Fresno State vs Boise State

Game Preview

By Joshua D Scroggin

Fresno State

Point Guard

With Terry Pettis suspended for the season, senior starter Shantay Legans is carrying a load similar to the one he did in the beginning of the season when the team was initially without Pettis. Except now, he doesn’t have Renaldo Major to spell him for a minute or two. After playing against UTEP’s uptempo-style man defense, it will be interesting to see if Legans will have enough energy to foil Boise State.

Shooting Guard

The Bulldogs have been winning—or at least playing close—without suspended guard/forward Major, but mainly because junior starter Marcus West has been carrying the scoring load. West scored just three points against UTEP after being limited to just 15 minutes because of an ankle injury. He’s going to have to do better than that Saturday.

Small Forward

Dreike Bouldin is in there for defense and rebounding. And thanks to the suspensions, Bouldin is the best ball-handling option for coach Ray Lopes at this point. The transplanted South Gym rims were probably for his benefit.

Power Forward

The Francis Koffi/Chris Adams combo isn’t top notch, but Adams is solid on putbacks and is tall on defense.

Center

Junior starter Mustafa Al-Sayyad is a big rebounder and is proving to be one of the better defensive big men in the Western Athletic Conference. His one-on-one moves are good enough to get him nearly eight points per game.

Boise State

Point Guard

Boise State doesn’t get as much scoring from the point guard position as Fresno State, but starter Joe Skiffer gives the Broncos a steady hand. He’s started all 21 games.

EDGE: BULLDOGS

Shooting Guard

Leading scorer Jermaine Blackburn could be out the rest of the regular season. He averages 15.9 points per game, and his replacement is sure to be a downgrade—Booker Nabors.

EDGE: BULLDOGS

Small Forward

Whether Brian Defares gets the nod or Coby Karl (son of former NBA coach George Karl) does. Don’t expect much more than double-digit scoring at best.

EDGE: EVEN

Power Forward

Aaron Haynes has continued his dominance of the WAC this year. The senior is scoring a just more than 14 points per game and has the ability to pull either Koffi or Adams off the block and out to the 3-point line.

EDGE: BRONCOS

Center

Broncos starter Jason Ellis is another consistent player. He’s started all 21 games, but he didn’t have much fun the last time the Bulldogs matched up with Boise State—a 78-61 Fresno State victory.

EDGE: EVEN