CHICO – The Chico State women’s basketball team takes a break from its competitive California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) schedule this weekend, but the talent level of the Wildcats’ upcoming Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) opponents in the 40th annual Coslet Classic will actually be raised a notch or two. The ’Cats, ranked just outside the USA Today Top 25 Coaches Poll, take on No. 6 Western Washington Friday night at Acker Gym, followed by a Saturday showdown with 5-1 Seattle Pacific. Both games are slated to tip off at 7:30 p.m.
Chico State enters the weekend 4-0 on the season, and come into the Coslet Classic (which is doubling as this season’s CCAA-GNAC Challenge) on the heels of two impressive home wins last weekend against Cal Poly Pomona and Humboldt State, leaving Chico State all alone in first place in the CCAA with a 3-0 conference record.
The Wildcats have been getting the job done offensively, ranking second among CCAA teams with a 69 points per game average. Chico State is also second in the conference in defense, allowing just 52.8 points a contest. The ’Cats have surrendered just 11 3-point field goals in their first four games, and have held opponents to just 14.7 percent from behind the arc – the stingiest percentage in the nation.
Chico State is led by on the offensive end by junior guard Jazmine Miller. The Wildcats’ top 3-point shooter is ranked fifth in the CCAA with a 14.3 points per game average. Sophomore forward Analise Riezebos is the conference’s top rebounder, averaging 9.8 boards a game, while junior point guard Courtney Hamilton leads the CCAA in assists (5.0 per night). McKenzie Dalthorp has scored in double figures in each of Chico State’s first four games and is averaging 13.8 points a game.
Western Washington, which faces Chico State Friday, comes into the Coslet Classic with a perfect 6-0 record, and is tied with Simon Fraser and Seattle Pacific for first place in the GNAC with a 2-0 conference mark. The Vikings recorded a pair of lopsided victories last week, beating Western Oregon 77-54 and Saint Martin’s 75-51, moving from No. 8 to No. 6 in the national rankings.
Western Washington possesses a potent offense, averaging 73.2 points a game, while allowing just 51.8 points on the defensive end. The Vikings are shooting nearly 48 percent from the field this season, and have connected for 38 3-pointers in their six contests.
Western Washington is led by senior center Britt Harris, averaging 14.5 points and 5.2 rebounds a game. Senior guard Trishi Williams has contributed 11.7 points and nearly three steals a contest, while senior forward Erika Ramstead has hauled in 7.2 rebounds per game. Senior guard Corinn Waltrip leads the Vikings in both 3-pointers (nine) and assists (23).
Western Washington, which finished last season 22-8 and reached the NCAA West Regional semifinals, leads the all-time series with the Wildcats 9-8, but has struggled against Chico State in recent years. The ’Cats have won three straight and five of the last six meetings with the Vikings, including last season’s 66-63 victory in Seattle during the 2011 CCAA/GNAC Challenge. Chico State is 3-3 against Western Washington at Acker Gym.
Seattle Pacific, the Wildcats’ Saturday night opponent, is unranked nationally but is in the midst of its best season start since 2008. The Falcons have won three straight entering the Coslet Classic, including both of their games last week, a 76-69 victory over Northwest Nazarene on Nov. 29 and a 65-48 thumping of Central Washington on Saturday. Seattle Pacific’s lone defeat of the season was an 86-67 loss to UC San Diego on Nov. 16.
Seattle Pacific comes into this weekend’s action averaging 71 points a game, while allowing opponents to score an average of 62.8 points a contest. The Falcons are not a big 3-point shooting team, but they’re extremely accurate when they do hoist it from long distance – Seattle Pacific is currently 10th in the nation in 3-point shooting percentage (43.8) while averaging 5.5 treys a night.
The Falcons have three players scoring in double figures so far this season. Junior forward Katie Benson is averaging 14.3 points along with a team-high 6.7 rebounds a game; sophomore guard Susanna Ohlsen, who tops Seattle Pacific with 10 3-point buckets and nearly four assists a game, is averaging 13 points a night, and senior guard Rachel Murray, shooting 51 percent from the field, has contributed an average of 11 points and nearly six rebounds a contest.
Seattle Pacific leads the all-time series with Chico State 12-5, but the Wildcats won the last meeting between the two teams, snapping a five-game losing streak to the Falcons with a 77-72 win Dec. 10 at the 2011 CCAA/GNAC Challenge. Chico State has not defeated Seattle Pacific at Acker Gym in four tries dating back to 1985.
CCAA conference rival Sonoma State will be the fourth team competing in the Coslet Classic, though the Seawolves will not face the Wildcats. Sonoma will play the two-day event’s early games, squaring off against Seattle Pacific Friday and Western Washington on Saturday, with both contests tipping off at 5:30 p.m.
Live Stats for all four Coslet Classic contests will be available online, with the two Chico State games broadcast locally on KPAY 1290 AM and via the Wildcat Athletics website.
CLICK HERE for Chico State-Western Washington Live Stats (available approx. 10 minutes before 7:30 tipoff)
CLICK HERE for Chico State-Western Washington online broadcast (available at approx. 7:15 p.m.)
