The Chico State men's basketball team has put together back-to-back victories only once so far this season, but the two wins came at a very opportune time—the beginning of the conference season. This week, the Wildcats have an opportunity to duplicate that feat and in the process work their way up the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) standings. The 'Cats welcome Cal State Dominguez Hills to Acker Gym Thursday at 7:30 p.m., then host Cal State East Bay Saturday at 3 p.m.
Fans can follow the action of both games 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 is 5-6 overall and an even 3-3 in CCAA play, good for a share of sixth place in the conference standings. The Wildcats, winners of three of four in the friendly confines of Acker Gym, are looking to rebound from a 68-65 New Year's Day road defeat at the hands of Stanislaus State.
Chico State enters the week ranked third among the 12 CCAA teams with a 76.5 points-per-game scoring average. The 'Cats are second only to Cal Poly Humboldt in the conference with 100 3-pointers, and are third in team free throw percentage (72.9 percent) through their first 11 contests. Defensively, it's been a different story—the Wildcats are 11th in team defense, giving up 75.7 points a contest.
Despite a quiet New Year's Day in Turlock, Jojo Murphy is still fourth among CCAA scorers, averaging 18.7 points a game, while ranking second in the conference in free throw percentage (83.3 percent), fifth in 3-point shooting percentage (40.0 percent), and eighth in 3-pointers (22).
Joshua Hamilton, coming off a 17-point performance against Stanislaus that saw the junior guard knock down a career-high five 3-pointers, is averaging 13.2 points a game and ranks third in the CCAA in assists per game (4.4), fourth in total assists (44), and fourth in free throw percentage (77.8 percent).
Evan Oliver (11.2 ppg) leads the CCAA in both steals (25) and steals per game (2.3). Justin Vigil (8.8 ppg) continues to be the Wildcats' top rebounder, pulling down 6.2 boards per contest.
Entering Thursday's tilt with the Wildcats, Cal State Dominguez Hills is 6-5 on the season and in eighth place in the CCAA with a 2-3 conference record. The Toros have been playing well of late, winning three straight and four of their last five, including a 79-76 road win last Sunday over Cal State East Bay.
Offensively, Dominguez Hills is averaging 71.1 points a game, while on the defensive end rank third in the CCAA, surrendering 70.2 points a contest.
Junior guard Cameron Barry leads a balanced Toros offense, averaging 14.6 points a game while connecting for 28 3-pointers. Dominguez Hills features four other double-digit scorers: sophomore guard/forward DJ Guest (12.8 points a game), junior guard Jordan Hilstock (11.8 ppg; he's also fourth in the CCAA with 30 3-pointers), junior swingman Andre Ball (10.3 ppg), and sophomore guard David Cheatom (10.3 ppg). Guest is the Toros' top rebounder, averaging 8.5 boards a contest.
Chico State took both ends of the season series with Dominguez Hills in 2021–22, and since 1987 holds a 31-19 advantage over the Toros.
Cal State East Bay, which comes to Chico Saturday following a Thursday night contest in Turlock against Stanislaus State, is 4-8 on the season and tied for ninth place in the CCAA with a 2-4 conference record. The Pioneers had won two of three going into the holiday break before being tripped up at home New Year's Day by Cal State Dominguez Hills.
East Bay is currently one of the lowest-scoring teams in the CCAA, averaging 67.7 points a game, while on defense the Pioneers give up 73.9 points a contest.
Freshman forward/center Grady Lewis, averaging a team-high 16.8 points a game, is ranked seventh among all conference scorers, and leads East Bay in rebounding (6.8 a contest). Junior forward Dimitrios Klonaras contributes 13.1 points to the Pioneers' attack, and is the team's top 3-point shooter with 17 treys on the season. Junior guard Garrett Pascoe is second in the CCAA with 56 assists.
Chico State and Cal State East Bay met just once last season, with the Wildcats prevailing 75-52 February 26, 2022 at Acker Gym. Since 1987, the 'Cats lead the all-time series with the Pioneers 31-13.
