Last week the Chico State women's basketball team officially punched its ticket to the postseason, earning a berth in the upcoming California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Tournament. As the Wildcats head into their final two regular season games, there's one more thing to check off the "to do" list—clinch a first round tournament home game. To accomplish this goal, the 'Cats have to go on the road and extend their current winning streak by beating two teams also jockeying for postseason position. The Wildcats travel to Arcata Thursday to take on Humboldt State, followed by a head-to-head matchup against Stanislaus State Saturday in Turlock. Both games are scheduled to tip off at 5:30 p.m.
Fans can follow the action of both games locally on Newstalk 93.9 KPAY FM. Mike Baca's broadcasts will be simulcast on the Internet through the Wildcat Athletics website, which will also feature Live Stats and live streaming video.
The Wildcats have won four in a row (matching their longest winning streak of the season) to surge to a 16-10 overall record, leaving them in a tie with Cal State East Bay for fourth place in the CCAA standings with a 12-8 conference mark. The top four teams in the conference at the end of play Saturday earn a first round home CCAA Tournament game on Tuesday, March 3, so two road wins this week for the 'Cats will strengthen—though not guarantee—its chances for playing one more time this season in Acker Gym.
Cal State East Bay finishes the regular season on the road with games Thursday against third place Cal Poly Pomona (17-9, 13-7 CCAA) and Saturday versus Cal State San Bernardino (3-20, 3-17 CCAA). The Pioneers hold the potential tiebreaker with the Wildcats.
Both Wildcat opponents have also clinched CCAA Tournament berths, but go into the final week of the regular season trying to improve their tourney seeding. Stanislaus State (14-12 overall, 12-9 CCAA) is in sixth place, just a half-game behind Chico State, while Humboldt State (15-10 overall, 11-10 CCAA) is in eighth, a game-and-a-half back of the 'Cats.
The Wildcats, which beat Humboldt State 60-51 back on December 21, will be looking for a regular-season sweep of the Lumberjacks Thursday. Chico State will be try to avenge a 71-66 loss to Stanislaus State November 21 at Acker Gym.
Chico State has played well away from the friendly confines of Acker Gym in 2019–20. The Wildcats are 9-4 on the road this season.
Humboldt State saw its four-game winning streak halted last Saturday, when the Lumberjacks were edged by Stanislaus State 65-63. Humboldt, which averages over 70 points a game and is ranked second in the CCAA in 3-point field goals (210), has proven tough to beat at home, fashioning an 11-3 record this season at Lumberjack Arena.
The 'Jacks are led by senior forward Alexia Thrower, the CCAA's top scorer (and eighth in the nation) at 22.4 points a game, while ranking second in the conference with 9.5 rebounds a contest. Senior guard Tyra Turner averages 10.7 points a game, and senior guards Molly Dixon, Gabrielle Carbajal and Madelaine Hatch have combined for 137 3-pointers on the season.
Chico State has won four of the last six meetings with Humboldt State and leads the all-time series 71-28.
Saturday's regular season finale against Stanislaus State in the Warriors' lone game of the week. Stanislaus has won its last two contests, destroying San Francisco State 102-50 on February 15 prior to last Saturday's two-point victory over Humboldt State.
The Warriors are 8-4 on their home floor, Fitzpatrick Arena.
Stanislaus ranks among the CCAA's top scoring teams, averaging 69.7 points a game. The Warriors' top performer is Kyanna Davis—the junior forward is eighth in the CCAA is scoring (12.9 points per game), and leads Stanislaus in rebounds (7.0 a game) and 3-pointers (40).
The Warriors have won the last three meetings with Chico State, but the Wildcats lead the all-time series with Stanislaus 56-33.
