FRESNO STATE (5-23, 1-16 MW) vs. BOISE STATE (20-8, 12-5 MW)
March 1, 2025 • 4 p.m. PT • Fresno, Calif. (Save Mart Center)
MEDIA COVERAGE
Mountain West Network/Bulldog Sports Network
PxP: Matt Norville • Analyst: Marc Q. Jones
Stream: Mountain West Network
Listen: Bulldog Sports Network (BSN)
Live Stats: Bulldogslive.com
X (Twitter): @FresnoStateMBB
FRESNO, Calif. — Fresno State returns to the Central Valley to host Boise State on Saturday at the Save Mart Center. After facing the Broncos, the Bulldogs will host Wyoming three days later in its final home game of the season.
Tipoff on Saturday is set for 4 p.m. PT and will stream on the Mountain West Network. The men's game will follow the women's contest which begins at 1 p.m. PT.
QUICK LOOK
Fresno State has dropped its last six to the Broncos with its last win over Boise State at home coming on Feb. 13, 2019.
The 'Dogs are coming off an overtime defeat at Air Force which saw Fresno State play at more than 7,000 feet with only seven available players. Alex Crawford and Elijah Price each finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while making just their second starts of the season, Brian Amuneke and Jasir Tremble scored 18 and 15 points, respectively. Mor Seck added eight more points. It was the first time this season that all of the Bulldogs' points came from its starting five.
During the last 10 games, Fresno State has held six of its opponents to below 70 points in regulation. Three of those five contests ended in overtime defeats along with one-point and five-point defeats in regulation.
Fresno State is the only team in the MW with two freshmen averaging at least 8.0 points per game in conference play. Elijah Price is second at 10.7 ppg while Brian Amuneke is third at 9.1 ppg.
Amuneke has recorded six double-figure games in his last 10. He is averaging 12.3 points per game in his last 10 games.
Grabbing his seventh double-double of the year on Feb. 15, Elijah Price broke the program's Division I record for most double-doubles in a season by a freshman which was previously held by Paul George (2008-09). He has since recorded his eighth which is tied for the second-most by a freshman in the country this year.
The redshirt freshman also ranks fourth in the country among freshmen in rebounding (7.7 rpg) and third in offensive rebounds (3.00).
Since the start of 2025, Crawford is averaging 14.6 points per game, posting 10 double-figure games, including four 20-point games in his last 13.
Playing in all 28 games this year, Jasir Tremble has only started twice, averaging 13.5 points in those contests.
BY THE NUMBERS
4.25 - Games have been close at the Save Mart Center in 2025. While 0-4 in their last four home games, the Bulldogs have lost by an average of 4.25 points.
8 - Redshirt freshman Elijah Price has totaled seven double-doubles this year. It is the most by a Bulldog freshman, surpassing Paul George who had six during the 2008-09 season.
0 - On Feb. 22 at Air Force, all 69 of Fresno State's points were scored by its starting five. It was the fewest bench points this season for the 'Dogs. The previous low was three.
GET TO THE RACK
A product of Vance Walberg's system is getting to the free-throw line, set up by constant drives to the bucket. The Bulldogs have used that to their advantage, attempting 21.7 free throws per game which ranks 60th nationally and fourth in the MW.
Fresno State has attempted 6.9 more free throws per game than its opponents.
Against Sacramento State, the 'Dogs were +17 in free throw attempts. At Long Beach State, they held a +40 differential in attempts. Both games resulted in single-digit wins for the Bulldogs as they overcame shooting below 35% from the field.
The difference in the Bulldogs' win over Air Force was that they shot a season-high 91.3% (21-of-23). The previous four games before the win saw the 'Dogs below 71%.
Fresno State has attempted, and made, more free throws than its opponents in 11 of its last 12 games. The Bulldogs have only attempted fewer free throws than their opponents on four occasions with the last being on Jan. 4 at Utah State.
DON'T FOUL
Despite the Bulldogs' penchant for coming up with steals, they have done it without fouling which has helped a thin bench. Committing just 15.4 per game, the 'Dogs lead the Mountain West in the fewest per game.
PRICE IS RIGHT
After redshirting the 2023-24 season at Drake, Elijah Price made the decision to return back to his home state and join Fresno State, and it's quickly paying off for both sides. A Swiss-army knife type of player, the 6-foot-9 Price has throughout the season. He is the only Bulldog to start every game.
On Feb. 15, Price recorded his seventh double-double of the season to become the Bulldogs' first freshman in the Division I era to reach that total, passing the previous freshman record that was held by Paul George (2008-09).
He has since added an eighth which is the most by a Bulldog since Robinson had 12 during the 2021-22 season.
En route to the freshman record he also passed Orlando Robinson (2020-21) and Greg Smith (2009-10) who each had five.
GROWING UP BEFORE OUR EYES
Reclassifying to the 2024 class, Brian Amuneke expected to redshirt the 2024-25 season, but due to the Bulldogs injuries early this season, the coaching staff and Amuneke decided to remove the redshirt. The 14th-youngest player on a Division I roster this season, the Los Angeles native made his debut for the 'Dogs on Nov. 20, scoring five points in 14 minutes off the bench, going 2-of-3 from the field.
Amuneke made his first start on Nov. 23, scoring five points and grabbing five rebounds.
With 28 points in his previous 10 games, including a then-season high eight points against San Diego State, Amuneke was a spark for the 'Dogs against New Mexico, pouring in 15 points on 5-of-11 shooting. He later scored 18 points in his first trip to The Pit.
Amuneke has seven double-figure games since Jan. 31 (15, 18, 12, 16, 19, 14, 18).
The freshman scored in double digits in three straight games, doing so against Wyoming (12) and Boise State (16) before a new career high of 19 against San Jose State.
Amuneke prepped under current Bulldogs' assistant coach Ray Barefield at Rancho Christian School where he was the Ivy League Player of the Year during his senior season.