CHICO – After a season-opening home victory last Saturday, the Chico State women's basketball team hits the road for the first time in the 2014-15 campaign this weekend. The Wildcats travel to St. George, Utah to play a pair of games in the Dixie Thanksgiving Classic, facing host Dixie State Friday at 4 p.m. Pacific time at Burns Arena, followed by a Saturday matchup with Alaska Fairbanks at 11 a.m.
Fans can follow the action online with Live Stats via the Wildcat Athletics website. Friday's Chico State-Dixie State contest will also feature live pay-per-view streaming video which can also be accessed through the Wildcat Athletics website.
Chico State will try to put a crooked number in the win column following their 68-54 victory over Dominican University in last weekend's season-opening Coslet Classic. Senior guard Hannah Womack, on the strength of her 17-point performance against the Penguins, is already tied for fourth in scoring in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and is tied for fifth in the conference with five 3-pointers. Freshman Whitney Branham and senior Annie Ward are also ranked in the CCAA's top 25 in scoring, while JC transfer Chanelle Di Croce is tied for seventh in the conference in rebounding.
Dixie State, a member of the Pacific West Conference, heads into its Thanksgiving Classic 0-1 on the young season. After dropping two of three exhibition games (one against Division I University of Nevada Las Vegas), the Red Storm fell in its season opener Wednesday, bowing to Alaska Fairbanks 94-72. Dixie State finished last season 14-14 overall and in seventh place in the Pac West with an 11-9 conference record.
The Red Storm is led by senior guard Kaylah Miller (13.3 points a game and 76 3-pointers last season), who scored 19 points and nailed five 3-pointers Wednesday against Alaska Fairbanks. Other top scorers for Dixie State include senior guard Taylor Maynes (15 points/six rebounds versus Alaska Fairbanks) and junior center Taylor Mann (14 points/seven rebounds against the Nanooks).
The Chico State and Dixie State women's basketball teams have only met once before, with Dixie State (then known as the Rebels) beating the Wildcats 70-68 in overtime Nov. 21, 2008 at Acker Gym.
Alaska Fairbanks, a member of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC), is a program very much on the rise. Following a 9-17 season (the most wins since the 2007-08 campaign), the Nanooks are off to a 3-0 start in 2014-15, and they've been winning in convincing style, averaging 94.3 points per game with an average margin of victory of 30.3 points per game.
Alaska Fairbanks, which faces Cal State San Marcos Friday in the first Dixie Thanksgiving Classic contest, began the season with wins over Chaminade and Holy Names Nov. 14-15 in the GNAC/Pac West Challenge before toppling Dixie State Wednesday by 22.
The Nanooks boast three players scoring in double figures: sophomore forward Jordan Wilson is averaging 18.3 points and 8.3 rebounds a game, while sophomore forward Kaillee Skjold (14.0 points and 8.0 rebounds a game) and sophomore guard Autumn Childers (10.3 points per game) have combined for 10 3-point baskets.
Saturday will mark the 15th time Chico State and Alaska Fairbanks have met on the hardwood, but the first time in exactly six years. The Nanooks hold an 11-3 lead in the all-time series and beat the Wildcats in their last meeting 68-47 back on Nov. 22, 2008.
