The No.1-seeded San Diego State Aztecs (25-8) square off against the No.2-seeded Fresno State Bulldogs (24-9) in the fourth round of the MWC tournament at Thomas & Mack Center. The game starts at 6:00 pm ET on Saturday, Mar. 12 and will air on CBS.
The Aztecs were victorious over Nevada 67-55 in the 3. Dakarai Allen had 11 points, five rebounds, and four steals for San Diego State. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are coming off a 64-56 win over Colorado State in the 3. Karachi Edo stood out, accumulating 14 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks.
Over the last five games, Julien Lewis has been on fire for the Bulldogs. During that stretch, he has averaged 20.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 3.2 three-pointers.
The battle on the backboards could prove decisive, pitting strength against strength. San Diego State is among the nation’s elite on the offensive glass, ranking 21st in OR% at 33.7%. Meanwhile, Fresno State ranks 32nd in the nation at corralling defensive rebounds with a DR% of 71.4%. Also, the Bulldogs commit the sixth-fewest errors in the nation (TO% of 15.2%), while the gambling defense of the Aztecs causes the 32nd-most (opponents’ TO% of 18.8%).
The two teams have split their matchups this season. The Aztecs had the upper hand in the most recent game, a 67-55 win. Edo was a standout player in the game, producing 14 points, eight rebounds, one steal, and three blocks.
Notes
The Fresno State Bulldogs have a defensive rating of 99.8 (ranked 39th), while the San Diego State Aztecs have an offensive rating of 103.7 (ranked 218th).
Fresno State beats San Diego State in both possessions per game and points per possession. The Bulldogs average 70.2 possessions and 1.076 points per possession, while the Aztecs average 65.8 possessions with 1.037 points per possession.
The San Diego State Aztecs average an effective field goal percentage of 47.4% this season. The Fresno State Bulldogs have a winning 14-6 record in games where opponents have an eFG% of 47.4% or greater.
The San Diego State Aztecs average 18.0 three point attempts per game, and the Fresno State Bulldogs attempt 18.0 per game. When going for at least 20 three pointers in a game this season, both teams have winning records; San Diego State is 10-1 and Fresno State is 11-2.
San Diego State, the 15th-ranked team in blocked shots, records an average of 5.4 per game. Fresno State ranks lower at 103rd with 4.0.
San Diego State ranks 55th in defensive rebounding. When it comes to offensive rebounds, Fresno State ranks 84th.
Fresno State is among the best in forcing turnovers, with opponents averaging a TO% of 21.4% (ranked eighth). San Diego State has a 4-6 record SU when its TO% reaches 21.4% or greater.
