Bulldogs Outpaced by Ranked Aztecs at Save Mart Center
The Fresno State Bulldogs faced a challenging contest against the 19th-ranked San Diego State Aztecs, concluding with a score of 73-41. The Bulldogs now stand with an unranked status, while the Aztecs improved their record. The game, played at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, saw the home team unable to match their opponent's pace.
From the onset, the San Diego State Aztecs established dominance with a strong first half performance scoring 42 points to Fresno State's 16. The second half saw some improvement from the Bulldogs as they managed to put up 25 points against San Diego State's additional 31 points. However, it wasn't enough to close the significant gap established early on.
The statistics paint a clear picture of where challenges lay for Fresno State. They shot at only 25 percent from field goals and an underwhelming 18 percent from beyond the arc compared to San Diego State's more efficient shooting percentages of 42 and 30 respectively. Additionally, free throw opportunities were not fully capitalized on by Fresno State who made eight out of twelve attempts resulting in a free throw percentage of approximately sixty-seven percent.
Rebounding was another area where Fresno struggled; they pulled down just thirty-four rebounds in total – twenty-two defensive and eight offensive – while San Diego amassed fifty-two rebounds with thirty-four defensive grabs and twelve offensive ones. This disparity contributed significantly to second-chance opportunities for San Diego which they converted into fourteen points.
Defensively, both teams showed prowess around the rim; however, it was again San Diego who excelled with nine blocks over Fresno’s four blocks. Steals were relatively even between both teams but did little to turn tides for either side during play.
One positive note for Bulldog fans was that personal fouls were kept relatively low at eleven compared to thirteen by their opponents; this discipline may serve them well in future games if coupled with stronger offensive execution.
Looking ahead for Fresno fans is another opportunity as their team will host Utah State Aggies at Save Mart Center on February 27th at 7:00 PM local time (PST). This upcoming game can be viewed online via MW Network ensuring supporters won’t miss any action as their team looks forward towards redemption on home court.