It's not a "must win" scenario for the Chico State men's basketball team to earn an invite to next month's California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Tournament, but the Wildcats can make life on lot easier with a strong regular season finish. With four contests remaining in the 2022–23 campaign, just three games separate third from 11th place in the conference standings as the Wildcats are among nine teams vying for four available tournament berths. The 'Cats hope to get a leg up on the competition during their final home games of the season, taking on San Francisco State Thursday and Cal State Monterey Bay on Saturday. Tipoff for both contests is 7:30 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 hoping that some home cooking will do the trick in reversing the team's fortunes. The Wildcats, which has won seven of 10 this season in the friendly confines of Acker Gym, are 10-13 overall and locked in a four-way tie for fifth place in the CCAA with an 8-10 conference mark. The 'Cats are in the midst of a three-game losing streak, which includes last week's 0-2 Southern California road trip against Cal State San Marcos and Cal State LA.
 
The battle for one of the last four conference tournament berths is as bunched up as it is intense: the Wildcats, along with Cal Poly Pomona, San Francisco State, and Cal State LA, enter the week just two games behind third place Cal Poly Humboldt (10-8 in CCAA play) and one game back of fourth place Sonoma State (9-9), but just a half-game ahead of Monterey Bay (7-10) and one game in front on Cal State East Bay and Stanislaus State (both 8-10).
 
San Francisco State comes to Chico State Thursday having won three of its last four games, while Cal State Monterey Bay has lost three of four, including road losses last week to Cal State San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona.
 
Chico State needs win against both the Gators and Otters to not only avoid a regular season series sweep, but to keep San Francisco State and Monterey Bay from owning an all-important tiebreaker over the Wildcats in the pursuit of a CCAA Tournament bid. The 'Cats dropped a 78-63 decision to the Gators on January 21, and fell to the Otters 85-66 January 19 in Seaside.
 
Chico State is averaging 74 points a game on offense—the third highest total among the 12 CCAA teams. Monterey Bay is right behind the Wildcats, averaging 73 points a contest, while San Francisco State ranks 11th in the conference with a 67.7 points-per-game average.
 
Of the three teams, Monterey Bay holds a slight edge over Chico State in 3-point baskets, connecting on 190 treys to the Wildcats' 187 (San Francisco State has 156 3-pointers to its credit). The Gators are second in the CCAA in rebounding (37.5 a game), with the Otters third (37.1) and the 'Cats ranked sixth (35.7 boards a contest).
 
Defensively, San Francisco State is fifth in the conference, giving up 72.3 points a game, while Chico State (74.7) and Monterey Bay (75.0) rank 10th and 11th in the CCAA, respectively.
 
Emotions will definitely be running high before Saturday's game. Besides being the final home game of the regular season, it's also Senior Night, as the Wildcats will honor outgoing seniors Kaleb Carter, Justin Vigil, Dylan Belquist, and Brennan Wheeler is a special pre-game ceremony.
 
FEBRUARY BASIC NEEDS DRIVE
If you're planning to attend either the Thursday or Saturday night game in person, don't forget to bring canned goods and necessities to Acker Gym and help "Pack the Pantry!"
 
In conjunction with the CCAA's Basic Needs Drive during the month of February, Chico State Athletics is asking our generous fans to help support students dealing with food insecurities. Please consider donating canned food and/or toiletry items when you attend the Wildcat basketball games on Thursday or Saturday night (or at University Softball Field Friday and Saturday when the Chico State softball team takes on Cal State Monterey Bay). Tables will be set up in the Acker Gym lobby to accept your donations.
 
Cash donations will also be accepted at the games. You can also make a cash donation online by CLICKING HERE.
  
All items and cash donations will go directly to the Hungry Wildcat Food Pantry, which provides vital support, nutrition, and other necessities to thousands of Chico State students—including student-athletes.
 
Let's come together as a "Wildcat Family" and make February's Basic Needs Drive an overwhelming success!