CHICO – The rarified air that is the top of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) standings boast four teams – Cal State Monterey Bay, Cal State San Bernardino, Cal Poly Pomona and Chico State – with a combined season record of 39-5. Add to that quartet hard-charging UC San Diego – winners of four straight – and a quality Cal State Stanislaus squad, and it’s easy to see how fierce the competition will be over the second half of the 2010-11 season. The Wildcats travel to southern California this weekend to take on two of the CCAA’s top teams, visiting Cal State San Bernardino Friday and Cal Poly Pomona on Saturday. Tipoff for both games is 5:30 p.m.
Chico State enters the weekend 10-2 overall and in second place in the CCAA (behind Cal State Monterey Bay) with a 7-1 conference mark. The Wildcats, ranked No. 24 in the latest ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll, split a pair of home games last weekend, dropping a 73-53 decision to UC San Diego on Friday, then rebounding to beat winless Cal State East Bay 74-47. The ’Cats are 4-1 away from Acker Gym this season – their lone road setback was a 57-56 loss in Rohnert Park to Seattle Pacific during December’s CCAA/GNAC Challenge.
As befits their spot in the CCAA standings, the Wildcats are ranked among the top five conference teams in several team statistical categories. Entering the week Chico State leads the CCAA in rebounding (averaging 39.5 boards a game) and 3-point field goal percentage (39.7), and is second in assists (15.8 a contest). The ’Cats are also third in field goal percentage (41.6) and fourth in free throw percentage (72.0). The Wildcats are averaging 66.8 points a game on offense – fifth best in the conference – and are fifth in the CCAA in defense, holding opponents to an average of 58.2 points a contest. Chico State ranks fifth in the conference in steals and blocked shots, averaging 8.4 and 2.4 a game, respectively.
Molly Collins continues to be the Wildcats’ top scorer, averaging 9.3 points a game, and ranks second in the CCAA in free throw percentage (93.1). Taylor Lydon (7.9 points a game) and Courtney Harrison (7.7) have each connected on a team-high 21 3-pointers; Lydon is second among conference players with a 48.8 3-point shooting percentage. Freshman guard Courtney Hamilton is second in the CCAA in assists, averaging 4.7 dishes a game.
Cal State San Bernardino, Chico State’s Friday opponent, is 9-1 on the season and tied with Cal Poly Pomona for third place in the CCAA with a 5-1 conference record. The Coyotes have won their last three games since suffering their only loss of the season, a 61-44 defeat at the hands of Cal State Monterey Bay Dec. 29. Last week San Bernardino notched a pair of road victories, downing Humboldt State 69-62 on Thursday and handing Sonoma State a 52-45 defeat Saturday. Friday will mark just the third home game of the season for San Bernardino; the Coyotes are 1-1 at Coussoulis Arena entering Friday’s contest.
Cal State San Bernardino, under 15th year Head Coach Kevin Becker, is well on its way to improving last season’s 13-15 record. The Coyotes don’t possess a high-scoring offense – they rank seventh in the CCAA with an average of 63.2 points a game – but San Bernardino is solid on defense, having allowed 60 or more points in a game just twice in 10 games and giving up an average of just 52.7 points a contest (second best in the conference). The Coyotes are fifth among CCAA teams in field goal percentage (41.2).
San Bernardino is led by senior guard Eisha Sheppard – the D-I transfer from Oregon State is fifth in the CCAA in scoring (14.5 points a game), leads the conference in free throw percentage (96.4) and is third in field goal percentage (52.3). Senior guard Sabrina Gonzalez is averaging 10.2 points and 3.1 assists a game while topping the Coyotes with 18 3-pointers. Senior guard/forward Danielle Shows, a transfer from D-II Central Missouri, contributes 8.5 points and 5.8 rebounds a game in addition to shooting 49.3 percent from the field.
Chico State leads the all-time series with San Bernardino, having won 19 of 28 meetings, including 11 of the last 13. The Wildcats won twice last season, beating the Coyotes 78-51 at Acker Gym Jan. 2 and 61-51 Feb. 6 at Coussoulis Arena.
Cal Poly Pomona, which takes on the Wildcats following its Friday matchup against Cal State Stanislaus, shares third place with San Bernardino in the CCAA with a 5-1 conference record; overall, the Broncos are 8-2. Pomona was a winner twice last week, beating Sonoma State 70-50 on Thursday and downing Humboldt State 61-47 Saturday. The Broncos are trying to duplicate last season’s success – Pomona was 22-7 in 2009-10 and reached the NCAA West Regional.
The Broncos feature a potent offense (70.8 points a game) under first year Heat Coach Danelle Bishop that ranks third among CCAA teams. Cal Poly Pomona is also fourth in the conference in defense, holding opponents to just 56.2 points a contest. The Broncos are second only to the Wildcats in team rebounding (averaging 38.5 boards a game) and also rank second in the CCAA in steals (10.0 per game) and 3-point field goal percentage (34.4). Cal Poly Pomona enters the weekend 2-1 on its home floor, Kellogg Gymnasium.
Senior guard Reyana Colson, a two-time All-CCAA and All-West Region selection, is Pomona’s big weapon. Colson is tied for the conference lead in scoring (20.9), and also ranks among the CCAA leaders in rebounds (6.2 a game), assists (3.5) and steals (3.0). Junior center Megan Ford is enjoying a fine season, averaging 12.5 points and 8.5 rebounds a game, while senior forward La’kenya Simon West contributes 12.5 points and 6.0 rebounds a contest.
Cal Poly Pomona beat Chico State in two of their three meetings last season. The Broncos won the two regular season matchups (65-63 Jan. 3 at Acker Gym and 53-48 Feb. 5 at Pomona), but the Wildcats exacted some revenge with a 71-56 victory Mar. 5, knocking Pomona out of the CCAA Championship Tournament. Chico State leads the all-time series, 19-17.
Both Chico State women’s basketball games will be broadcast on ESPN Radio 101.7 FM and 1340 AM locally, as well as on the Internet via the Wildcat Athletics website.
