In the mountains making their way toward Arcata on Highway 299, the members of the Chico State men's basketball did not have cell service when the second iteration of the NCAA Regional rankings was released Wednesday afternoon. That was just fine as far as head coach Greg Clink was concerned. The only thing he wants his team focusing on is Thursday night's showdown at rival Humboldt State.
 
Those rankings, which the Wildcats (20-6 overall and 15-5 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association) were among the last to see, have them in the same place they were last week, at No. 4 in the West Region. When the NCAA Championship Tournament Selection Show airs one week from Sunday night, the champions of the region's three conference tournaments—the CCAA, Pacific West Conference, and Great Northwest Athletic Conference—will be among those to receive bids, along with five at-large selections.
 
However, there is much basketball to be played between now and then. Following the Wildcats' game at Humboldt State, they'll head south to take on Stanislaus State Saturday night to wrap up the regular season.
 
Both games, which will be broadcast locally on FM 93.9 KPAY, are scheduled to tip off at 7:30 but will likely start a bit later due to pre-game senior ceremonies. Links to streaming audio, pay-to-view streaming video, and live stats are available via links on the top-right corner of this release and on the men's basketball schedule page and calendar section of our homepage.
 
The results of Chico State's games, along with those from Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State San Bernardino (the two teams tied with Chico State for second in the CCAA standings), will determine who the Wildcats host in a CCAA Tournament-opening home game on Tuesday.
 
The March 3 playoff game will tip off at 7:30 if the Chico State women also earn a first-round game, or 7 p.m. if the men are playing the lone home game of the night.
 
Season-ticket holders can secure their seats by calling the University Box Office at (530) 898-6333, or in person in Sierra Hall on the corner of 3rd and Chestnut streets. Box Office hours are Monday–Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The deadline to secure those seats is 6 p.m., Friday. Following the deadline, unclaimed seats will be part of the inventory that goes on sale to the general public beginning Monday. The first 300 students through the door on game night will be admitted free of charge.
 
That game will kick off the Wildcats' quest for a CCAA Tournament title and automatic NCAA Championship Tournament berth. The semifinals and final will take place at UC San Diego's RIMAC Arena in La Jolla.
 
But well before all of that, the Wildcats will face their longest-running rivals on Thursday. The Chico State-Humboldt State rivalry dates back to 1933. They'll be playing for the 207th time on Saturday. The Wildcats have won eight of the last nine meetings and lead the all-time series 130-76. However, the one loss during those last nine games came last season in Arcata, 57-55, on an offensive rebound a put-back with one second remaining.
 
Isaiah Brooks, Kevin Warren, Malik Duffy, and Justin Briggs all started that game, and Calvin Geraci, who has joined those four in the starting lineup in all 26 Chico State games this season, played 25 minutes off the bench.
 
The Wildcats did exact some measure of revenge with a 93-66 win against the Lumberjacks on Dec. 21 in Chico. Brooks scored a career-high 22 points and chipped in five assists and four rebounds. Kevin Warren added 16 points, and career highs of five steals and five assists.
 
But they would like to bring the point home a bit further at the scene where it took place on Humboldt State's (9-17, 5-16) senior night.
 
The Wildcats will also have revenge on their minds Saturday against Stanislaus State (15-11, 11-10). The Warriors beat Chico State 74-66 way back on Nov. 21 in Chico on a night in which the Wildcats missed 11 of 16 free throws and 22 of 33 three-point attempts.