“Just run the court, follow the gameplan, and play together. We haven’t reached our best game yet. It’s a long season and we’re working stuff out, but we just got to play together,” said sophomore guard Zaon Collins about Fresno State’s chances to beat San Diego State at the Save Mart Center on Wednesday night.

The Bulldogs (3-4) take on the No. 24 ranked Aztecs (4-2) in the Mountain West season opener for both schools.

An upset may seem like a long shot, especially with the Bulldogs having lost two straight. However, Fresno State coach Vance Walberg believes in his team.

“It’s going to take great defense, and we have to take care of the ball. And we have to rebound the heck out of it. From there, if we make shots, we’ll be OK,” said Walberg.

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Collins Returns Strong After Injury

Fortunately for the Bulldogs, Collins is healthy again and ready to play. He injured his left ankle during the second half at CSU Bakersfield on Nov. 16. After missing two games, he returned with a bang with a season-high 27 points against Washington State on Nov. 26. He shot an efficient 64.7% (11-of-17) while also going 2-of-3 from 3 in 37 minutes.

Collins is emerging as a star and averaging 15 points a game.

If there’s any player on the squad that embodies the state that the team is in, it’s Collins. The ‘Dogs are looking to show their potential, and Collins is their driving force — on and off the court.

He’s been in trouble with the law in the past, but Fresno State gave him a chance and he’s making the most of it.

“It’s been exciting, this whole journey. I found a home here. I’m blessed to be here,” said Collins.

Walberg couldn’t be prouder of his growth and the impact he’s made on the team.

“Zaon is a top-notch point guard. When he’s healthy and playing right, he can control the floor. He’ll do certain things for us that helps us go. He’s done a phenomenal job for us when he’s been there,” said Walberg.

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San Diego State: A Conference Powerhouse

The Bulldogs have a solid foundation, but it could be a while until they reach the elite level of San Diego State.

The Aztecs — who, like Fresno State, are bound for the Pac-12 — are the Mountain West’s marquee program: seven-time conference tournament champions, nine-time conference regular season champions, 13 NCAA Tournament appearances as a conference member.

The highlight, of course, was reaching the Final Four in 2023 and facing UConn in the title game.

The Aztecs are under the tutelage of head coach Brian Dutcher. He served as an assistant coach to Steve Fisher at Michigan, where he was instrumental in recruiting members of the “Fab 5” who  appeared in back-to-back National Championship games in the early Nineties. He followed coach Fisher to San Diego and took over as head coach job in 2017.

SDSU is coming into this matchup having defeated then No. 6 ranked Houston. The Bulldogs have yet to take on a Top 25 team.

Walberg says it’ll take “work” to match the year-in and year-out success of San Diego State.

“A lot of time and just consistency. We have to develop a culture, that’s number one. Get bigger and stronger and continue to get better every day,” said Walberg.

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Bulldogs Show Promise Despite Challenges

Two other players making strides are redshirt freshman forward Elijah Price and junior guard Amar Augillard.

Price is averaging 9.1 rebounds a game and was named the conference’s Freshman of the Week on Nov. 25.

Augillard leads the team in scoring at 17.6 a game.

Meanwhile, Collins says to cast aside the Bulldogs’ record and get ready for hard-fought game tonight.

“It’s going to be a fast-paced game. We’re going to run the court, play defense, move and share the ball. It’s going to be an exciting one,” he said.