Midseason rest helps Fresno State clean up margins in Mountain West win
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Midseason rest improved Fresno State execution, yielding a 79-62 conference win.
- Bulldogs cut turnovers to 10 and outrebounded Air Force 38-36, boosting possessions.
- Coach Walberg cites habit gains and depth limits as focus for turning progress into wins.
Fresno State men’s basketball coach Vance Walberg said his team benefited from a rare midseason break this week, a pause that comes as the Bulldogs attempt to regain footing in Mountain West play.
“Rest for this team in a long time,” Walberg said earlier this week.
Turns out, the break the Bulldogs needed helped Saturday after a 79-62 victory over Air Force to improve to 10-11 overall and 4-6 in conference play.
Fresno State practiced earlier in the week before taking Wednesday off, one of the few extended breaks in what Walberg described as an 11-week stretch of games and preparation.
Fresno State returned to practice Thursday and Friday.
The timing of the break may be significant for a Fresno State team that has struggled to close games and control key statistical areas.
The Bulldogs have been inconsistent on the defensive glass and turnover-prone in conference play, issues Walberg said have limited their margin for error.
Fresno State only committed 10 turnovers against the Falcons and outrebounded them 38-36.
Fresno State’s inability to secure defensive rebounds has led to second-chance points, while turnovers have reduced scoring opportunities for a roster that lacks depth compared to most Mountain West opponents.
“If we do that, we give ourselves a lot more possessions,” Walberg said. “You want more possessions than the other team.”
Walberg suggested the Bulldogs’ performance has been closer to the middle of the league than the standings indicate.
“In my mind, we should have been 5-4 at the worst,” he said.
Several of Fresno State’s losses have been decided late, including games in which execution at the free-throw line and ball-handling in final possessions proved costly.
Walberg said those situations have become teaching points for a team still learning how to win consistently at the Division I level.
“This is a team that’s trying to understand how to win and do it consistently,” he said. “We gotta play pretty perfect basketball. We just don’t have the advantage some of the other teams have with their depth.”
Despite the record, Walberg said the program has made progress in daily habits and approach, pointing to increased commitment in practice and preparation compared to last season. The challenge now, he said, is translating that improvement into results.
“I’ve seen an improvement. It feels great,” Walberg said. “But I wanna win.”
