GAME 6: FRESNO STATE (3-2, 0-0 MW) vs. Stephen F. Austin (4-0, 0-0 SLC)
November 18, 2025 | 6 p.m. PT | Fresno, Calif. | Save Mart Center
MEDIA COVERAGE
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast
Watch: Mountain West Network
Listen: Bulldog Sports Network (BSN)
Play by Play: Paul Loeffler | Analyst: Marc Q. Jones | Sideline: Taylor Martinez
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FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno State men's basketball team is back in action on Tuesday night to host Stephen F. Austin in the programs' first meeting.
The Bulldogs are coming off of a thrilling 75-74 win over Utah Valley and own a 3-2 record going into the week.
BULLDOG BONES
Head Coach Vance Walberg is entering his second season at the helm of the Bulldog Basketball program and his fourth season as a head coach overall.
The Bulldogs are coming off a 6-26 season going into 2025-26, with a total of two conference wins, against Air Force and Wyoming.
Fresno State starts the 2025-26 campaign with seven straight home games; all played at the Save Mart Center.
This is the first time in program history that the Bulldogs have a seven-game home stand to start the season.
The Fresno State men's basketball team looks a little different this season, with 73% of the roster being newcomers to the squad.
Fresno State returns only four athletes this season: Troy Jenkins, Makhan Diouf, Zaon Collins and David "DJ" Douglas, Jr.
Of the four, Collins is the Bulldogs' only returning starter and letterwinner.
DJ Douglas, a transfer from Green Bay, played in six games for the Bulldogs in 2024-25 before his season was cut short due to injury.
Troy Jenkins and Makhan Diouf both redshirted for the 2024-25 season and did not see game action.
A BRIEF HISTORY WITH THE LUMBERJACKS
Fresno State will face Stephen F. Austin for the first time in the history of both schools… in any sport.
LAST TIME ON THE FLOOR
Fresno State picked up its third win of the season on Saturday night, rallying in the second half to defeat Utah Valley 75–74 inside the Save Mart Center.
Zaon Collins scored 27 points to tie his career high, shooting 10-of-12 from the field.
Fresno State erased a 14-point first-half deficit to win. This was its biggest deficit in a win so far this season.
Three Bulldogs fouled out in the second half of the game: Cameron Faas, Wilson Jacques and Jac Mani.
Despite foul trouble, Fresno State shot 56.5% from the field, its best field goal percentage of the season.
Jake Heidbreder scored 18 points and tied for the team lead with 3 steals.
Jac Mani posted 14 points and 7 rebounds before fouling out.
The Bulldogs forced 10 second-half turnovers and recorded 8 second-half steals.
Fresno State held Utah Valley scoreless over the final 1:27 to secure the one-point win.
1,000 POINT CLUB
First-year Bulldog Jake Heidbreder has made an impact for Fresno State through only five games this season.
With 18 points scored against Utah Valley on November 15, the senior surpassed 1,000 career points.
So far, the guard has scored 89 points in a Bulldog uniform and owns a .453 shooting percentage, .324 from three, and averages 36.2 minutes per game.
Heidbreder is making an impact on a national scale as well, ranking 28th in the country in field goal attempts (64), 47th in the country in field goals (29), 14th in the country in minutes per game (36:11), and 19th in the country in three-point attempts (37).
WE'LL TAKE THAT
Fresno State ranks 43rd in the country and second in the conference in turnovers forced per game.
Through five games, the Bulldogs average 17.0 forced turnovers per game.
Fresno State also had a season-high 28 points off turnovers against UCSD and has outscored opponents off turnovers in every game so far this season.
In total, the Bulldogs have scored 100 points off turnovers this season.
WITH THE ASSIST
Zaon Collins, one of Fresno State's only returners on the 2025 -26 roster, has led the Bulldogs in assists in all five games so far this season.
He had a season-high eight assists against UC San Diego on Wednesday, just one shy of his career high set on January 20, 2025.
Currently, the junior guard ranks 30th in the country and first in the Mountain West in the category.
FRESH START
Fresno State welcomes 11 newcomers to the roster this season: three transfers and 8 eight freshmen.
Cameron Faas, Jake Heidbreder and Jac Mani all transferred from NCAA DI basketball programs.
Of the eight freshmen, seven are international students.
WELCOME (BACK) TO THE MOUNTAIN WEST
Transfer Jake Heidbreder is on his third stop in his college career.
Heidbreder started his career at Air Force, where he spent the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.
He then transferred to Clemson after his second year at Air Force, redshirted for the 2023-24 season, and returned to the court for the 2024-25 season.
Heidbreder returns to the Mountain West for his final year of eligibility at Fresno State.
VALLEY ROOTS RUN DEEP
When Vance Walberg was named the Bulldogs' head coach, he emphasized the community, doing things for the Central Valley because Fresno State is the Central Valley's team. That message resonates with not just Walberg but also with his staff. Of the program's six coaches, five have previously lived in the Central Valley.
Walberg has spent more than 20 years coaching in the Valley at Clovis West HS and Fresno City College.
John Welch was a member of Jerry Tarkanian's staff at Fresno State from 1995 to 2002.
Ray Barefield grew up in Fresno and prepped down the street from campus at Hoover HS, graduating in 1989. He is in the school's Hall of Fame.
Chris Stahowski played for and coached alongside Walberg. He also graduated from Fresno State in 2007.
Tory Stamps grew up in Fresno and played at Central HS, graduating in 2012.