Over the past four seasons, as the Chico State men's basketball team has established itself as a perennial California Collegiate Athletic Association and West Region power, Stanislaus State has provided the Wildcats with some of their stiffest competition.
 
The teams have split the season series four years in a row and met in the postseason three times, including the 2014 NCAA Championship Tournament West Region final – an 81-80 Chico State win widely regarded as the greatest comeback and greatest victory in the history of the program.
 
The rivalry resumes Saturday night when the Wildcats host the Warriors at 7:30.
 
Every Chico State basketball game this season will be broadcast locally on Newstalk 1290 KPAY-AM. Links to streaming audio, video and live stats are available in the calendar section on the ChicoWildcats.com homepage and on the men's basketball schedule page.
 
The 16th-ranked Wildcats (ranked in the top 25 for the ninth week in a row to extend the school record) beat Stanislaus State in non-conference game in their first meeting this season on Dec. 9 in Turlock, 84-69.
 
Stuck in traffic for hours between Sacramento and Stockton, the Wildcats arrived at Stanislaus State 10 minutes before the scheduled tip time. When the game finally started 50 minutes late, the Wildcats seemed to still be stuck in neutral, falling behind 17-4.
 
Then they found their gear, using a 30-9 run to take the lead. The Wildcats made 29 of their last 37 shots.
 
Robert Duncan scored 25 points (19 in the second half), had career highs of eight rebounds and three blocked shots, and dished out a game-high five assists. Jalen McFerren finished with 14 points and a career-best eight rebounds. And Tanner Giddings scored 12 of his 13 points in the second half.
 
Chico State enters the game 15-3 overall and 9-2 in the CCAA. They trail conference leader UC San Diego by a half-game. The Tritons are at Humboldt State Thursday and Cal Poly Pomona Saturday.
 
Stanislaus State (5-11, 4-7 CCAA) has dropped six straight, but has lost both games in the series season against Chico State just once in the past decade.
 
Nine of the last 18 meetings between these teams has been decided in overtime or by five points or fewer. Chico State leads the all-time series 59-44, but the Warriors have won 12 of the past 23, including five of the last 10 in Acker Gym. The Wildcats currently boast a 13-game in-conference home win streak.