Fresno State

Dec. 28, 2012

Game #12 - Dec. 29, 2012

Fresno State Bulldogs (7-4, 0-0 MW) at Santa Clara Broncos (6-5, 0-0 WCC)

2 p.m. PT • Leavey Center (4,500) • Santa Clara, Calif.

Radio: None • Live Stats: gobulldogs.com

Series Record: Fresno State leads 22-14 • Last Meeting: 11/13/11 - FS 83, SCU 71

Fresno State Game Notes

Opening Tip
The Fresno State women's basketball team closes out the 2012 calendar year with a 2 p.m. game at Santa Clara on Dec. 29. The game will be Fresno State's fourth of its current six-game road trip that spans over 27 days.

The Bulldogs enter the game 7-4 overall and last played on Dec. 21 when they defeated San Francisco, 72-63. That was Fresno State's first road win of the season and the 'Dogs look to keep that momentum rolling as conference play approaches.

Since returning from a three-game absence on Dec. 8, senior guard Rosie Moult has led the Bulldogs over the past four games. She has scored in double figures in every contest and has averaged a team-best 15.8 points per game in that time.

Junior guard Ki-Ki Moore ranks fourth in the Mountain West in scoring, averaging 15.5 points in 11 games this season. She has two double-doubles on the year and is second in the conference in steals with 33.

Fellow junior Taylor Thompson leads the Mountain West with 42 steals and she has a 1.7 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Fresno State is averaging 68.5 points per game on the year and is shooting 38.8 percent. Defensively, the 'Dogs only allow 59.5 points and force an average of 20.6 turnovers per game.

Last season, Fresno State defeated Santa Clara 83-71 on Nov. 13 in the Save Mart Center. The Bulldogs received 50 points from guards Blakely Goldberg and Ki-Ki Moore. Goldberg scored a career-high 22 points and Moore scored 27 of her 28 points in the second half.

Bulldog Headlines
► Fresno State leads the all-time series with Santa Clara 22-14. The Bulldogs have won seven of their last eight games against the Broncos going back to the 2002-03 season and are 8-8 all-time when playing at the Leavey Center.

► Junior guard Ki-Ki Moore has scored in double figures in 10-of-11 games this year and ranks fourth in the conference with 15.5 points per game.

► Rosie Moult, since returning from a three-game absence on Dec. 8, has averaged 15.8 points over the last four games.

► Taylor Thompson's 42 steals are nine more than any other player in the conference has. Ki-Ki Moore is second with 33 steals and the Bulldogs force their opponent to turn the ball over 20.6 times per game.

► The 'Dogs will host its next game at the Save Mart Center in its first conference game versus New Mexico on Jan. 12, four weeks from its last home game.

Fresno State vs. Santa Clara - Scouting Report
The Santa Clara Broncos are 6-5 overall on the year and enter the game having won three of their last four games, all of which were played on the road. The Broncos are 2-2 at home this year, beating UC Irvine and Utah Valley while losing to Cal State Northridge and Stanford. Santa Clara averages 65.6 points per game and shoots 40.7 percent from the field. The Broncos make an average of six 3-pointers per game, average 9.4 steals a contest and force 19.3 turnovers per game. However, Santa Clara turns the ball over 20.4 times per game and has also allowed opponents to shoot 40.2 percent on the season.

Preseason All-West Coast Conference senior guard Meagan Fulps leads the Broncos in scoring with 13.1 points per game. Guard Ricki Radanovich is the only other Bronco averaging double figures, as she puts in 12.2 points per game and has made a team-high 28 3-pointers on the season.

Road Momentum
Fresno State picked up its first road win of the season on Dec. 21 when it defeated San Francisco 72-63. Before that game the Bulldogs were 0-4 on the road. Now the 'Dogs look to gain a little momentum on the road as Fresno State is set for game No. 4 of its current six-game road trip that spans over 27 days. Last season the Bulldogs had a 10-4 record on the road.

The Bulldogs are shooting just 35.6 percent on the road this year where they have been out-rebounded by 4.4 boards per game. However, in the win at San Francisco eight days ago Fresno State shot 49.1 percent from the field, had 40 points in the paint and scored 25 points off the 21 turnovers it forced. The improved field goal percentage was a key, as it was the first road game all season that Fresno State had shot above 40 percent from the floor. Four Bulldogs scored in double figures in the victory with Taylor Thompson leading the way with 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting and 7-of-10 from the free-throw line.

Back to the Boards
After out-rebounding each of its first five opponents of the season, Fresno State has not won the rebounding battle in any of the past six games. In the Dec. 21 game at San Francisco, the Bulldogs were out-rebounded 43-29. The Bulldogs are pretty good on the offensive boards this year, averaging 15.8 offensive rebounds that has been turned into 11.1 second-chance points per game.