The semester began just over two weeks ago, but this must feel something like spring break for the Chico State men’s basketball team. The Wildcats are finally back home beginning Friday night, and for two consecutive weekends at that, after an arduous stretch in which they played eight of 10 on the road.
The Wildcats are 8-3 this season in Acker Gym, where they’ve won 22 of their last 27.
Chico State hosts Cal State San Bernardino Friday and UC San Diego Saturday. Both games will tip at Acker Gym at approximately 7:30. The games will be broadcast locally on 1290 AM KPAY and streamed online via the Wildcat Webcast link at www.chicowildcats.com. They’ll play their final regular season home games Feb. 22-23 before wrapping up the regular season at Cal State East Bay and Cal State Monterey Bay Feb. 28 and March 1, respectively.
The Wildcats are hoping Feb. 23 will not be their last home game of the season, however. They’re currently in a tight race for fourth place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The top four teams in the conference standings at the conclusion of the conference season will host a first-round CCAA Championship Tournament game on March 5.
Chico State, 11-9 overall, is among three teams – the others being UC San Diego and Cal State Dominguez Hills – that start the weekend 8-8 in CCAA play and one game behind fourth-place Cal State L.A.. At 7-9, Sonoma State is also in the hunt for that coveted fourth-place spot.
Cal State San Bernardino (15-4 overall and 13-3 in the CCAA) is in second place, two games behind conference leader Cal Poly Pomona. San Francisco State is third at 11-5.
Ironically, in what has been a rough season away from home, the Wildcats won 69-65 at Cal State San Bernardino on Jan. 12. Amir Carraway led four ’Cats in double figures with 19 points, while Jordan Semple had a monster game with 14 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks.
The Wildcats were coming off a disappointing 65-62 loss at UC San Diego where they led by as many with seven and were still up by a bucket with 4:45 to play but failed to hold on. The Tritons’ James McCann and Tyler McGrath spurred the come-from-behind win, scoring 21 and 24 points, respectively. Carraway paced Chico State with 17 points.
