The Chico State women's basketball team has one more game on tap before the end of the semester, and the Wildcats would like nothing better than to keep their winning streak alive heading into the holidays. The 'Cats will be in Arcata Saturday to face a talented Humboldt State squad in a key California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) matchup. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
 
Mike Baca will be courtside to call the play-by-play locally on Newstalk 1290-AM KPAY, with the action simulcast on the Internet through the Wildcat Athletics website. Live Stats and live streaming video will also be available.
 
The Wildcats have won their last three contests, and kicked off the home portion of their 2018–19 schedule in positive fashion last week with double-digit victories over Stanislaus State and Cal State East Bay. Chico State heads into the weekend 6-1 overall, and in fifth place in the CCAA with a 3-1 conference mark.
 
Humboldt State, thanks to wins last week over Cal State Monterey Bay and Stanislaus State, also boasts a three-game winning streak entering play Saturday. The Lumberjacks are 6-2 on the season, and their 4-1 CCAA record is good for fourth place in the conference standings.
 
Chico State ranks fifth among the 13 CCAA teams in offense, averaging 66 points per game. The Wildcats have proven particularly stingy on defense, allowing just 59.1 points a game—third best in the conference.
 
The 'Cats' "D" will get a test from a productive Humboldt State offense that averages over 71 points a game and ranks second in the CCAA with 57 3-point baskets. Defensively, the Lumberjacks surrender just under 62 points a contest.
 
Saturday marks the finale of a three-game home stand for Humboldt State, which is 2-1 this season at Lumberjack Arena. Chico State has played well on the road so far in 2018–19, winning four of its five contests away from the friendly confines of Acker Gym.
 
Individually, Madison Wong leads the 'Cats in scoring (10.7 points per game) and ranks fifth in the CCAA with 16 3-pointers. McKena Barker (9.7 ppg) is in the conference's top five in free throw percentage (second, 85.7 percent), rebounding (fifth, 8.9 boards a game), and blocked shots (tied for fifth with 10). Shay Stark is fourth in the CCAA in assists (4.3 a game), while Natalie Valenzuela is tied with Barker for fifth in the conference with 10 blocked shots.
 
Humboldt State features three of the CCAA's top seven scorers. Junior guard-forward Alexia Thrower averages 17.5 points and 9.9 rebounds a game, with senior forward Isamar Conde contributing 14.6 points a contest. Junior guard Tyra Turner, the reigning CCAA Player of the Week, is averaging 14 points and 4.3 assists a game, while junior guard Madeline Hatch chips in with 10.5 points a night and leads the conference with 21 3-pointers.
 
Chico State and Humboldt State split their two meetings last season, with the Wildcats beating the Lumberjacks 70-58 November 18, 2017 in Arcata. The 'Jacks have won seven of the last nine matchups between the two teams, but the 'Cats lead the all-time series 69-27.