BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Chico State and Humboldt State men’s basketball teams have played 191 times, facing off at least once every season since 1933. But never has so much been on the line as there will be in meeting 192. The Wildcats and Lumberjacks will tip off in an NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional opening-round game Friday night at 5:30 at Sam Carver Gymnasium on the campus of Western Washington University.

Chico State (24-7) is the No. 5 seed in the eight-team regional. Humboldt State (22-7) is seeded No. 4. The winner of Friday’s game will face top-seeded tournament-host Western Washington or No. 8 seed Grand Canyon Saturday at 7 PM.

This will mark the first NCAA Championship Tournament between Chico State and its second-longest running rivals only to San Francisco State. Chico State holds a 119-72 series edge, but the Lumberjacks are 2-1 against the Wildcats in the postseason, including Saturday’s 89-76 win in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament title game.

Chico State swept the regular-season series between these teams for the first time since 1997-98, winning 65-63 in Arcata on Dec. 17 and 67-61 at home on Jan. 28. Jay Flores scored the game-winning bucket with four seconds left and Amir Carraway led the way with 18 points in the first meeting. Flores’ 26-foot 3-pointer with 40 seconds left was the dagger in the second meeting in Chico, giving the Wildcats a four-point lead. Carraway led the way with 16 points and seven rebounds. But Humboldt State got its revenge last Saturday, winning 89-76. The 89 points are the most the Wildcats have allowed all season, 13 more than their most allowed in regulation.

If the Wildcats earn their first three-win season against Humboldt State since 1976-77, they’ll reach 25 wins for the second time in the program’s history, matching the 1983-84 team.

They would also reverse a stretch of 12 straight NCAA Championship Tournament losses dating back to the program’s only two NCAA Tournament wins, which came in 1958 when it was called the NCAA College Division Tournament.

The last time Chico State played in Bellingham also marked the team’s last NCAA Championship Tournament appearance. Led by point guard Tim Haley – now an assistant coach – the Wildcats came up just short of upsetting Hawaii Hilo, 83-81.

A defensive effort like Wildcats had in their first two meetings with Humboldt State this season would go a long way in helping them get that first NCAA Tournament win in 54 years. The Wildcats have won just three times when allowing a team to score 70 or more points this season. Good 3-point shooting would help as well. The Wildcats are 18-0 this season when draining at least 30 percent of their 3s.

Friday’s action begins at 12:30 when No. 3 seed Seattle Pacific takes on Dixie State. No. 2 Alaska Anchorage faces No. 7 Montana State Billings at 2:30. Western Washington and Grand Canyon wrap up Friday’s first round at 7:30.

The winner of the West Regional will advance to the Elite Eight in Highland Heights, Kentucky, March 21-24. The winner of the West Regional will play the winner of the South Central regional on March 21. The best of the West has gone on to play for the NCAA title in each of the past three seasons, with Cal Poly Pomona taking home the prize in 2010. A California team has won the title five times in the past 19 seasons.

As always, Mike Baca will have the call on AM 1290 KPAY locally. The broadcast will also be streamed online HERE. For live stats and video and information on each of the regional’s eight teams, visit Tournament Central.