FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno Pacific men's basketball team has reloaded for the 2017-18 season under second-year head coach C.J. Haydock. The Sunbirds are set to open the season on Friday at the West Region Crossover Classic in Oregon.

THE SCHEDULE
Game #1
vs Saint Martin's (0-0)
Friday, Nov. 10 • 5 p.m.
Monmouth, Ore. • New PE Building
Live Stats • Video
 
Game #2
at Western Oregon (0-0)
Saturday, Nov. 11 • 7:30 p.m.
Monmouth, Ore. • New PE Building
Live Stats • Video

QUTOABLE
• "We are excited to get rolling. We have a mix of returners and newcomers who are sold out to chasing the best version of themselves, and have taken great steps to lay a foundation of character and habits that equip us to be successful as a program long term. We will lean heavily on some young guys, and lean in to our toughness and togetherness. We will be tested in our non-conference schedule, and our focus is on competing in one of the best Division II conferences in the country every night. We feel strongly that we have the right guys embracing our identity, and now look to see that pay dividends on the floor in moving our program forward." – head coach C.J. Haydock
 
ABOUT THE SUNBIRDS
• The Sunbirds return five players from a team that finished 7-20 overall and 7-13 in league play. The group is headed by senior Oliver Herting, as the four-year center enters the season with 74 career games played. He closed the 2016-17 season with a .629 field-goal percentage and had six double-digit scoring efforts, which featured a 29-point outburst. FPU also returns R.J. Horn (12 starts, .977 FT%), three-point threat Sam Holmes, big man Sam Burt (.552 FG%) and utility man Rafail Eleftheriou (20.6 MPG).
• FPU welcomes nine newcomers, two that redshirted last season in Elijah Hill and A.J. Kirby, two freshmen and five transfers. Clovis West product Adrian Antunez will make an immediate impact at the point guard position, while Aamondae Coleman will be a force at the forward position for the Sunbirds as freshmen. The 'Birds will also count on contributions from Jake Straughan (Idaho), Toby Christensen (Southern Connecticut) and Tyler Harris (Chico State) on both sides of the ball.

LAST TIME OUT
• FPU hit the court for the first time in the 2017-18 season on Nov. 4, as the Sunbirds faced UC Santa Barbara in an exhibition. The 'Birds hung tough and shot 44 percent from the floor, but couldn't keep up with the athletic Gauchos to fall 92-69. Straughan led the Sunbirds with 18 points, as the newcomer drained five threes. Harris finished with 15 points (9-9 FT), while Burt amassed 10 points, six rebounds and two assists and Antunez added nine points, six rebounds and two assists.
 
PACWEST PRESEASON POLL
• The Sunbirds were picked to finish 11th in the 2017-18 Pacific West Conference standings according to a poll of the league's head coaches. California Baptist received 178 points and 10 first-place votes to top the poll. Dixie State was second with 169 points and two first-place votes. Following the two were Point Loma and Concordia in third and fourth, respectively. The Sea Lions garnered 161 points and two first-place votes, while the Eagles amassed 154 points. Rounding out the poll was Azusa Pacific (142 points), Chaminade (132), Hawai'i Pacific (121), Dominican (94), Biola (79), Hawai'i Hilo (72), FPU (63), Holy Names (43), Academy of Art (37) and Notre Dame de Namur (25).

ABOUT THE SAINTS
• Saint Martin's is coming off a 17-13 season, which marked its second consecutive winning season under head coach Alex Pribble.
• The Saints have competed in two exhibitions to open the season. SMU nearly upset the University of Washington (91-87) and fell to Washington State (85-74) to begin the month.
 • The Saints return two starters from last season in Rhett Baerlocher and Jordan Kitchen. Kitchen, who was selected to the GNAC All-Conference Preseason team earlier this month, returns as the leading scorer (8.8 PPG).
 
SERIES HISTORY
• The Saints and the Sunbirds will be meeting for the fourth time, with FPU holding a 2-1 all-time series advantage. SMU defeated FPU last year 73-59 in Fresno to kick off the season.
 
ABOUT THE WOLVES
• Western Oregon enters as one of the top teams in the West Region, as the Wolves finished with an 18-13 mark in 2016-17.
• WOU, who was picked to finish second in the GNAC preseason poll, hosted Corban in an exhibition on Nov. 6. The Wolves surpassed the century mark in the win, 109-86.
• WOU returns three starters from last season, highlighted by GNAC Preseason Player of the Year Tanner Omlid (15.6 ppg). He was tabbed the conference Defensive Player of the Year last season. The Wolves also return Ali Faruq-Bey (15.0 ppg) and JJ Chrinside (7.0 ppg).
 
SERIES HISTORY
• The two teams will be meeting for the sixth time, with the Wolves holding a 4-1 all-time series advantage over the Sunbirds. Western Oregon took the meeting last season 85-54 in Fresno.
 
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