Fresno State Basketball’s Season Outlook

Fresno State Basketball’s season is underway and the Bulldogs are looking to make some noise in the Mountain West Conference. Here’s a look at their season outlook.

Fresno State’s 2017-2018 season outlook

The Fresno State Bulldogs are set to begin their 2017-2018 season on October 31st against the CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners. After a disappointing 16-16 season last year, the ‘Dogs will be looking to prove themselves and make a push for the NCAA tournament They will have their work cut out for them, as they have lost two Key Players from last year’s team in Paul Watson and Terrell Carter II. Additionally, they will be playing in a very tough Mountain West Conference that includes the likes of UNLV, Nevada, and Boise State

Despite the challenges that lie ahead, Fresno State has a lot of potential this season. They return three of their five starters from last year, including senior guard Jaron Hopkins. Hopkins is the team’s leading scorer and rebounder and is coming off a season in which he averaged 14 points and 6 rebounds per game He will be joined by fellow seniors Deshon Taylor and Sam Bittner in the starting lineup Both players are experienced veterans who will provide leadership and stability for the ‘Dogs.

Fresno State also has a talented group of younger players who will be looking to make an impact this season. One player to keep an eye on is sophomore guard Braxton Huggins. Huggins showed flashes of brilliance last season as a freshman and is expected to take on a bigger role this year. He will likely be joined in the backcourt by freshman Nate Grimes, who is one of the most highly touted recruits in school history. Grimes is a 6’8″ forward with a versatile skill set that should allow him to contribute right away.

If everything comes together, Fresno State has the talent to surprise some people this season and make a run at an NCAA Tournament berth. However, there are still some question marks surrounding this team, so it remains to be seen how far they can go. Either way, it should be an exciting year for Bulldogs basketball!

How the Bulldogs can improve from last season

Fresno State’s men’s basketball team is coming off a disappointing 18-19 season in which they went 14-18 overall and just 7-11 in Mountain West play. They’ll look to rebound this season with a young, but talented core of players.

The Bulldogs will be led by junior guard Deshon Taylor, who was named to the All-Mountain West first team last season. He’ll be joined by sophomore forward Nate Grimes, who was named the conference’s freshman of the year last season.

Fresno State will also have some experienced veterans in their rotation, including senior guardBraeden Anderson and junior forward Sam Bittner.

The Bulldogs will have to replace the production of Jaron Hopkins, who graduated last year. They’ll also have to find a way to improve their defense from last season, when they ranked near the bottom of Division I in points allowed per game.

With a mix of experienced veterans and talented young players Fresno State has the potential to be one of the surprise teams in the Mountain West this season. If they can play up to their potential, they could find themselves in contention for an NCAA tournament berth come March.

Key returners for Fresno State

The Fresno State Basketball team is looking to rebound after a disappointing 2016-2017 campaign. The Bulldogs went just 14-18 overall and 5-13 in Mountain West play, good for last place in the conference. Head Coach Rodney Terry will be hoping to turn things around in his sixth season at the helm.

Fresno State will be led by a trio of key returners in senior guard Deshon Taylor, junior guard Braeden Anderson, and sophomore forward Nate Grimes. Taylor was the team’s leading scorer last season, averaging 16.8 points per game He will need to be even better this year if the Bulldogs are going to improve their win total. Anderson and Grimes will also need to step up their games in order for Fresno State to be successful.

The Bulldogs have a tough road ahead of them if they want to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2015-2016. They will need to win more games in conference play and have a strong non-conference showing if they want to dance come March Madness time.

Newcomers who could make an impact

Fresno State men’s basketball team has reloaded for the upcoming season with a roster that features 10 newcomers.

The Bulldogs will have to replace the production of guard Paul Watson, who averaged 16 points per game last season, and forward Braeden Anderson, who averaged 11 points and a team-leading seven rebounds.

Coach Justin Hutson has said that he is looking for players who can come in and make an immediate impact.

“I think we have guys that can come in and help us right away,” Hutson said. “You look at the guys that we have coming back and the addition of some really good players, I think we’ll be able to compete at a high level.”

