GAME 15: FRESNO STATE (9-5, 0-1 MW) vs WYOMING (7-6, 1-0 MW)
Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025 | 2 p.m. PT | Mountain West Network | Save Mart Center | Fresno, Calif.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Watch: Mountain West Network
Listen: Bulldog Sports Network
Play-by-Play: Matt Norville
Sidelines: Taylor Martinez
Stats: Statbroadcast
Live Updates via Twitter (X): @fresnostatewbb
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State women's basketball will ring in the new year at home for the conference home opener to host the Wyoming Cowgirls on Saturday, Jan. 4. Tip off is set for 2 p.m. PT streaming on the Mountain West Network.
BULLDOG BONES
Fresno State dropped to 9-5 and opened conference play at 0-1 after a loss to UNLV
Fresno State joined four other teams starting conference play at 0-1 (Air Force, Boise State, San Jose State and Utah State)
Mia Jacobs is shy of 22 points to reach 1,000 career points
Fresno State will face back-to-back opponents that lead the series with at least five or more consecutive wins (UNLV, 6) (Wyoming, 5)
In Fresno State's last three games, the leader through the first half has won the game
The last time Fresno State defeated Wyoming was exactly four years ago (Jan. 4, 2021) in Laramie
For the first time this season, Mia Jacobs was not the team's leading scorer and rebounder: Mariah Elohim led in scoring with 15 points and Kylee Fox with 5 rebounds
The Mountain West is one of four conferences that have multiple players (Mia Jacobs, Allyson Fertig) averaging at least 15.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game this season (Big Ten, ACC, SEC)
Bulldogs continue play at home with a 7-1 home record
Fresno State and Wyoming will meet for the 43rd time in series history and Bulldogs lead the all-time meetings at 22-20
Head coach Jaime White has never faced Wyoming in the conference home opener
Saturday's contest will be the only meeting between the two programs this season
Despite not playing since Nov. 13 Taija Sta. Maria ranks fifth in the MW in minutes played with a 32.2 min average
Fresno State concluded conference play with nine wins, seven of which were at home, one road and one neutral site win
Fresno State holds a series lead against six of the ten Mountain West teams (Air Force, Boise State, Nevada, San Jose State, Utah and Wyoming)
Fresno State drops to 191 after their highest NET ranking this season at 179 the previous week
Jacobs' eight double-doubles are the most through 12-player games of a season by a MW player since 2016-17, Bego Faz Davalos has nine.
Head coach Jaime White brought in her 300th career win this past weekend with a win over UT Martin (75-66) at the Rainbow Wahine Showdown
ABOUT THE MATCH UP
Fresno State and Wyoming will meet for the 43rd time in program history and for the 17th time in Fresno. The last Fresno State win came exactly four years ago in 2021 (Jan. 4) in Laramie. Bulldogs' took it in overtime, 83-80.
Bulldogs lead the all-time series at 22-20 and hold an advantage over the Cowgirls at the Save Mart Center, 11-5. Even though the Bulldogs lead the series, Wyoming has won seven of the last ten meetings - two of which were in Fresno.
Despite the Bulldogs having dropped the last five meetings to the Cowgirls, four of them were lost by five or fewer points. There have been two overtime games in the last six meetings, 1-1.
LET THE COUNTDOWN BEGIN
After totaling 10 points against UNLV, Mia Jacobs needs 22 more points to reach 1,000 career points. Jacobs started her D1 career at La Salle where she totaled 280 points (9.33 avg) in her freshman season. The following year she transferred to Fresno State, and now the junior ventures into her second season as a 'Dog.
In her first season as a Bulldog, Jacobs totaled 449 points, 223 rebounds, and 18 blocks, shooting 39% from the field and 36% from the three. Jacobs rolled in five double-doubles, six games scoring 20 or more points and 21 double-figure games. In addition, she was named MW Player of the Week (Dec. 23) after a career-high game against ASU and was named All-MW Honorable Mention.
This season the Australian has played at a steady pace - cracking 500 points in a Bulldog uniform, locked in nine double-doubles, and has five games with 20 or more points, including matching her career-high 31 points (vs UTM). Jacobs began the season being named to the Preseason All-MW Team and earned her second Player of the Week nod on Nov. 18.
'DOG ON THE RISE
Holly Griffiths is coming in hot this season. The sophomore forward put in a season-high 11 points and 17 minutes against USC. In the four games where the bench has put up 20 or more points, Griffiths is always there, with no less than five points. Through 14 games this season, Griffiths saw action in 12 of those totaling 43 points, 16 rebounds and shooting 36% (12-of-33) from the field and 35% (5-of-14) from the three and 87% from the foul line (14-of-16).
A LOOK AT THE COWGIRLS
Head coach Heather Ezell enters her third year at the helm
Wyoming was predicted to finish second in the MW and earned three first place votes in the 2024 MW preseason poll
Wyoming leads the conference in scoring defense allowing 58.5 ppg
Wyoming opened conference play against Utah State on New Year's Day, taking a win away from the Aggies (73-53)
Wyoming holds a five-game series win streak against Fresno State
In four career games against the Bulldogs, Fertig is averaging 17.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per game on nearly 63-percent shooting from the field
Pedersen, meanwhile, is scoring 11 a game in three career contests against Fresno State.
Wyoming sits fourth in the Mountain West with a 1-0 record
Senior Allyson Fertig was named the MW Preseason Co-Player of the Year, as well as named to the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Watch list and the Lisa Leslie Award Watch list.
Two players have reached 1,000+ points at Wyoming, Allyson Fertig (1,470) and McKinley Dickerson (1,057)
Cowgirls return 10 Letterman and all five starters
