FRESNO, Calif. — In an exhibition match, Fresno Pacific men's basketball battled against local D1 opponent Fresno State on Monday at the Save Mart Center. FPU was led by a six-steal performance, but the Bulldogs dominated with 56 points in the paint, ultimately leading to the final score of 51-88.

"I thought we flinched a little bit when shots didn't fall early," said head coach C.J. Haydock. "We generated really good looks early and couldn't convert, and that rattled us aIl was really pleased with long stretches from our team offensively, just a very inconsistent shooting night. Defensively, we really struggled in transition and with their size, and that combo really stretched us. I was thrilled with the leadership we got from Isaac Peralta, Ryan Braam, and Hugo Gonzalez Garcia. We clearly need to get some guys healthy, and are an incomplete product at this moment. We've got a really good feel of where we need growth, and we are eager to attack it over the next 12 days before our first real game. We need quality time and growth on the practice floor desperately for the next 12 days."

Fresno Pacific started the first half with a focus on perimeter shooting, evidenced by their five three-pointers, but found themselves trailing early as Fresno State capitalized in the paint. Peralta's layup at 15:03 put the 'Birds on the board, and he continued to contribute significantly throughout the half with a total of 10 points. Despite their efforts, they struggled to keep pace with the Bulldogs' strong inside presence, which led to a 42-29 deficit by the end of the half.

The Sunbirds faced challenges in the second half, struggling to find offensive momentum against Fresno State's defense. Despite an early effort from Peralta, who contributed with free throws at 19:01, and a jumper at 15:17, the team found it difficult to maintain consistent scoring. Amar Hot's three-pointer at 8:32 briefly invigorated them, but turnovers and missed opportunities continued to hinder their progress. The half ended with Fresno State extending their lead, concluding the game with a score of 51-88.

Peralta, who was on the PacWest Preseason Watchlist, led the effort with 18 points, converting six of his 11 field goal attempts and adding three rebounds. Hot contributed 10 points, hitting four of his 10 shots, including two 3-pointers, while collecting two rebounds. Freshman Loukas Jones chipped in with five rebounds and two points, showing versatility on the boards. Braam made a perfect shooting performance from the field, finishing with five points and one rebound.

NEXT UP: The regular season kicks off for the 'Birds at the Pioneer Challenge on Nov. 14th and 15th, where the team will face Stanislaus State and Cal State East Bay.

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