CARSON – "We need Tanner (Giddings) to be more assertive on the offensive end. He's got to actively seek the ball. He's got to actively seek shots. We need him to be aggressive in creating scoring opportunities."
Those were Chico State Head Coach Greg Clink's words prior to the season. And they were never truer than Saturday night as the Wildcats' leading scorers – Robert Duncan and Corey Silverstrom – combined for just one basket in the game's first 34 minutes.
Giddings answered Clink's call, responding with career highs of 20 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots to lead the Wildcats to a 78-64 win at Cal State Dominguez Hills in Carson. The senior forward hit 9-of-14 shots and also matched his career-high with three assists.
Sophomore point guard Jalen McFerren was magnificent Saturday
night, notching 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists without
committing a turnover.Jalen McFerren also played brilliantly, finishing with 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists and no turnovers in 33 minutes as the Wildcats matched the best 13-game start in the 101-season history of the program at 11-2. Chico State last started 11-2 in 2013-14 and also did it in 1927-28, 1938-39, 1940-41 and 1942-43.
The 21
st-ranked Wildcats also moved into a four-way logjam for first place atop the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) at 5-1. They are tied with Humboldt State, Cal Poly Pomona and UC San Diego for first.
That jam will likely be broken by the end of next weekend. The Wildcats are on the road at Humboldt State Thursday and at Cal Poly Pomona Saturday.
Cal State Dominguez Hills dipped to 7-6 overall and 1-4 in the CCAA.
The game was tied 34-apiece with 17:35 left before Giddings scored on consecutive possessions, Drew Kitchens scored inside, and then McFerren railed a 3-pointer for a 9-0 run that gave Chico State the lead for good.
The lead was five with 7:22 left before the Wildcats put the game away. Duncan scored his first six points and McFerren fed Giddings for a dunk during the decisive 8-0 run.
Isaiah Ellis finished with 11 points and Duncan and Kitchens had nine apiece.
Giddings had 13 points and seven rebounds in the second half. Over the past seven games, the transfer from Fresno State has scored in double-digits six times, averaging 12.1 points to raise his season average to 10.2, up from 7.6 per game in 2014-15.
