is the third-highest average in the conference since the start of January.
Elijah Price ranks fourth in the country among freshmen in rebounding (8.0 rpg), seventh in offensive rebounds (2.75), and sixth in double-doubles (5).
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
18.8 - In his six five games, Alex Crawford is averaging 18.8 points per game on 53.8% shooting (42-of-78).
83.9 - During the last three games, Fresno State is averaging 83.9% from the free-throw line. The team's highest percentage previously was 73.7% in the season opener.
73.3 - In the last four games, Fresno State has allowed opponents to average 73.3 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 three of the last four 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 twice in overtime while opponents were held below 70 points in regulation (Cal Baptist, Nevada).
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.
FINDING CHARITY
Through the first 17 games of the season, Fresno State had struggled at the charity stripe with its best percentage of 73.7% coming in the season opener versus Sacramento State, and only shooting above 70% on four occasions. But in the past three games, the Bulldogs have been at 75.0% or better.
On Jan. 17 against Air Force, Fresno State broke the program's best percentage at the Save Mart Center, shooting 21-of-23 (91.3%). The previous high was 90.5%, set in 2021 and tied in 2022.
The Bulldogs are shooting 83.9% (47-of-56) from the stripe in their last three games.
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 each of the last six 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 113 points in his last six games (18.8 ppg), Crawford has averaged 13.0 shot attempts in that stretch (13, 12, 12, 13, 12, 16) after just one game with 10 or more in his previous 12 games.
SERIES HISTORY
Fresno State holds the all-time series lead at 23-17
The Bulldogs are 6-12 all-time at Arena-Auditorium, and have dropped the last three.
Fresno State's last win in Laramie came on Jan. 18, 2020 (65-50).
Two of the last three meetings in the Double A have gone down to the wire with Wyoming winning on a buzzer beater in 2024 (68-67) and in overtime in 2022 (68-64).