Basketball opens 2008-2009 season on Friday

The Fresno State Men's Basketball team will begin their 2008-2009 campaign on Friday night as they welcome in the Hornets of Sacramento State tonight at the Save Mart Center.

This young Bulldog squad, led by Sr guard Dwight O'Neil, will try to be the surprise of this very tough and very deep Western Athletic Conference. This team boasts eight newcomers to the Bulldog roster, with six freshmen and two junior college transfers, so this team will not have a lot of experience, but may just have the talent to stay with a lot of teams, it's just gonna depend on how well this team learns how to play together.

Sacrament State comes off a 4-24 season and will be under first year head coach Brian Katz, who is coming off a 19-year junior college coaching career at both Lassen and San Joaquin Delta College. The Hornets will have four returning players, led by guard Loren Leath (13.1 PPG), as well as twelve newcomers.

Head-to-head, Fresno State has not lost to the Hornets in Fresno (24-0) and holds an overall record of 38-10 record against Sacramento State including winning the last 21 contests and 26 of the last 27. The two teams last met on December 11, 2004, the Bulldogs coming out on top 72-54.

Tonight, for the first time, you may notice something different, a different voice to Bulldog Basketball. This will mark the first time that KMJ-580AM will go on the air without the long time voice of Bill Woodward calling the game. Instead, you'll hear the newest voice of Bulldog Basketball, as well as baseball and football, Paul Loeffler as he'll take the mic opposite Randy Rosenbloom when the game tips off on Friday night. Game time is set for 7pm.