FRESNO STATE (4-8) at UNLV (6-5)

Dec. 28, 2024 • 7 p.m. PT • Las Vegas, Nev. (Thomas & Mack Center)

MEDIA COVERAGE

Mountain West Network

PxP: Matt Neverett • Analyst: Curtis Terry • Sideline: Steve Cofield

Bulldog Sports Network (BSN)

PxP: Matt Norville • Analyst: Marc Q. Jones

Stream: Mountain West Network

Listen: Bulldog Sports Network

Live Stats: Bulldogslive.com

X (Twitter): @FresnoStateMBB

FRESNO, Calif. — Fresno State returns to Mountain West play on Saturday, traveling to Las Vegas to face UNLV at Thomas & Mack Center. It will be the Bulldogs' second conference game of the season while it will be UNLV's first.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT and will stream on the Mountain West Network.

QUICK LOOK

The Bulldogs opened its conference schedule on Dec. 4 at home against San Diego State (62-84).

Fresno State's last win away from home came on Nov. 23 (at Long Beach State).

The Bulldogs played seven of its 11 nonconference games away from home. That matched San Jose State for the most nonconference games away from its home court. UNLV on the flip side has played six (and one in nearby Henderson) of its 11 at home, including starting the season with five straight.

Fresno State has trailed at the half in 11 of 12 games.

Zaon Collins leads the team in points (13.4), assists (3.9) and steals (2.3) per game, and is third in rebounding (4.3). He has been a pest at the other end where he leads the Mountain West and is 32nd.

Elijah Price is second in the MW and ranks 36th in offensive rebounds, grabbing 3.25 per game. He has five games with four or more.

Vance Walberg's high-tempo style has the Bulldogs fourth in the nation in adjusted tempo, averaging 74.4 possessions per 40 minutes.

Walberg is one of four current Division I head coaches who was a high school head coach the season before taking over their current head coaching position (Penny Hardaway, Bucky McMillan, Stan Waterman).

A SECOND-HALF TEAM

Fresno State has proved to be a second-half team this year, scoring 464 of its 847 regulation points. The Bulldogs have scored more points in the second half in nine of their 12 games.

Fresno State has trailed at the half in 11 of its 12 games. Margins have ranged from 1-17 points.

Fresno State has won games when trailing by five (San Diego), seven (Sacramento State) and 11 (Long Beach State) at the half.

TAKING THE REINS

Zaon Collins has been everything the Bulldogs expected. The former Top-50 recruit leads the team in points (13.4), assists (3.9) and steals (2.3) per game, and is third in rebounding (4.3). Collins has four games with at least 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Collins has been in double figures in all 10 games he's played in, averaging 13.4 points per game.

He leads the MW in steals per game, swiping 2.3 per game, 32nd in the NCAA.

FINDING HIS TOUCH

With back-to-back double-digit scoring performances in his first seven appearances of the season, Jalen Weaver got his shooting touch going at BYU with 15 points. The senior followed that up by matching his career high of 19 against San Diego.

Weaver has scored 44 points in his last three games after a season-low two (1-of-8) at Santa Clara.

SERIES HISTORY

Fresno State is 19-36 all-time against UNLV.

The Bulldogs have won just eight times in Las Vegas in the series (8-21).

Fresno State and UNLV have split the last six matchups in Las Vegas which came after a four straight wins for the Bulldogs.

Sergio Robles