The Chico State men's basketball season will wrap up its regular season this weekend with games at Cal State East Bay Friday and Cal State Monterey Bay Saturday. Both games are scheduled to tip off at 7:30.
 
Though the Wildcats' pursuit of a third consecutive California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) title is over, they still have plenty to play for: CCAA Tournament seeding, and more importantly, two steps closer to a berth in the NCAA Championship Tournament for the sixth consecutive season.
 
Chico State is ranked No. 5 in the West according to the second installment of the NCAA Regional rankings, announced Wednesday afternoon. The winners of the CCAA, Great Northwest Athletic Conference, and PacWest Conference Championship Tournaments will automatically qualify for the NCAA Championship Tournament, and be joined by the next five highest-ranked teams following the championship tournaments.
 
The Wildcats, 20-6 overall and 13-5 in the CCAA, are currently in fourth place in the CCAA, and are guaranteed to finish no lower than fourth. Thus, they will host a first-round CCAA Tournament game on Tuesday night at 7 against a team yet to be determined (click the link the top-left corner of the page for ticket information).
 
Chico State could move up to grab the number two or three seed in the conference tournament depending on its success this weekend, and results from other games around the league.
 
Cal State East Bay, Chico State's opponent on Friday, is 12-14 overall and 5-13 in the CCAA. The Pioneers started the season 9-2 and looked impressive during their two-day stay at the Mac Martin Invitational, hosted by Chico State. But since that 9-2 start, they've dropped 12 of 15, including their last seven.
 
Cal State Monterey Bay is 3-21 overall and 1-17 in the CCAA. The Otters have lost 12 in a row.
 
Every Chico State basketball game this season will be broadcast locally on Newstalk 1290 KPAY-AM. Links to streaming audio, video (There will not be streaming video available Saturday night.) and live stats are available in the calendar section on the www.ChicoWildcats.com homepage and on the men's basketball schedule page.
 
Two Wildcats have a real chance to make a big splash in the program's record books this weekend. Redshirt freshman Justin Briggs needs seven more blocks to tie the single-season record of 62 set by Richard Ross during the 1985-86 season. Robert Duncan, meanwhile, needs 26 more points to move into the all-time top 10 in career scoring; four 3-pointers to become the 16^th Wildcat to make 100 in his career (He would join teammates Corey Silverstrom and Jalen McFerren, who reached the milestone earlier this season.); and two more steals to move past former teammate Jordan Semple into third on the school's career steals list.