Fresno State vs. Utah State: Game Preview, Odds, How To Watch
Bulldogs and Aggies in a key Mountain West matchup
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Who will get the win?
Who: Utah State (10-7 1-3 in the MW) Vs Fresno State (12-4 2-1 in the MW)
When: Tuesday, January 18th, 8:00 pm PT
Where: Fresno, California
TV: CBS Sports Network
STREAM: FuboTV — Get a free trial
Series Record: 41-25 Utah State leads
Fresno State is looking to stay unbeaten at home when the Utah State Aggies come into the Save Mart Center. The Bulldogs are 8-0 at home this season. Utah State is 2-3 on the road this season. The last time the Bulldogs knocked off Utah State at home was in 2016, the year in which the Bulldogs won the Mountain West Tournament and went dancing in the March Madness tourney. For the Aggies they have won their last nine out of ten against Fresno State.
Keys For Fresno State:
The Bulldogs are off to an impressive 12-4 start under fourth year head coach Justin Hutson. Fresno State is also undefeated at home (8-0). All four of the Bulldogs’ losses have been by ten points or less. For the Aggies three of the losses in conference play have been by five points or less. This matchup could come down to who has the ball last.
For the Bulldogs, Junior Forward Orlando Robinson is having an unbelievable year with 19.8 ppg and 8.4 rpg. Robinson was named Lute Olson National Player of the week and Mountain West player of the week. If the Bulldogs want to improve 9-0 at home it will all start with Robinson who has averaged 27.5 ppg and 11.5 rpg in his last two games.
Offensively for Fresno State, they have to find consistent scoring outside of Orlando Robinson. With Jemarl Baker most likely out for the regular season, the Dogs have to find the next playmaker. A bright spot in the UNLV game was Isaiah Hill who finished with 10 points, two steals and some big buckets down the stretch. Junior Forward Anthony Holland also gave a big lift with 16 points and five rebounds. A key against Utah State will be rebounding. The Bulldogs average 34.6 rpg and the Aggies average 35.7 rpg each possession in this game will count!
Defensively is where the Bulldogs strive. Allowing only 56.6 ppg and forcing 13.6 Turnovers per game, this Fresno State Defense has been great this season and currently are the third best scoring defense in the nation and the best in the conference.
Fresno State will have their hands full Tuesday night against Utah State, a team who averages 77.2ppg this season. The Aggies are the only team in the conference that have had six different guys that have scored 20 or more points in a game this season. This is a really unselfish group as Utah State leads the Mountain West with 18.4 assists per game and that ranks seventh in the nation.
A player the Dogs are familiar with and will have to find a way to contain is Junior Forward Justin Bean who is averaging 19.6ppg and 10.4rpg. Bean is also shooting 61% from the field and 51.3% from three. In two games against the Dogs last season Bean combined for 18 points and 17 rebounds. Another player to watch for is Brandon Horvath who is putting up 12.5 ppg and 6.2rpg. Horvath has had 15 or more points in six games for the Aggies this season. Junior Guard Sean Bairstow is another name to watch for who has come up big for Utah State in the last three games with 15.7ppg and 2.0 steals per game.
This game features two of the best players in the conference in Justin Bean and Orlando Robinson. One of the best offensive teams vs one of the best defensive teams in the Mountain West. This game could come down to the final minutes or even the last possession. Can Utah State snap its two game losing streak? Can the Bulldogs stay unbeaten at home and finally beat Utah State at home?
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