During its season-opening three-game winning streak, the Chico State women's basketball team was firing on all cylinders, posting impressive offensive numbers. The last three games, however, the stats have taken a significant tumble, and as a result the Wildcats dropped a trio of very winnable contests. The 'Cats look to recapture their early-season productivity this week, heading to Southern California for road tilts against Cal State San Bernardino Thursday and Cal Poly Pomona on Saturday.
The Wildcats and Coyotes will square off Thursday in a 12 noon matinee, with a 5:30 p.m. tipoff scheduled for Saturday's Cal Poly Pomona game. Fans can follow the action of both contests locally on KPAY Sports 1290-AM Radio, with Mike Baca's 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.
Fans planning on attending the games in person will be asked to know and follow Cal State San Bernardino's and Cal Poly Pomona's COVID-19 protocols.
CLICK HERE to view Cal State San Bernardino Ticketing and Attendance Policies
CLICK HERE to view Cal Poly Pomona Ticketing and Attendance Policies
Chico State enters the week 3-3 overall and 0-1 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). The Wildcats opened conference play Saturday, with a fourth quarter comeback falling short in a 68-64 loss to Stanislaus State.
During their three-game losing streak, the 'Cats have struggled to generate a whole lot of offense. Chico State began the season winning three in a row while averaging over 80 points a game and shooting just under 50 percent from the field. But in their last three contests, the Wildcats are only averaging 59.3 points a game, and connecting on just 30 percent of their field goal attempts (23 percent from behind the 3-point arc).
Chico State definitely has the potential to reverse their offensive fortunes, as they face two of the weaker defensive teams in the CCAA. Cal State San Bernardino is ranked ninth among the 12 conference teams, surrendering 70.5 points a game, while Cal Poly Pomona is last in the CCAA with an average of 73.6 points per game allowed.
Chico State's go-to offensive options remain freshman guard Charity Gallegos, Bailey Jones, and Myli Martinez. Gallegos tops the Wildcats in scoring (13.7 points a game) and leads the CCAA with 30 assists. Jones (11.2 points per contest) is tied for fourth among CCAA players with 13 3-pointers, while Martinez (11.0 points a game) ranks second on the 'Cats with nine treys on the season.
Cal State San Bernardino, Chico State's Thursday afternoon opponent, is 2-4 on the young season and 0-1 in the CCAA. The Coyotes split their two games last week, beating the University of Antelope Valley 74-54 before opening up conference play Saturday with a 69-65 loss to Cal Poly Pomona.
San Bernardino's top scorer is sophomore guard Destiny Jackson, averaging 12.3 points a game. The Coyotes' top long-distance threat is freshman guard Samantha Henley, who has hit 12 3-pointers while averaging a team-high 4.7 assists a contest.
Chico State holds a 28-18 edge in the all-time series between the two teams. The Wildcats and Coyotes have split their last six meetings dating back to 2017.
Cal Poly Pomona, which faces the 'Cats Saturday following a Thursday matchup against Stanislaus State, enters the week 2-3 overall and 1-0 in the CCAA. After dropping their first two games of the season, the Broncos have won two of their last three, including last weekend's 69-65 victory over San Bernardino.
Senior forward Rebecca Islas is the Broncos' top offensive threat, leading the team with 10 3-pointers and ranking seventh in the CCAA in scoring, averaging 14.8 points a game. Senior guard Ally Bates averages 10.4 points a contest, while senior forward Ciara James leads the CCAA with 10 blocked shots.
Cal Poly Pomona leads the all-time series with Chico State 30-26, but the Wildcats have won the last two meetings with the Broncos.
