After getting the 2022–23 season underway with four road games, the Chico State men's basketball team is finally getting to play in front of the home crowd. The Wildcats will be in the friendly confines of Acker Gym Saturday afternoon, combining its home opener with the start of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) conference season, hosting the Warriors of Stanislaus State. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Fans can follow the action locally on KPAY Sports 1290-AM, with Mike Baca and Mike Wessel's broadcast simulcast on the Internet. Live Stats and live streaming video are also available online, with links located on the Wildcat Athletics homepage and the men's basketball schedule page. Accessing the live video stream requires a monthly subscription fee that grants users access to every CCAA event on the network, home and away.
Chico State enters Saturday's contest 1-3 on the season. The Wildcats have not played since dropping an 84-57 decision last Saturday to Academy of Art, but they have been far from idle, utilizing a series of practices during Thanksgiving week to prepare for Stanislaus State.
The 'Cats' offense ranks fifth among the 12 CCAA in scoring, averaging 71.3 points a game. Defensively, though, Chico State has surrendered nearly 81 points in its first four contests.
Individually, Joshua Hamilton is ninth in the conference in scoring (averaging 15.5 points a game), second in assists (6.3 a contest), and fifth in free throw percentage (81.8). Jojo Murphy, averaging 14.3 points a game, is just outside the CCAA top 10 in scoring, ranking 13th overall.
Stanislaus State comes to Chico sporting a 2-4 record on the season. The Warriors snapped a three-game losing streak Tuesday with a 75-69 victory over Academy of Art. Stanislaus is averaging 68.5 points a game on offense, while on the defensive end the Warriors have given up 72.3 points a contest.
Last season Stanislaus finished 10-13 overall, and was tied for eighth in the CCAA with a 7-11 conference record.
The Warriors boast a trio of double-digit scorers. Senior guard Kobe Ordonio leads the teams and ranks eighth in the CCAA, averaging 16.5 points a game. Sophomore guard Marlon Short has contributed 13.2 points a contest, while sophomore guard Tony Singleton averages 12.8 points a game and is second in the conference with 16 3-pointers on the season.
Chico State swept the season series with Stanislaus State in 2021–22, and has beaten the Warriors in 13 of their last 15 meetings. The Wildcats lead the all-time series with Stanislaus 45-30.
