The Chico State men’s basketball team is used to playing for high stakes, having been tied for first or one game out in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) standings for four straight weeks. The stakes just got higher for the Wildcats as they prepare to embark on their final regular season road trip to Cal State L.A. and Cal State Dominguez Hills. The Wildcats, 19-5 overall and in a three-way tie for first in the CCAA at 13-5, are ranked No. 8 in the inaugural NCAA West Region rankings officially released Thursday morning. Eight teams from the region will receive bids to the NCAA Championship Tournament.
Nevertheless, with the program’s first conference crown since 1993 within reach, the Wildcats will head into the Eagle’s Nest on the campus of Cal State L.A. Friday night with that goal in mind. They’ll take on Cal State Dominguez Hills Saturday in the Torodome. Both games are scheduled to tip at 7:30 p.m. They can be heard locally on AM 1290 KPAY or online via the Wildcat Webcast link on the right side of this window.
Chico State enters the weekend tied with Cal Poly Pomona and Humboldt State atop the conference standings with four to play. Cal State San Bernardino lurks one game back. Sonoma State is alone in fifth, and Cal State L.A. and Cal State Dominguez Hills are tied for sixth at 10-8 in the CCAA. Cal State L.A. enters the weekend 14-8 overall and Cal State Dominguez Hills 11-9.
The Wildcats, who have never finished higher than third since joining the CCAA in 1998, will wrap up the regular season at home next Thursday and Friday against Cal State Monterey Bay and Cal State East Bay.
If Chico State’s first meetings this season against Cal State L.A. and Cal State Dominguez Hills are any indication, both games will be tight. The Wildcats made just one shot over the final 10 minutes and 3-of-29 in the second half as Cal State Dominguez Hills came back from a 17-point halftime deficit to win 49-46 in Acker Gym on Jan. 13.
But the Wildcats turned the tables the following night to start a stretch of nine wins in 10 games that they’ll take with them to Southern California. They only missed one shot in the final 10 minutes against Cal State L.A. to rally from 12 points down to beat the Golden Eagles 69-66.
Buckets will be hard to come by. These are three of the top 12 teams in the nation in terms of scoring defense. The Wildcats are ranked No. 7, Cal State L.A. No. 9 and Cal State Dominguez Hills No. 12.
With their next win, the Wildcats will become the 13th 20-win team in the program’s 96-year history and the first since 1993.
NCAA West Region Rankings
1. Western Washington (19-3, 18-1)
2. Alaska-Anchorage (14-3, 14-3)
3. Seattle Pacific (19-5, 19-5)
4. Dixie State (17-4, 17-4)
5. Western Oregon (13-6, 13-6)
6. Humboldt State (14-5, 14-5)
7. Cal Poly Pomona (14-5, 14-5)
8. Chico State (15-5, 15-5)
9. Montana State Billings (12-7, 12-7)
10. BYU-Hawaii (11-6, 11-6).
Records shown: Overall Division II record, In-Region Record.
The winners of the CCAA and Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championship Tournaments and Pacific West Conference regular season champions will receive automatic berths to the NCAA Championship Tournament. The five highest ranked teams remaining will be at-large selections.
