Thirteen games into the 2016-17 season, the Chico State women's basketball team has certainly demonstrated a taste for home cooking. The Wildcats have triumphed in six of their seven games in the friendly confines of Acker Gym, winning by an average of over 17 points a contest. Head Coach Brian Fogel's squad is looking to continue that productive trend this weekend when the 'Cats host Cal State LA Friday and Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday. Both games tip off at 5:30 p.m.
Mike Baca will provide the play-by-play locally on Newstalk 1290 KPAY-AM, with the broadcasts simulcast on the Internet through the Wildcat Athletics website. Fans unable to attend the games in person can also follow the action online with Live Stats and live streaming video.
Chico State enters the weekend 8-5 on the season and in ninth place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with a 3-4 conference record. The Wildcats opened the calendar year last Friday with a 63-58 road loss to Cal State San Bernardino, snapping the team's three-game winning streak.
Chico State's offense is averaging 65.3 points a game, fourth-best among the 13 CCAA teams. The Wildcats' defense ranks second in the conference, allowing just 57.1 points a contest.
The 'Cats' defense has held opponents to just 33 percent shooting so far this season—tops among all teams in the West Region and ninth in the nation.
Individually, Whitney Branham continues to be the CCAA's leading scorer, averaging 15.9 points per game. The junior guard is also the conference's top free throw shooter (89.1 percent) and has connected for 30 3-pointers on the season.
Jo Paine is contributing 12.0 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds to the Wildcat attack, while Natalie Valenzuela (9.7 points per game) leads the CCAA in blocks (26) and blocks per game (2.3).
Cal State LA comes to Chico Friday sporting a 9-7 overall record, and is second in the CCAA with a 6-2 conference mark. The Golden Eagles, coached by Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Women's Basketball Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller, kicked off the New Year with wins last week against San Francisco State and Cal Poly Pomona.
Cal State LA has struggled a bit on opposing courts, dropping seven of 10 road contests so far this season.
Cal State LA's offense is sixth in the CCAA, averaging 64.1 points per game. On defense, the Golden Eagles surrender 67.1 points per contest. The Golden Eagles like to hoist the long ball—Cal State LA is fourth among conference teams with 91 3-pointers.
The Golden Eagles are led by junior Rikke Fabricius. The 6'2" center is fourth in the CCAA in scoring (14.7 points per game) while grabbing 5.4 rebounds a contest. Freshman guard and reigning CCAA Player of the Week Da'Jah Jackson ranks sixth in the conference with a 14.1 points per game scoring average and has buried 30 treys on the season. Senior guard Samantha Lee is also a threat from downtown, knocking down 26 3-pointers.
The 'Cats and Golden Eagles split the season series in 2015-16, and though Cal State LA has won six of the last eight meetings between the two teams, Chico State leads the all-time series 33-14.
Cal State Dominguez Hills, which takes on the Wildcats following its Friday night contest in Turlock against Stanislaus State, is 4-9 on the season and occupies 11th place in the CCAA with a 1-5 conference record. After starting the year 3-2, the Toros have lost seven of their last eight games, including setbacks last weekend to Cal Poly Pomona and Humboldt State.
Interestingly, Dominguez Hills has played far better on the road than at home so far this season, with all four of the team's wins coming away from the Torodome in Carson.
Dominguez Hills is one of the CCAA's top scoring teams, ranking third with a 68.2 points per game average. The Toros' defense, however, is another story, giving up a conference-worst 73.0 points a contest.
Senior guard Imani Brown is the Toros' top producer, averaging 15.5 points (third in the CCAA) and 5.9 rebounds a game. Freshman guard Kayla Gillett is the conference's eighth-leading scorer (13.3 points per game), while senior guard Simone Thompson contributes 11 points a night and has connected for 30 3-pointers on the season.
Dominguez Hills has won five of the last six meetings with Chico State, including a sweep of last year's season series. The Wildcats lead the all-time series 37-16.
