CHICO – Despite its recent three-game losing streak, the Chico State women’s basketball team is coming off one of its best performances of the season, is in the upper division of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) standings and is currently ranked No. 10 in the NCAA Division II West Region poll. But as the second half of the conference schedule gets underway, the Wildcats still have plenty of work to do if they plan to get to the postseason, and this weekend will provide a huge test – Friday the ’Cats take of Cal State Monterey Bay at Acker Gym, with San Francisco State coming in on Saturday.
Last weekend Chico State began a string of five straight home games, and though things ended on a very positive note, the Wildcats had to settle for a split of the two contests, keeping them from gaining any ground on the leaders in the CCAA conference race. Friday, lowly Cal State L.A. snapped its four-game losing streak with a 58-54 win over Chico State…but Saturday the Wildcats rebounded with authority with their highest scoring night of the season, drubbing Cal State Dominguez Hills 85-34. The ’Cats’ defense absolutely sparkled – the 34 points by the visiting Toros were the fewest allowed by any Chico State team since February 9, 1991. Saturday’s 51-point win – the largest margin of victory since Chico State beat Cal State Stanislaus 97-38 on February 1, 2006 – moved the Wildcats to 9-7 on the season and 6-5 in CCAA play, where they remained tied for fifth place in the conference standings with Cal State San Bernardino entering the week.
Chico State continues to be among the conference leaders in most of the significant team statistical categories – entering the week the Wildcats led the CCAA in rebounding (averaging 41.8 boards a game), were third in scoring (averaging 67.2 points a contest), and third in field goal percentage (an even 40 percent). The ’Cats lead the conference in steals, averaging 11.3 a game, and are second in the CCAA in assists (14.8 per contest). Defensively, the Wildcats are ranked fifth in the conference, allowing an average of 59.8 points a game.
Junior Natasha Smith and senior Melissa Richardson enter this weekend’s action as the top Chico State scorers, with both players averaging 10.6 points per contest. Richardson’s 31 3-pointers – tops on the ’Cats – ranks her in a tie for fourth among CCAA players. Sophomore Pauline Ferrall averages 9.8 points a night to go along with 5.4 rebounds a contest, while senior Christine Vest chips in with 8.2 points and a team-high 6.4 rebounds per game. Synchro Bull averages 8.4 points a game and is shooting 46 percent from the field.
The Wildcats’ Friday opponent, Cal State Monterey Bay, is 11-4 overall and ranked No. 8 in the West Region. They began the week in fourth place in the CCAA with a 7-4 conference mark. The Otters have won two of its last four games, including a split at home last weekend – Friday Monterey Bay lost a close 59-57 decision to Cal State San Bernardino, then bounced back to beat Cal Poly Pomona on Saturday 60-54. The Otters have already matched the team’s season win total of a year ago, and has been doing most of its damage from downtown – Monterey Bay’s 105 3-pointers (an average of 7.0 a night) leads the conference. The Otters rank second in the CCAA in 3-point field goal percentage (31.9 percent) and fourth in scoring (averaging 61.8 points a game). Defensively, Monterey Bay is tough – the Otters allow an average of just 57.1 points a night, second best in the CCAA. Monterey Bay is 5-1 on the road this season.
Senior forward Veronica Williams and senior guard Helen Suarez are Monterey Bay’s top scoring threats – both were in the CCAA Top Ten entering the week, each averaging 11.8 points a game. Williams has drained a team-high 31 3-pointers and contributes an average of 6.1 rebounds a night. Senior guard Michelle Santizo has connected for 20 treys while averaging 8.1 points on the season. Junior forward Julie Heurung averages 8.1 points and a team-high 6.5 rebounds a game. Five different Otters have made 10 or more 3-pointers this season.
The Wildcats have won 10 of 11 meetings all-time against Cal State Monterey Bay and the last two in a row, including this season’s 71-52 road win over the Otters at the Kelp Bed Dec. 5. Monterey Bay’s lone victory over Chico State came last season, a 50-46 decision Dec. 5, 2008 at Seaside.
San Francisco State, which comes to Acker Gym Saturday following a Friday matchup against Cal State Stanislaus, is 8-11 on the season and sits in ninth place in the CCAA with a 4-7 conference mark. The Gators split a pair of home games last weekend, losing a heartbreaker in overtime Friday to Cal Poly Pomona, 68-65, then scoring a 63-46 upset of Cal State San Bernardino Saturday. San Francisco State’s offense doesn’t score a lot of points – the Gators rank ninth in the CCAA, averaging 57.4 a game – but the Gators defense (second in conference, allowing just 57.7 points a night) keeps them in most contests. San Francisco State is second only to Chico State among CCAA teams in rebounding, averaging 41.1 boards a night, and the Gators rank fifth in the conference in field goal percentage. San Francisco State has split its six road games so far this season.
The Gators are led by senior forward Donisha Tate, averaging 10.3 points and 11.2 rebounds (second in the CCAA) a game. Senior guard/forward Andrea Ohlssen contributes 7.5 point a night and is San Francisco State’s primary 3-point threat, with 21 treys on the season. Junior center Dominique Hunter chips in with an average 7.5 points and 6.1 rebounds a contest.
In one of Chico State’s oldest rivalries, the Wildcats hold a 58-20 advantage all-time against the Gators. Chico State has won 11 of the last 12 meetings dating back to 2004, and in this season’s first matchup, the ’Cats beat the Gators 67-46 Dec. 4 in San Francisco.
Tipoff for both the Friday night tilt against Cal State Monterey Bay and Saturday’s game versus San Francisco State are slated for 5:30 p.m. Follow all the action with Mike Baca providing the play-by-play live on ESPN 101.7 FM locally or on the Internet via the Wildcat Athletics website.
