The Chico State men's basketball team's quest for its fourth California Collegiate Athletic Association title in seven seasons starts in earnest this weekend. Already 2-0 in the CCAA in the and 4-1 overall, the Wildcats will begin their first two-game conference weekend at Cal Poly Pomona Friday at 7 p.m. before facing Cal State San Bernardino Sunday afternoon at 2.
 
The Wildcats, winners of four straight by double-digits, are ranked No. 16 in the nation by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and No. 18 in the D2SIDA Media Poll.
 
Defense has keyed the Wildcats' resurgence from a season-opening 82–78 loss to Concordia-California. They've held their opponents to just 59.3 points per game since, winning by an average of 21.3 points per game. As a result, they have broken into the nation's top 20 in scoring defense at No. 19, and ranked No. 2 in the CCAA behind only Cal Poly Pomona.
 
Their shooting has helped as well. Chico State is hitting its 3-pointers at a 43.9-percent clip, which leads the CCAA and ranks ninth in the nation. Overall, the Wildcats are shooting 51.1 percent, which is tops in the CCAA and 20^th in the nation.
 
Corey Silverstrom, who enters the weekend needing 18 more points to join teammate Isaiah Ellis in the 1,000-career-point-club, is shooting 56 percent from beyond the arc and leads the Wildcats in scoring at 16.2 points per game. Ellis is averaging 15.8 points and shooting at a 58 percent clip from the floor. Jalen McFerren (13.0 ppg) and Justin Briggs (11.4) are also averaging in double figures.
 
Silverstrom, who is also 17 assists shy of become the 15^th Wildcats with 200 career assists, is not the only Wildcat approaching a milestone:

McFerren, set to play in his 100^th career game Sunday, needs five more 3-pointers to become the seventh Wildcat to hit 150. Silverstrom became the sixth last Friday against Stanislaus State. The senior point guard is six steals shy of 100, a mark only eight Wildcats before him have reached.

Ellis is 23 rebounds shy of 500. Only 12 Wildcats have reached that mark. When Ellis gets their he will join a select fraternity—Jordan Semple, Aaron Martella, Jim Schreiner, and Roderick Hawkins—with at least 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in his career.

 
Cal Poly Pomona, 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the CCAA, will provide a stiff test in both areas. The Broncos rank second in the nation in scoring defense and field-goal percentage defense, having allowed just 57.8 points per game on 35.5-percent shooting. They are also forcing 20 turnovers per game.
 
The Wildcats are well aware of the Broncos' defensive prowess. Chico State has lost four straight to the Broncos—its longest active losing streak against any team on its schedule this season. The Wildcats have been nationally ranked heading into the last three of those losses.
 
Cal State San Bernardino is 3-3 overall and 1-1 in the CCAA heading into Thursday night's game at UC San Diego. The Wildcats have won seven in a row against the Coyotes (four in overtime), and 12 of the last 13 meetings.
 
Both games will be broadcast locally on AM-1290 KPAY. Links to streaming video and live stats are available at www.chicowildcats.com.