The Chico State women's basketball team has made it an annual habit to start off the season on a positive note, and the 2016-17 edition of the Wildcats is no exception. Head Coach Brian Fogel's squad has won five of its first six contests, and confidence is high heading into California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play. Now the real work begins, as the 'Cats travel to Southern California to take on a pair of talented conference foes. The Wildcats go head-to-head with UC San Diego Thursday at RIMAC Arena, followed by a Saturday matchup against Cal State San Marcos. Both games tip off at 5:30 p.m.
 
Mike Baca will provide the play-by-play for both games locally on Newstalk 1290 KPAY-AM, with the broadcast simulcast on the Internet via the Wildcat Athletics website. Live Stats and live streaming video are also available online.   
 
Chico State returns to the court following a nine-day break. The Wildcats' last game was back on November 22, when they handed Fresno Pacific an 85-63 defeat at Acker Gym. The victory raised the 'Cats season record to 5-1 and extended the team's winning streak to five straight—the program's longest winning streak since the 2013-14 Wildcats won seven in a row on the way to a 19-10 season.
 
Chico State enters the week as the West Region's No. 9 team in the latest Division II Sports Information Directors Association (D2SIDA) Women's Basketball D-II Media poll.
 
The Wildcats' offense ranks fifth among the 13 CCAA teams, averaging 68.3 points a game. Defensively, Chico State is fourth in the conference, holding opponents to 60.5 points per contest.
 
Individually, Whitney Branham is third in the CCAA in scoring (15.8 points a game), and her 16 3-pointers rank fourth among all conference players. Branham also leads the CCAA in free throw percentage (90.0 percent).
 
Natalie Valenzuela leads the CCAA in blocked shots (15) and is seventh in the conference in scoring, averaging 14.0 points a game.
 
UC San Diego, which began the season ranked 17th in the nation and the favorite to win the CCAA championship, is 4-2 entering the week. Before facing the Wildcats Thursday, the Tritons—ranked No. 6 in the latest D2SIDA West Region poll—will open conference play Tuesday against Cal Poly Pomona.
 
The Tritons are coming off a pair of impressive holiday victories, beating No. 23 Saginaw Valley State 82-69 and Azusa Pacific 81-60 during last weekend's UCSD Thanksgiving Classic.
 
The Tritons are averaging 73.8 points a game on offense (second in the CCAA) while surrendering 68.2 points per contest.
 
UC San Diego is led by a pair of All-CCAA performers from last season. Junior guard Taylor Tanita leads the conference in assists (6.8 a game) while ranking in the CCAA top 10 in scoring (13.2 ppg). Senior guard Beth Mounier is averaging 10.0 points on the young season.
 
Dalayna Sampton, a 6–foot–1 junior forward, is contributing 10.5 points and 7.2 rebounds a night to the UC San Diego attack.
 
In the only meeting between the two teams last season, the Tritons downed the Wildcats 68–47 Feb. 12 at RIMAC Arena. UC San Diego leads the all-time series 23–13.
 
Cal State San Marcos, which hosts Cal State San Bernardino Wednesday before taking on the Wildcats Saturday, is 3-2 overall and 1-0 in CCAA play. After beating Humboldt State 65-51 November 17 in their conference opener, the Cougars split their two games in the UCSD Thanksgiving Classic, defeating Azusa Pacific 79-61 before falling to Saginaw Valley State 80-49.
 
Offensively, San Marcos averages 64.7 points a game (seventh in the CCAA), but has allowed 69.4 points a night.
 
Junior guard/forward Savannah Camp, an All-CCAA selection last season, is the Cougars' top offensive threat, averaging 12.6 points a game. Senior guard Ashley Jenkins is contributing 11.8 points a night while ranking second in the conference in assists (5.2 per game).
 
In last season's first-ever meetings between Chico State and San Marcos, the two teams split the season series, with the Wildcats posting a 65-59 road victory January 21.