It took great performances from every Wildcat who played to lead the Chico State men's basketball team through three straight conference champions to the NCAA Tournament West Region title. Isaiah Ellis' performance was not just great. It was transcendent.
The junior forward is our Wildcat of the Week after capping a brilliant NCAA Tournament regional run with perhaps the greatest individual effort in the history of the program. Ellis scored a career-high 34 points and tied his career high with 14 rebounds to lead the Wildcats past UC San Diego, 95–86 in the regional title game, punching the Wildcats' ticket to the Elite Eight in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, May 22-25.
Ellis was named the Regional's Most Outstanding Player after averaging 21 points, 10.3 rebounds, three assists, and a steal per game. He shot 53 percent from the field (19–36), a blistering 64 percent from beyond the arc (7-11), and hit 18 of 23 free throws.
Ellis hit all four of his 3-point attempts in the Wildcats' 96–83 opening round win against 12th-ranked Western Washington and finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and two steals. He followed that up by scoring nine points, grabbing a game-high seven rebounds, and chipping in two assists and a steal in a 77–74 victory over 4th-ranked Hawai'i Pacific.
Ellis and the Wildcats will face a conference champion for the fifth straight game on Wednesday when they open the Elite Eight against back-to-back Southeast Region Champion Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) at 6:30 p.m., Pacific.
