CHICO – Only three California Collegiate Athletic Association teams have unblemished conference records heading into just the second full weekend of conference play. All three will be in Acker Gym this weekend. Chico State, 2-0 in CCAA play and 6-1 overall, hosts perennial powerhouse Cal State San Bernardino (4-2, 2-0 CCAA) Saturday at 2:30 and defending National Championship game participant Cal Poly Pomona (4-1, 2-0 CCAA) Sunday at 2:30.
The rare 2:30 tips are necessary because Cal Poly Pomona’s classes begin Monday. The rare opportunity to see an upstart Chico State team that has won five straight and is off to its best start since the 1944-45 season won’t come again until the Wildcats play nine of their final 13 games at home beginning Jan. 22.
The Chico State women will play each day at 12:30. All four games will be broadcast locally on ESPN Radio (101.7 FM and 1340 AM). Mike Baca and Mike Wessels will have the call. Those out of the Chico area can listen to the broadcast via the Wildcat Webcast link by clicking on the Wildcats Webcast banner on the right side of the Chico State athletics home page (www.chicowildcats.com). A link to Live Stats is also available on the Chico State men’s and women’s basketball home pages.
Chico State’s 6-1 start can be at least partially attributed to a strong effort on the defensive end of the floor. The Wildcats have held their opponents to an average of 61.9 points per game. That’s a vital stat because the Wildcats are 8-1 when holding opponents to fewer than 60 points since Greg Clink took the reigns of the program, 12-8 when limiting opponents to fewer than 70, and only 2-12 when surrendering more than 70. No Chico State has allowed fewer than 61.9 points per game over the course of an entire season since the 1960-61 team surrendered just 61.8.
Terence Pellum (15.4 ppg) and Jon Baird (14.0) have provided the brunt of Chico State’s scoring this season. Pellum, who ranks second in the CCAA in blocked shots and fourth in scoring, has patrolled the painted area, while Baird, who leads the CCAA in 3-pointers made, makes his living on the perimeter. Roderick Hawkins has provided a huge spark off the bench with 9.7 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds per game. And point guard Jay Flores leads the CCAA in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio.
Chico State trails the all-time series against Cal State San Bernardino 20-6, but the Wildcats have won four of the 10 meetings since the beginning of the 2004-05 season. In 14 games in Chico, the Wildcats are 4-10 against Cal State San Bernardino. Last season, the Coyotes won 75-57 in Southern California and 84-67 in Acker Gym. In Chico, Zach Graves put together one of his best performances of the season, finishing with 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting, six rebounds, and three assists, but San Bernardino made 15 of its first 20 second-half shots en route to 54 second-half points to come from 11 points behind and win going away.
The Coyotes are led by 6-foot-8 center Bryan LeDuc, the reigning CCAA Player of the Week. LeDuc, who led University of Pacific in scoring during his junior year, is averaging 16.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per game (both second in the CCAA). Point guard Aaron Hill ranks second in the conference with 5.3 assists per game.
After opening the season with losses to Pepperdine and Concordia, the Coyotes have blown out four straight opponents, none by fewer than 16 points.
Chico State trails the all-time series against Cal Poly Pomona 19-14 and has lost six of the last seven meetings between the teams. The Wildcats beat the Broncos 55-47 last season in Pomona as Nick Lonnegren had one of his best games as a Wildcat with 13 points and five rebounds. But Chico State has lost the last five meetings between the teams in Acker Gym, including a 59-51 decision last season. Their last home win against the Broncos came on Feb. 28, 2004.
One year removed from a heartbreaking last-second loss in the National Championship game, the Broncos are 4-1 (following four straight wins) and ranked No. 14 in the nation. The coaches of the CCAA picked them to finish atop the CCAA in their preseason poll. Following a season-opening 60-47 loss at Westmont, the Broncos have held four straight opponents to 47 points or fewer. Austin Swift, a 6-foot-5 guard, leads the Broncos in scoring at 14.2 points per game. Cal Poly Pomona is an extremely balanced team, however. Guard Dahir Nasser has started 38 consecutive games, Center Tobias Jahn is averaging 9.8 points per game, Donnelle Booker is the team’s leading rebounder and ranks fourth in school history in blocked shots, and the team is 20-3 when sophomore forward Dwayne Fells starts. Barring an injury, Fells will start on Sunday.
