The Chico State cross country and women’s soccer programs’ sensational seasons will be celebrated at halftime of Friday night’s Wildcats men’s basketball game. If the Wildcats keep it up, they might just be in line for a celebration of their own. Winners of seven of its last eight games, Chico State has moved into a tie for first place atop the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) standings, and at 14-4 overall, into the early discussion for an NCAA Championship Tournament berth.
But to stay in first, the Wildcats will need to take care of business this weekend against two of their longest-running rivals. Sonoma State (8-8 overall and 6-6 in the CCAA) will be in town Friday night. Humboldt State, part of the five-team logjam for first at 12-4 overall and 8-4 in the CCAA, visits Saturday.
Both games are scheduled to tip following the women’s games at approximately 7:30 and both will be broadcast locally on Newstalk 1290-AM KPAY and online via www.chicowildcats.com with Mike Baca handling the play-by-play. Live Stats for both contests are also available online.
The first 300 students in the door Friday night will receive a free t-shirt and all of the fans in attendance Saturday night will take home a free can of Lindsay Olives.
Can the Wildcats, 8-1 at home this season, get it done? First they’ll have to exact some revenge on Sonoma State, which beat the Wildcats 61-54 back on Dec. 19 in Rohnert Park. The Seawolves are coming off, currently in eighth place in the CCAA, are among the conference’s hottest teams, having beaten Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State San Bernardino and Cal State L.A. on the way to four wins in their last five games. Saturday, Will Olsem sank 12 3-pointers en route to 38 points as the Seawolves routed Cal State San Bernardino (another team currently tied for first) 86-71.
Humboldt State, which the Wildcats handled 65-63 on Dec. 17 in Arcata, has won five in a row. The Lumberjacks have four players averaging in double figures, including Randy Hunter, who ranks among the league leaders in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots.
But the Wildcats have some solid players of their own, including reigning CCAA Player of the Week Damario Sims, who scored a career high 28 points last Friday night at Cal State East Bay, point guard Jay Flores, who has scored in double figures in six straight games, and redshirt freshman Jordan Semple, who is making a push for CCAA Newcomer of the Year honors.
Chico State ranks eighth in the nation in scoring defense, having allowed just 58.9 points per game and holding each of its opponents under their season scoring average in regulation, and 14th in the NCAA in rebounding margin.
