CHICO – The Chico State women’s basketball team officially gets the 2012-13 season underway this Saturday, as the Wildcats travel to central California to take on the Sunbirds of Fresno Pacific. The ’Cats hope to start the campaign on a positive note and make their first step toward the program’s ninth NCAA Championship Tournament appearance in the last 11 years. Saturday’s tipoff is set for 3 p.m.
The game is Chico State’s lone tune-up before the start of California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play. The Wildcats begin the conference season Tuesday in Turlock against Cal State Stanislaus.
Head Coach Brian Fogel returns nine letterwinners and four starters from the 2011-12 Wildcat team that finished 18-11 and reached postseason play for the 10th consecutive year. Senior All-CCAA and All-West Region standout Synchro Bull leads a talented Chico State squad that figures, as in past years, to run the floor at every opportunity and utilize a swarming defense to create quick transition baskets.
The Wildcat backcourt is deep this season, featuring junior Jazmine Miller (10.7 points per game, team-high 48 3-pointers in 2012-13), Courtney Hamilton (87 assists a year ago) and sophomore Hannah Womack, a transfer from Division I New Mexico State. Sophomores Annie Ward and Sharon Washington are also expected to provide some long-range shooting off the bench.
Up front, Chico State welcomes back senior Monnie Davidson-Mays (5.9 points, 4.3 rebounds a game last season), junior McKenzie Dalthorp (6.8 points, 3.7 rebounds per game) and senior Sam Messersmith (2.1 points, 1.4 rebounds a night), while Analise Riezebos (3.9 points, 3.1 rebounds a game in 2010-11) returns after injuries forced her to sit out the entire 2011-12 season. The frontline quartet will be joined by freshman forward Ashtyn Anderson.
Fresno Pacific, which joins the Pacific West Conference in 2012-13, is 0-3 on the young season. The Sunbirds fell to Cal Poly Pomona Wednesday 72-61 after opening the campaign with back-to-back losses to Northwest Nazarene last weekend.
The Sunbirds are led by sophomore guard Keairra White, averaging 23.0 points a game, which included a 40-point performance in Fresno Pacific’s season opener against Northwest Nazarene. Freshman forward Charde Stevens is averaging 10 points and nine rebounds per contest.
Playing in the NAIA’s Golden State Athletic Conference, Fresno Pacific was 14-17 in 2011-12. Erin Scholz is in her third season as the Sunbirds’ head coach.
Saturday marks the fourth time Chico State and Fresno Pacific have met on the hardwood and the first head-to-head tilt since 1998. The Sunbirds have won the three previous contests between the two teams.
The game will be broadcast live, with Mike Baca providing the play-by-play, locally on Newstalk 1290 AM KPAY and through the Wildcat Athletics website. Wildcat fans can also follow the action of Saturday’s season opener via Live Stats and online video streaming.
CLICK HERE for Live Stats
CLICK HERE for live audio broadcast
CLICK HERE for live video streaming