Here are three newcomers who could make an impact for the Bulldogs this season:

Jamal Johnson – A 6-foot-4 guard from Birmingham, Ala., Johnson was a four-star recruit according to 247Sports. He was ranked as the No. 73 player in the nation and the No. 3 player in Alabama. He chose Fresno State over offers from Alabama, Auburn, Louisville and Memphis among others. Johnson is an explosive scorer who can shoot from long range and get to the basket. He will likely see significant playing time as a freshman.
Twitter: @jamaljohnson_1 Instagram: @jamaljohnsonjr

Nate Grimes – A 6-foot-10 forward from Bakersfield, Calif., Grimes was a three-star recruit according to 247Sports. He was ranked as the No. 141 player in the nation and the No. 5 player in California. He chose Fresno State over offers from Arizona State Baylor, Cal and UCLA among others. Grimes is a versatile forward who can score inside and out. He is a good rebounder and shot blocker and will be counted on to contribute immediately.
Twitter: @nate_grimes22 Instagram: @n8grimes22

Isaiah Hill – A 6-foot point guard from Los Angeles Hill was not rated by 247Sports but had offers from several schools including Fresno State UC Irvine, UC Riverside and UTEP. Hill is a quick point guard who can get to the basket and create for his teammates. He will likely back up senior Deshon Taylor but could see significant playing time as well.
Twitter: @datwayze1k

The Bulldogs’ non-conference schedule

Fresno State will open the 2019-20 season at home against CSU Bakersfield on Nov. 5, the program announced Monday.

The Bulldogs then hit the road for four of their next five games, starting with a Nov. 8 date at USF. They’ll also face UC Santa Barbara (Nov. 15), UC Irvine (Nov. 22) and Cal State Northridge (Dec. 6) before returning home to host UC Riverside on Dec. 8.

After that, Fresno State will take on UTEP in El Paso (Dec. 18), before closing out its non-conference slate with a three-game homestand against Bradley (Dec. 21), Weber State (Dec. 28) and Houston Baptist (Dec. 30).

Fresno State’s conference opponents

The Fresno State Bulldogs are set to take on some tough opponents in their conference this season. The Bulldogs will have to face off against the likes of the San Diego State Aztecs, the UNLV Rebels, and the New Mexico Lobos These are all teams that Fresno State will have to be prepared for if they want to make a run at the conference title

Fresno State’s conference opponents are not going to be easy games for the Bulldogs. The Aztecs are a tough team, and the Lobos always seem to give Fresno State a tough game. UNLV is also a dangerous team, and Fresno State will need to be on their game if they want to come out on top.

The Bulldogs’ home court advantage

The Bulldogs will look to build on their strong home court advantage this season as they aim for a spot in the NCAA tournament

Fresno State has one of the best home court advantages in college basketball The Bulldogs have won nearly 80% of their games at the Save Mart Center over the last five years, and they hope to use that to their advantage this season.

Fresno State will be tested early in the season with road games at national powers such as Duke, Kansas, and UCLA. But if the Bulldogs can win a few of those games, they’ll have a great chance to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2001.

Fresno State’s student section

The Fresno State Basketball season is gearing up and the Bulldogs are looking to make noise in the Mountain West Conference The team has a lot of potential and the fans are excited to see what they can do. One of the biggest things that will help the team this year is their student section

The student section at Fresno State is one of the best in the conference and they always bring a lot of energy to the game. They are also very creative with their signs and chants. This year, they have a few new ones that they are looking forward to using. One of them is “We Are Fresno State” which is a play on the school’s motto. Another one is “Go Bulldogs!” which is sure to get the crowd going.

The student section plays a big role in Fresno State’s home court advantage They are always loud and supportive, and they make it difficult for opposing teams to focus on the game. This year, they are looking to help the Bulldogs make a run at the conference title

The Bulldogs’ head coach

Fresno State Basketball’s head coach Justin Hutson, is entering his second season with the program. The Bulldogs are coming off a 20-11 (12-6 Mountain West) season in which they reached the semifinals of the conference tournament They return four starters from that team, including All-Mountain West First Teamer Deshon Taylor.

The Bulldogs have been picked to finish third in the Mountain West Conference preseason poll behind Nevada and Utah State

Why Fresno State will have a successful season

This season, Fresno State will have a successful season for many reasons. The team has a lot of talent and experience, thenew Head Coach is instilling a new winning culture, and the fans are passionate and supportive.

Fresno State has a lot of talent on its roster. The team is led by junior guard Jelly Fam, who was recently named Mountain West Player of the Year. Fam is joined by senior forward Nate Grimes and junior guard Noah Blackwell, who were both All-Mountain West honorable mention last season. The Bulldogs also have a deep bench with plenty of players who can come in and make an impact.

Fresno State also has a new Head coach in Justin Hutson, who came over from UC Santa Barbara after leading the Gauchos to a Big West Conference title. Hutson is known for his tough defense and he’s instilling that same culture at Fresno State. The Bulldogs have been one of the best Defensive Teams in the Mountain West under Hutson, and that should continue this season.

Lastly, Fresno State has great fans who are passionate about their team. The Bulldogs averaged over 8,000 fans per game last season, which was good for second in the Mountain West. The fan support will be important again this season as Fresno State looks to make a run at an NCAA Tournament berth.