If you don't know the person sitting next to you at Friday night's Chico State's men's basketball game, go ahead and introduce yourself. The two of you might be spending a lot of time together over the next two months.
The Wildcats will play eight of their next 10 games at home and 10 of their last 16 of the regular season.
Chico State, 8-2 overall and 4-2 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA)Â is riding a school-record 14-game home court win streak heading into Friday's game against Cal State Dominguez Hills. The Toros are off to an uncharacteristically rough start at 5-8 overall and 2-4 in the CCAA having dropped six of their last eight.
Conference co-leader Cal State L.A. comes to town Saturday. The Golden Eagles have won seven straight to improve to 9-1 overall and 6-0 in the CCAA. They're led by conference leading scorer Quinton Watkins, averaging 22.1 points per game.
Tipoff for both games is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The games will be broadcast locally on Newstalk 1290 KPAY-AM and simulcast on ChicoWildcats.com, with Mike Baca handling the play-by-play.
The Wildcats are tied with San Francisco State for fourth in the conference standings, two games behind Cal State L.A. and Cal State San Bernardino and a game behind Cal Poly Pomona. However, Chico State hopes to make up ground at home. No team in the CCAA has played more conference games on the road thus far.
MILESTONE WATCH
A trio of Wildcats have an outside chance to reach significant statistical milestones this weekend.
Jordan Semple, the CCAA's leading rebounder, needs 22 boards to reach 500 for his career. That would make him the 12th player in Chico State history to do so and the first since Roderick Hawkins in 2011.
Sean Park is 40 points shy of 1,000 for his career. He would be the 13th player in school history to get there and join former teammates Damario Sims and Hawkins on the list.
Rashad Parker needs to make seven more 3-pointers to reach 100 in his career. A dozen Wildcats are on that list, including Parker's former teammates Sims and Jay Flores, along with current teammate Amir Carraway, who has made 104.
