The Chico State men's basketball team dug itself a bit of a hole with a three-game losing streak midway through the California Collegiate Athletic Association schedule. The Wildcats are now in the midst of a five-game winning streak and working hard to climb out. With only seven games remaining in the regular season, if they are to capture their fourth CCAA title in seven years (and third in four years), they'll have to keep on piling up wins.
 
The next opportunities come this week at Acker Gym. The Wildcats host Cal State Monterey Bay Thursday and Cal State East Bay Saturday to start of a stretch of four home games in their next five. Both games are scheduled to tipoff at 7:30 p.m.
 
They will be broadcast locally on AM-1290 KPAY. Streaming audio, video, and live stats are available via links on the men's basketball schedule page, the calendar section on the homepage, and on the top-left corner of this advance.
 
Chico State enters the weekend 14-5 overall and 11-4 in the CCAA. Cal Poly Pomona leads the conference standings with a record of 13-2. UC San Diego (11-3) and Cal State San Marcos (10-3), which will visit Chico Feb. 15 and 17, respectively, enter the weekend percentage points ahead of the Wildcats.
 
Cal State Monterey Bay and Cal State East Bay have recently been heading in the opposite direction. But the Wildcats would be foolish to assume they will just keep on rolling without showing up ready to scrap.
 
Cal State Monterey Bay has lost 10 straight to fall to 4-16 overall and 3-13 in the CCAA. However, the Otters' last victory—a 78–76 win at UC San Diego—will likely be used by the Chico State coaching staff as a cautionary tale. Since then, the Otters have played UC San Diego (86–80), Cal State San Marcos (84–81) and a surging Sonoma State squad (65–62) very tight.
 
Cal State East Bay (8-14, 4-12 CCAA) has also struggled of late, dropping six straight. But the Pioneers have some impressive wins on their resume: at Western Washington; and at home against Sonoma State and Stanislaus State. They nearly pulled off upsets at Sonoma State on Jan. 20 and at home against Cal Poly Pomona just last Friday.
 
Chico State's best chance to escape the week unblemished is to continue its recent defensive dominance. The Wildcats have held each of their opponents during this five-game winning streak below their season scoring average while climbing the national rankings in scoring defense.
 
The Wildcats currently rank fifth in the nation in scoring defense, having allowed just 63.4 points per game. Over the last five games, they've allowed only 56 points per game.
 
Along with that commitment to the defensive end has come an uptick in offensive efficiency. Averaging just over 71 points per game following their three-game skid, the Wildcats have posted 76.4 points per game since. Their three seniors—reigning CCAA Player of the Week Isaiah Ellis, Corey Silverstrom, and Jalen McFerren, are all averaging between 14 and 15 points per game over the last five.