SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Basketball season continues for Cal State San Marcos Athletics this week as the men’s and women’s teams will host Sonoma State on Thursday before welcoming Chico State on Saturday at The Sports Center.
Thursday’s games will take place at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. while Saturday’s games will start at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Thursday, Jan. 3 – 5:30 p.m.
CSUSM (7-4, 4-3 CCAA) vs. Sonoma State (5-6, 3-5 CCAA)
San Marcos, Calif. – The Sports Center
LIVE STATS | THE COUGAR SPORTS NETWORK
Saturday, Jan. 5 – 1 p.m.
CSUSM vs. Chico State (7-2, 4-2 CCAA)
San Marcos, Calif. – The Sports Center
LIVE STATS | THE COUGAR SPORTS NETWORK | KPAY 1290
PREVIOUS WEEK •The Cougars recorded an 89-87 triple-overtime victory at Cal State L.A. on Dec. 29 before falling to Cal State Dominguez Hills (88-82) on New Year’s Eve.
•Sophomore Emma Forel collected CCAA Player of the Week honors for Dec. 24-30 after knocking down 27 points and 18 rebounds against CSULA.
•Sophomore Akayla Hackson went 8-of-17 (47.1 percent) from behind the 3-point line at CSULA and CSUDH.
•CSUSM has the fourth-lowest turnover percentage (16.5) in the CCAA.
•Forel ranks in the CCAA top 10 in points (8th, 13.9) and rebounding (6th, 9.1) per game.
SONOMA STATE BREAKDOWN •The Seawolves closed out 2018 with an 86-47 loss at UC San Diego on Dec. 31.
•SSU is ranked No. 10 in the CCAA standings entering Thursday’s game.
•The Cougars are 4-2 in the all-time series against Sonoma State and are undefeated at 3-0 on their home court.
•Ugochi Anudokem is one-of-five conference players averaging a double-double with her 13.4 points and CCAA-high 11.9 rebounds per game.
•As a team, the Seawolves are holding their opponents to 61.5 point per game, third best in the CCAA.
•SSU was picked to finish 10th in the CCAA Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll.
CHICO STATE UPDATE •The Wildcats dropped an 86-56 contest at Cal Poly Pomona on Dec. 29.
•Chico State is third in the conference standings behind CPP and UC San Diego, who they have lost to once this season so far.
•The Wildcats have the best field-goal defense (35.2 points per game) and 3-point field-goal defense (26.5 percent) in the conference.
•Madison Wong is averaging 11.2 points, 2.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game.
•Chico State was picked to finish fourth in the CCAA Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll.
THE JIMENEZ FILE •Head coach Renee Jimenez enters her fourth season in charge of the Cougar women’s basketball team, a program that is only in its eighth season of existence.
•In her eleven seasons coaching in the CCAA, Jimenez has compiled a 160-123 (.566) coaching record. She spent two seasons at Cal State San Bernardino after a five-year stint at Cal State Monterey Bay.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Thursday, Dec. 3 – 5:30 p.m.
CSUSM (3-10, 0-7 CCAA) vs. Sonoma State (5-8, 3-5 CCAA)
San Marcos, Calif. – The Sports Center
LIVE STATS | THE COUGAR SPORTS NETWORK
Saturday, Dec. 5 – 3 p.m.
CSUSM vs. Chico State (4-3, 3-3 CCAA)
San Marcos, Calif. – The Sports Center
LIVE STATS | THE COUGAR SPORTS NETWORK | KPAY 1290
PREVIOUS WEEK •The Cougars took losses at Cal State L.A. and Cal State Dominguez Hills over the weekend.
•Darae Elliott posted his fourth double-double of the season with a season-high 21 points to go along with 10 rebounds on Monday against CSUDH.
•CSUSM ranks third in the CCAA and 35th nationally for total steals with 102.
•JR Williams leads the conference and ranks eighth nationally with 31 total steals this season.
•Khalil Fuller leads the CCAA with 3.38 offensive rebounds per game and ranks 29th nationally.
2019 OPENER AGAINST SONOMA STATE •The Seawolves come into Thursday’s contest on a six-game losing streak that includes an exhibition loss at Santa Clara.
•Sonoma is led by Isaac Davidson’s 15.5 points per game, and he’s the only Seawolf averaging more than 8.8 points per game.
•The Seawolves lead the conference and rank 10th nationally for free throws made this season with 221.
•Sonoma’s scoring offense ranks 11th in CCAA play at 68.5 points per game while their scoring defense ranks seventh at 71.0 points per game.
•The Seawolves were picked to finish 10th in the CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
•CSUSM is 3-2 in the all-time series against Sonoma and has won the past two meetings.
•The Cougars are 2-1 when playing the Seawolves in San Marcos.
FINAL JANUARY HOME GAME VERSUS CHICO STATE •The Wildcats have won four of their past five games.
•Chico will take on Cal State San Bernardino on Thursday before making the drive down to San Marcos.
•Leading the Wildcats is Kevin Warren at 11.1 points per game.
•Nationally, Chico ranks fourth in the nation for scoring defense (61.3 points per game) and third for three-point field-goal defense (26.9 percent).
•The Wildcats were picked to finish third in the CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
•CSUSM is 2-4 in the all-time series against Chico and is 1-2 in home games against the Wildcats.
THE FOSTER FILE •Head coach B.J. Foster enters his third season in charge of the CSUSM Men’s Basketball program after taking over the head position in 2016.
•Under his leadership, the Cougars advanced to the CCAA Tournament for the first time in 2017-18 after finishing the season with a 15-7 conference record and a 20-9 overall record.
•Prior to becoming head coach of the Cougars, Foster was an assistant coach with the team from 2013 to 2016.
•Foster has tallied a career record of 41-29 (.586).
