CHICO – The Chico State women’s basketball team knew that its back-to-back southern California road trips would present a bevy of challenges. Last week the Wildcats survived the first SoCal sojourn with a split of their games with UC San Diego and Cal State San Bernardino, but this weekend the ’Cats – ranked No. 13 in the latest USA Today Sports Top 25 Coaches’ Poll and sitting atop the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) standings – face two more talented adversaries, taking on a hot Cal State L.A. team Friday and the vastly-improved Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros on Saturday. Both games are scheduled to tip off at 5:30 p.m.
Chico State enters the weekend 11-1 overall and 7-1 in conference play. After seeing their season-opening 10-game winning streak come to an end last Friday in a 71-65 loss to UC San Diego, the Wildcats bounced back the following night to down Cal State San Bernardino 62-56, giving the ’Cats four wins in five road contests this season.
Friday’s matchup with Cal State L.A. could turn out to be a barnburner, as it features the top two scoring teams in the CCAA. The Wildcats are second in the conference, averaging 70.8 points a game, with the Golden Eagles pouring in a CCAA-best 71.2 points a night. The ’Cats will try to exploit a Cal State L.A. defense that ranks ninth in the conference, allowing 62.4 points a game, while Chico State – 13th in the nation in 3-point field goal defense (24.2 percent) and allowing just 58.4 points a contest – will look to minimize one of the CCAA’s best-shooting teams both inside and outside the arc.
The Wildcats will need big performances out of their top two scorers, Jazmine Miller (13.2 points per game, tied for eighth in the CCAA) and McKenzie Dalthorp (11.4 ppg, 13th CCAA). Courtney Hamilton continues to lead the conference in assists (5.3 a game) and ranks 13th in the nation, while the ’Cats’ top rebounder, Analise Riezebos, is eighth in the CCAA, averaging 7.2 boards a contest.
Cal State L.A. sits at 11-4 on the season and in a tie with UC San Diego for second place in the CCAA with a 6-2 conference record. The Golden Eagles have won four straight and six of their last seven, including victories last weekend over Sonoma State and San Francisco State. On its home floor, the Eagles’ Nest, Cal State L.A. is an impressive 5-1 on the season.
Tessondra Williams is Cal State L.A.’s primary offensive threat. The senior guard and last season’s CCAA Newcomer of the Year is second in the conference in scoring, averaging 19.1 points per game, and is shooting better than 42 percent from behind the 3-point arc. Senior guard Lacey Gibbons is the team’s top 3-point shooter, draining 24 treys and averaging 8.4 points a game. Senior forward Richelle Najera leads the Golden Eagles in rebounding (5.7 a game), while senior guard Paige Melville chips in with 8.7 points per contest and is fourth in the CCAA in assists (3.1 a game).
Chico State and Cal State L.A. split the season series in 2011-12, with each team winning on the other’s home floor. In the last meeting on Feb. 17, the Wildcats won big, downing the Golden Eagles 92-60, with Dalthorp scoring a career-high 20 points. The ’Cats have won 20 of the last 22 games with Cal State L.A. and lead the all-time series 30-8.
Cal State Dominguez Hills, Chico State’s Saturday night opponent, has seen the program rejuvenated by first year Head Coach – and former Wildcat mentor – Molly Goodenbour. The Toros, winners of only three games last season, are already 4-8 in 2012-13 and enter the weekend tied for eighth in the CCAA with a 3-5 conference mark.
Despite playing with eight freshmen on the roster, Dominguez Hills is currently playing its best basketball of the season, winning three of its last five after starting out 1-6. Last weekend the Toros split a pair of conference matchups, losing to San Francisco State Friday before blowing out Sonoma State 64-46 on Saturday. Dominguez Hills has actually played better on the road than at home, winning just one game in four tries at the Torodome so far this season.
Dominguez Hills is not a high-scoring team, averaging just 57.7 points a game, and its defense is ranked 11th in the 12-team CCAA, allowing 76.5 points a game. But the Toros boast the top rebounding team in the conference (averaging 42.9 rebounds per game) and is second in the CCAA in blocked shots (2.7 a contest).
Dominguez Hills is led by freshman guard Monay Lee (13.2 points, 5.8 rebounds a game), who is coming off a 29-point performance last Saturday against Sonoma State. Junior guard Jamie Robinson averages 11.4 points and a CCAA-best 8.9 rebounds a contest, while freshman guard Julia Poecksteiner contributes 9.8 points a night. Freshman guard Denisha Lundy is the team’s long-distance threat, with 18 3-pointers while shooting 41.9 percent from behind the arc, and leads the Toros with 2.7 assists a night.
Chico State swept the season series with Dominguez Hills last season, and has beaten the Toros in each of the last six meetings. The Wildcats hold a 32-11 edge in the all-time series between the two teams.
Both Friday and Saturday's games will be broadcast live locally on Newstalk 1290 AM KPAY and through the Wildcat Athletics website, with Mike Baca handling the play-by-play. Fans can also follow the action of both contests online with Live Stats.
CLICK HERE for the live audio broadcast of Friday's Chico State-Cal State L.A. game
CLICK HERE for Live Stats of Friday's Chico State-Cal State L.A. game
Saturday's men's and women's games against Dominguez Hills will also be available via live internet video streaming, courtesy of the Toro Sports Network.
CLICK HERE for the live audio broadcast of Saturday's Chico State-Cal State Dominguez Hills game
CLICK HERE for Live Stats of Saturday's Chico State-Cal State Dominguez Hills game
CLICK HERE for live video streaming of Saturday's Chico State-Cal State Dominguez Hills game
