CHICO – The Chico State women’s basketball team will be competing Tuesday in the first round of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament, but before the Wildcats can take that first step towards winning the tournament and grabbing an automatic bid to the NCAA West Regional, they’ll need to establish some badly needed momentum going into the postseason. The ’Cats will get that chance as they wrap up the regular season with two tough road conference tilts against Cal State Monterey Bay Thursday and San Francisco State on Friday. Both games are scheduled to tip off at 5:30 p.m.
Both of Chico State’s opponents have something to play for – Cal State Monterey Bay will be trying to secure at least a share of the CCAA regular season crown, while San Francisco State is fighting for the eighth and final CCAA Championship Tournament berth. The Wildcats go into the games needing some wins as well – Chico State has lost five straight to fall to 14-10 overall and 11-9 in conference play, and since they can finish no higher than fifth place in the CCAA standings, the ’Cats will be opening the conference tournament next week on the road. Last weekend the Wildcats lost their final home games of the regular season, falling to Cal Poly Pomona 93-79 on Friday and dropping a 70-60 decision Saturday to Cal State San Bernardino.
Chico State enters the final week of the regular season ranked seventh in the CCAA in scoring, averaging 62.8 points a game. The Wildcat defense is sixth among conference teams, allowing 60.4 points a contest, but has given up an average of 76.8 over its last five games. The ’Cats are still second in the CCAA in assists (15.0 a game), third in rebounding (38.6 boards a night), fourth in 3-point field goal percentage (34.5) and fifth in field goal percentage (40.0).
Individually, junior guard Molly Collins is among the top 20 in the conference in scoring, averaging 10.0 points per game. Junior guard Courtney Harrison is third in the CCAA in 3-pointers, knocking down 46 treys while averaging 8.0 points a night. Senior forward Taylor Lydon is averaging 7.5 points a game, and is fourth in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage (39.4). Freshman guard Courtney Hamilton is second in the CCAA in assists (4.7 a game) and leads the conference with a 1.98 assist-to-turnover ratio. Hamilton has the highest assist average of any freshman in the nation (33rd overall) and owns the third best assist-to-turnover ratio in the country among freshman players.
Cal State Monterey Bay, Chico State’s Thursday night opponent, is ranked 22nd in the nation and No. 2 in the West Region thanks to a 22-2 overall record; the Otters also hold a one-game lead at the top of the CCAA standings with an 18-2 conference mark. Monterey Bay has won its last four contests, including a pair last weekend at home, beating Sonoma State 69-52 Friday and Humboldt State 75-54 on Saturday. Monterey Bay is 9-1 this season on its home floor, the Kelp Bed.
The Otters rank sixth in the CCAA in offense, averaging 64.2 points a game, but boasts the conference’s top defense, holding opponents to just 50.3 points a night. Monterey Bay is second among CCAA teams in field goal percentage (41.1), and ranks fifth in 3-point field goal percentage (34.3), assists (12.5 a game) and blocked shots (3.3 a contest).
Senior guard LaShawn Johnson leads a balanced Otter scoring attack, averaging 9.4 points a game while connecting on 29 3-pointers. Senior center Julie Heurung also averages 9.4 points to go along with 6.1 rebounds a contest; she ranks second in the CCAA in field goal percentage (52.6). Junior guard Erica Ward has made 28 3-pointers on the season and is averaging 8.3 points a game, while senior guard Michelle Santizo has drained a team-high 36 treys and contributes 7.1 points and 3.3 assists a contest.
Monterey Bay beat Chico State earlier this season, downing the Wildcats 51-38 Jan. 22 at Acker Gym. Neither team shot above 30 percent in the defense-dominated game; London Houchin led the Otters with 13 points, while Molly Collins paced the ’Cats with 12. Chico State leads the all-time series with Monterey Bay, 11-2.
San Francisco State, which hosts the Wildcats Friday following its Thursday matchup with Cal State Stanislaus, has suddenly become a contender for the final CCAA Championship Tournament berth despite starting the season 1-18. The Gators enter the week 5-19 overall, and are tied with Sonoma State for eighth place in the CCAA with a 5-15 conference mark. San Francisco State is playing its best ball of the season at just the right time – the Gators have won four of their last five games, and split a pair at home last weekend, losing to Humboldt State 66-65 on Friday before edging Sonoma State 43-39 Saturday. San Francisco State has struggled at home, losing nine of 11 games in the 2010-11 campaign.
As has been the case all season, the Gators don’t generate much offense – their 48.3 points per game average is last in the CCAA – but San Francisco State more than makes up for it on defense, ranking second in the conference by allowing just 55.7 points a night. The Gators also rank high in a couple of other defense-oriented team categories: steals (fifth in the CCAA with an average of 8.0 swipes a game) and blocked shots (fifth, 3.8 a contest).
The centerpiece of the San Francisco State attack is center Dominique Hunter. The senior is eighth in the CCAA in scoring (12.2 points a game) and leads the conference in rebounding (11.5 a contest) while blocking 2.3 shots a night. Sophomore guard/forward Michaela Booker averages 7.5 points and 4.2 rebounds a game, while freshman guard Erica Greer averages 6.0 points per game and leads the Gators with 18 3-pointers and 49 assists.
Chico State topped San Francisco State 59-46 in the first meeting of the season Jan. 21 at Acker Gym. Molly Collins led the ’Cats with 16 points, while Dominique Hunter posted game highs with 20 points and 11 rebounds. The Wildcats hold a 61-20 lead in the all-time series between the two teams.
Both Thursday and Friday games will be broadcast on KPAY 1290 AM locally, as well as through the Wildcat Athletics website. Mike Baca will provide the play-by-play.
