GAME 13: FRESNO STATE (8-4, 0-0 MW) vs NAU (9-2, 0-0 BS)
Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024 | 6 p.m. PT | Mountain West Network | Save Mart Center | Fresno, Calif.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Watch: Mountain West Network
Listen: Bulldog Sports Network (BSN)
Play-by-Play: Matt Norville
Analyst: Marc Q. Jones
Stats: StatBroadcast
Live Updates via Twitter (X): @fresnostatewbb
FRESNO, Calif.- Fresno State women's basketball is set for their final game of non conference at home at the Save Mart Center. Fresno State will host Northern Arizona on Thursday, Dec. 19 at 6 p.m. PT streaming live on the Mountain West Network.
Thursday's theme of the game is 'Teddy Bear Toss' where fans can bring a teddy bear for free admission to the game and throw them out onto the court at half time.
BULLDOG BONES
Fresno State improves to 8-4 on the season
Bulldogs earned their fifth consecutive win at home this season, sporting a 6-1 home record
With one more win at home on Thursday, head coach Jaime White will see her most home wins before conference play begins with seven, since her first season in 2014
Fresno State's Mia Jacobs has eight double-doubles; only LSU's Aneesah Morrow (10) has more in Division I.
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.
Bulldogs will face their first Big Sky opponent this season in NAU
Thursday's theme of the game is 'Teddy Bear Toss' Fans can bring a stuffed animal for free admission and throw them on the court at halftime
After Thursday, Bulldogs will have a 10-day break before returning to the court
'Dogs average 64.1 ppg
Fresno State shoots 37% from the field, 35% from the three and 71% from the foul line
Bulldogs have seen less than 10 made shots from the charity line in the last three games 1-of-3 vs UC Merced, 5-of-6, at USC and 7-of-11 vs CSU Bakersfield
A GAME OF THREE'S
Fresno State holds a five percent shooting advantage from the three-point line over NAU. Through 12 games Fresno State has made 106 to Northern Arizona's 98.
On our home turf, Fresno State has seen three games at the Save Mart Center with 10 or more 3PFGM. The leading shooter for the 'Dogs is Saga Ukkonen at 42% (20-of-47). Two other Bulldogs track close behind in Mia Jacobs at 37% (23-of-62) and Mariah Elohim at 31% (26-of-82).
On the flip side… Lumberjacks have Leia Beattie who shoots 42% from downtown (30-of-71). Beattie takes the top spot in the Big Sky for three-pointers made per game (2.7) and totaling 30 this season. Trailing Beattie is Nyah Moran at 31% going 19-of-60. Lumberjacks have seen five games with 10 or more 3PFGM.
Fresno State is 4-1 when shooting 6 or more 3PFG and has seen five games also shooting 10 or more. The programs sit even with three-point averages per game, Fresno's 8.8 to NAU's 8.9.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE
Mia Jacobs earned her eighth double-double of the season against CSU Bakersfield with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Jacobs has seen her most double-doubles in a single season with eight, thus far. In her first season as a Bulldog, Jacobs counted five and before Fresno State had two at La Salle. The Australian has 15 double-doubles in her three years playing D-1 basketball.
With 13 double-doubles in a Bulldog uniform, Jacobs trails needing two more to tie Alex Sheedy at No. 10 in career double-doubles at Fresno State with 15. Three more double-doubles jump Jacobs to tie Yvette Roberts & Maddi Utti at No. 10 with at least 11 double-doubles in a single season.
The forward has seen a double-double in three of the last five games. Fresno State's Mia Jacobs has eight double-doubles; only LSU's Aneesah Morrow (10) has more in Division I. Jacobs' eight double-doubles are the most through 12 player games of a season by a MW player since 2016-17, Bego Faz Davalos who has nine.
ABOUT THE MATCH UP
Fresno State and Northern Arizona will meet for the eleventh time in program history and the fifth time at the Save Mart Center. Fresno State leads the all-time meetings at 4-3 and hosts the Lumberjacks with a two-game series win streak.
The Lumberjacks were here in Fresno just two seasons ago, when they fell to the Bulldogs, 68-63. Four Lumberjacks - Sophie Glancey, Olivia Moran, Nyah Moran and Sahiyah will see the Save Mart Center again, but this time against a fresh new Bulldog roster.
A LOOK AT THE LUMBERJACKS
Head coach Loree Payne enters her eighth season at the helm
Coach Payne became the all-time winningest coach in NAU history after their win against USF and has led the Lumberjacks to their best start in program history (9-2)
NAU comes to Fresno with a 3-2 road record
Of their three road wins, two have been against MW teams - New Mexico (80-78) and Colorado State (84-80)
No. 3 nationally in defensive rebounds per game (32.6) and 1st in the Big Sky
No. 24 nationally in 3PFGM per game (8.9) while shooting 30% from the three
NAU has seen three Big Sky Player of the Week honors: Sophie Glancey (2) and Taylor Feidman (1)
Glancey packs quite the resume at NAU, the forward is No. 5 nationally in double-doubles (7), was named Big Sky Preseason MVP, the team's top scorer, rebounder and blocker
Lumberjacks have four players with a double-double this season
NAU holds on to eight upperclassmen (3 Sr. / 5 Jr.) - all three seniors are starters
Leia Beattie is the Lumberjack's strongest shooter from the three, shooting 42% and averaging 2.7 three-pointers a game