With the Thanksgiving holiday in the rearview mirror, the Chico State women's basketball team returns to action Saturday with one goal in mind—notching a win and getting the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) season off to a positive start. The Wildcats host the Warriors of Stanislaus State in an afternoon contest that also serves as the conference opener for both teams. Tipoff at Acker Gym is slated for 1 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 women'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 is 3-2 on the season entering Saturday's contest. The Wildcats are riding a modest two-game winning streak—after defeating Saint Martin's 59-52 on the final day of last weekend's CCAA/GNAC Challenge, the 'Cats downed Holy Names Tuesday 71-52 at Acker Gym.
Five games into the 2022–23 campaign, Chico State's offense is averaging 62.2 points a game, while ranking third in the CCAA in team defense, surrendering just 58.2 points per contest.
Haley Ison is averaging a team-high 11.4 points a game, and is third among all conference players in rebounds, snaring 8.8 boards a contest. Brandy Huffhines is averaging an even 10 points a game, while Myli Martinez (7.6 ppg) and Bailey Jones (6.4 ppg) lead the Wildcats with seven 3-pointers apiece. Martinez is averaging 91.1 percent (11-for-12) from the free throw line.
Stanislaus State is also 3-2 on the season. After dropping their first two games, the Warriors have won three straight, including double-digit victories over Holy Names and Academy of Art at last weekend's Warrior Classic in Turlock, and a 67-60 win Wednesday over Fresno Pacific.
Stanislaus is averaging 62 points a game on offense, and 61 points on the defensive end.
Freshman guard Makayla Rose is the Warriors' leading scorer, averaging 11.4 points a game, while sophomore forward Joia Armstrong averages 10 points a game while pulling down a team-high 6.4 rebounds a contest. Junior guard Liliana Marques (9.8 ppg) is the top long distance shooting threat for Stanislaus, knocking down eight 3-pointers on the season.
Chico State and Stanislaus State split their two-game season series in 2021–22, with the Wildcats taking the last meeting 67-58 January 2, 2022 at Acker Gym. The two teams have split the last 16 head-to-head contests dating back to 2012, but Chico State holds a 58-34 advantage in the all-time series.
