With two exhibition games in the rear-view mirror, the Chico State women's basketball team can finally turn its attention to what matters most: officially getting the 2021–22 season underway. After a 19-month wait, the Wildcats will be back on the court to play games that actually count, and it all starts Friday as Head Coach Brian Fogel's squad takes on Fresno Pacific in first day action as part of the CCAA-PacWest Challenge, taking place at Acker Gym.
The two-day tournament leads off Friday at 5:30 p.m. with Dominican University facing Sonoma State in a neutral site contest, followed by the Wildcats and Sunbirds squaring off at 7:30 p.m.
The CCAA-PacWest Challenge concludes Saturday with a pair of afternoon contests. Fresno Pacific and Sonoma State are scheduled to tip off at 1 p.m., with Chico State hosting Dominican at 3 p.m.
Tickets are available for purchase online at the University Box Office (530-898-6333) most weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and at the Acker Gym box office beginning one hour before tipoff. Those planning on attending either Friday or Saturday's games need to be aware of and follow the Chico State Athletics health and safety protocols for indoor events.
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CHICO STATE BASKETBALL HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDE AND ATTENDANCE POLICY
Fans unable to attend in person can follow the action locally on KPAY Sports 1290-AM Radio, with the broadcast also accessible on the Internet via the Wildcat Athletics website. Live Stats and live streaming video are also available online, with links located on the Chico State women's basketball schedule page and home page calendar on the Wildcat Athletics website, at
chicowildcats.com.
The two CCAA-PacWest Challenge contests marks Chico State's first regular season games of the 2021–22 campaign. The Wildcats got their first taste of competition since March, 2020 with a 58-49 exhibition win October 23 against Oregon Tech, followed by an 81-71 overtime exhibition loss to Division I University of San Francisco.
Only four players—guards Bailey Jones, Mikaela Bismillah, Myli Martinez, and forward Haley Ison—remain from the 'Cats' 2019–20 team. While this season's roster includes no less than eight newcomers, the team will once again feature the program's exciting, fast-moving brand of basketball that emphasizes speed and quickness on both ends of the floor.
Guards Charity Gallegos and India Starr have already proven they can fill up the stat sheet, as the two freshmen combined for nine 3-pointers and 37 points in the Wildcats' overtime loss to USF. The backcourt also features several players—freshmen Morgan Mathis, Toni Coleman, and Jazmyne Lillie—that can make major contributions both offensively and defensively.
Down in the paint, forward Jordan Morris (a sophomore transfer from Nebraska's Chadron State College) averaged six points and 7.5 rebounds in Chico State's two exhibition contests. She'll team with Ison and freshmen forwards Makenzi Laporte and Stella Rollo to establish the Wildcats' inside game.
Fresno Pacific, Chico State's Friday night opponent, played an abbreviated schedule in 2020–21, posting a 7-5 record and finishing first in the PacWest's Northern California pod with a 7-1 conference mark. The Sunbirds return four starters and all but two players from last season's team, with sophomore guard Rachel Berry (15.9 points, 9.3 rebounds a game in 2020–21) leading the way. Fresno Pacific is picked to finish sixth in the PacWest's 2021–22 preseason coaches' poll.
Friday will also mark the first time since 2016–17 that Chico State and Fresno Pacific have gone head-to-head in women's basketball. The Sunbirds hold a slim 4-3 lead in the all-time series between the two programs.
Dominican, which tips it up with the Wildcats Saturday, went 1-6 in 2020–21. The Penguins have four starters and nine players returning from a year ago, led by forward Riley Friauf (18.3 points and 11.1 rebounds a game last season). The PacWest preseason coaches' poll has selected Dominican to finish eighth in the conference in 2021–22.
The Wildcats and Penguins have met eight previous times on the hardwood, with both teams claiming four wins in the all-time series.
