It all counts from here on out. After a pair of scrimmages and an exhibition game against the Division I Cal Bears, the 2022–23 edition of the Chico State men's basketball team officially gets the regular season underway Friday and Saturday in Southern California as part of the two-day Conference Crossover Challenge at the Felix Event Center in Azusa. The Wildcats will open with Seattle Pacific Friday at 5 p.m., followed by a 7:30 p.m. showdown Saturday with host Azusa Pacific.
Fans can follow the action of both games locally on KPAY Sports 1290-AM, with Mike Baca's broadcasts also simulcast on the Internet. Free live streaming video and Live Stats for the Friday and Saturday contests will also be available online; appropriate links can be found on the Wildcats Athletics website home page or the men's basketball schedule page.
Chico State, the defending West Region champions, prepared for the start of the 2022–23 campaign with October scrimmages against William Jessup and UC Davis, and an exhibition game November 2 versus Cal that saw the Wildcats drop a close 62-55 decision to the Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley.
The 'Cats have been picked to finish third in the 2022–23 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) preseason coaches' poll.
The Wildcats take on a Seattle Pacific squad Friday that finished 14-13 last season and placed sixth in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) with a 7-8 record. The Falcons are the fifth place pick in the conference's 2022–23 preseason coaches' poll.
Seattle Pacific holds a 9-5 lead in the all-time series with Chico State, but the Wildcats have won the last two meetings between the two teams, including last season's 70-65 victory November 13, 2021 in Pomona.
Azusa Pacific, which faces the Wildcats Saturday in the finale of the two-day Conference Crossover Challenge, posted a 21-10 record last season. The Cougars finished second in the Pacific West Conference and reached the semifinals of the 2022 NCAA Championship West Regional. In the PacWest's 2022–23 preseason poll, Azusa has been picked to win the conference title.
Saturday will mark just the fifth time Chico State and Azusa Pacific have met on the hardwood. The Cougars have won three of the previous four contests, but the Wildcats were victorious in the last meeting, kicking off the 2021–22 season November 12, 2021 by beating Azusa 59-51 in Pomona.
