The regular season ends this Friday and Saturday for the Chico State women's basketball team, but the Wildcats can feel good knowing they are guaranteed more hoops after this weekend. The 'Cats have clinched a berth in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament, but their seed, first-round opponent and game site are all still to be determined. Those unsettled factors makes the team's upcoming road trip extremely important, as the Wildcats travel to the Bay Area to take on San Francisco State and Sonoma State. Both games will tip off at 5:30 p.m.
 
Mike Wessels will be courtside to provide the play-by-play for both Friday's game against San Francisco State and Saturday's showdown with Sonoma State. He will be broadcasting live locally on Newstalk 1290-AM KPAY, with the audio simulcast on the Internet through the Wildcat Athletics website. Live video will also be available online.
 
Chico State enters the weekend 14-10 on the season and occupying fifth place in the CCAA with a 12-8 conference record. The Wildcats sit a game behind both Humboldt State and Cal State LA, tied for third at 13-7.
 
Right behind Chico State is Cal State East Bay (11-10) and Cal State Dominguez Hills (10-10), so depending on the weekend's results throughout the conference, the Wildcats could grab one of the top four spots in the standings and host their first round tournament game Tuesday, February 27, or begin the CCAA Championship Tournament on the road.
 
The 'Cats appear to be peaking at the right time. Chico State has won four of its last five contests, and scored a huge Senior Night victory Saturday at Acker Gym by downing Cal State San Marcos 74-56.
 
The Wildcats have scuffled away from their home floor, however, and enter the weekend 3-8 on the road this season.
 
Chico State leads the CCAA (and is third in the nation) in free throw percentage (82.2 percent), and ranks second in the conference in scoring (69.0 points a game), field goal percentage (43.3 percent), 3-point field goal percentage (37.1 percent) and assists (16.0 per contest).
 
Individually, Whitney Branham is the CCAA's scoring leader, averaging 18.3 points a game. Branham is tied for the conference lead with Wildcats teammate McKena Barker in free throw percentage (88.6 percent), and shares second place in 3-pointers (57). She needs just one more trey to tie Audi Spencer for the most 3-pointers made in Chico State women's basketball history.
 
Kayla Taylor, averaging 11.5 points a game, has hit 57.7 percent of her field goal attempts. Madison Wong enters the weekend ranked second in the CCAA second in assists (123) and assists per game (5.1 a contest).
 
San Francisco State, the Wildcats' Friday night opponent, has been eliminated from postseason contention. The Gators are 5-18 overall and sit in last place in the CCAA with a 3-17 conference record. San Francisco State has lost five straight (including road losses last weekend to Cal State San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona) and 13 of its last 14.
 
The Gators are 2-10 on their home floor, affectionately called The Swamp.
 
San Francisco State's offense generates 64.4 points a game, but the Gators' defense has given up a CCAA-worst 70.8 points a contest.
 
San Francisco State is led by junior forward Jhaina Stephens, averaging a team-high 15.8 points and 10.2 rebounds a game. Senior guard Rachel Iozzia (9.5 points a game) has connected for 51 3-pointers and averages five assists a night.
 
Friday is the first meeting between Chico State and San Francisco State since the Wildcats edged the Gators 66-64 December 9 at Acker Gym. The 'Cats have won the last four matchups and lead the all-time series 74-23.
 
Sonoma State, which takes on the Wildcats following a Friday contest versus Humboldt State, is still alive in its bid to earn a postseason berth. The Seawolves are 11-13 overall and in ninth place with an 8-12 conference record, but just a half-game behind 9-12 San Bernardino for the eighth and final CCAA Championship Tournament slot.
 
Sonoma State begins the week with three victories in its last four outings, and won its last game Saturday on the road against Cal State San Bernardino.
 
Sonoma has played well this season on its home floor, posting an 8-5 record at the Wolves' Den in Rohnert Park.
 
The Seawolves average 63.3 points a game on offense, while the Sonoma defense has surrendered the same 63.3 points a contest. The Seawolves are not a 3-point shooting team, with just 98 treys in their 24 games this season.
 
The Seawolves' top scorer and rebounder is sophomore forward Ugochi Anudokem, averaging 13.4 points and 7.4 boards a game. Senior guard Madison Burroughs contributes 11.9 points a game, while senior guards Carly Gill and Jessica Mitz have combined for 41 3-pointers and nearly 17 points a contest.
 
This is the first time this season the Wildcats and Seawolves have met on the hardwood. Chico State took both meetings with Sonoma in 2016–17, and leads the all-time series 66-20.