SAN MARCOS, Calif. – This week for Cal State San Marcos Athletics, men’s and women’s basketball will head to Northern California for a pair of California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) contests.
The Cougars will begin their NorCal trip by visiting Humboldt State on Thursday evening in Arcata. The women’s game will get underway at 5:30 p.m. and will be followed by the men’s contest at 7:30 p.m. From Arcata, CSUSM hops over to Turlock for games at Stanislaus State on Saturday. The women will tip-off at 5:30 p.m. while the men hit the floor at 7:30 p.m.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Thursday, Jan. 9 – 5:30 p.m.
No. 24/16 CSUSM (11-2, 6-2 CCAA) at Humboldt State (9-4, 5-3 CCAA)
Arcata, Calif. – Lumberjack Arena
Live Stats | Watch Live ($)
Saturday, Jan. 11 – 5:30 p.m.
CSUSM at Stanislaus State (7-6, 5-3 CCAA)
Turlock, Calif. – Ed & Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena
Live Stats | Watch Live ($)
LAST WEEK •CSUSM went 1-1 last week in conference action.
•The Cougars dropped a heartbreaker against Cal State East Bay last Thursday by a score of 65-61.
•CSUSM bounced back with a 25-point win (73-48), the Cougars’ largest margin of victory in the NCAA Division II era, against Cal State Monterey Bay on Saturday.
•The Cougars are in second place in the CCAA standings, a half-game behind Cal State East Bay.
•The Cougars continue to serve as the NCAA Division II national leader in 3-point field-goal percentage defense, holding their opponents to 20.8%. University of the Sciences sits in second at 22.3%.
•Stephanie Custodio slides back into No. 1 in the CCAA and No. 23 in the nation in free-throw percentage, going 39-of-44 (88.6%).
•Emma Forel is the CCAA leader in field-goal percentage while ranking No. 25 nationally at 59.0% (69-of-117).
•In the latest D2SIDA West Region Poll, the Cougars remain at No. 3.
650-PLUS MILES TO HUMBOLDT •Last time out, the Lumberjacks pulled out a 79-72 victory over Stanislaus State in Arcata on Saturday.
•HSU is 2-3 in its last five games.
•The Lumberjacks lead the CCAA and are No. 4 nationally in turnovers per game at 11.1 in their 13 games.
•Alexia Thrower is the CCAA leader in points per game (21.5), total rebounds (138), free throws made (61), free throws attempted (82), offensive rebounds per game (4.0) and minutes played (469:46).
•Tyra Turner leads the conference in assists per game (5.5) and minutes per game (36.98).
•The Lumberjacks have a slight advantage at 5-4 in the all-time series with the Cougars’ one loss coming in the NAIA era.
•CSUSM has a 2-2 CCAA record when playing in Arcata.
•Last season, the teams split the series with the home team recording the win. The Cougars registered a 71-69 victory on Nov. 29 before the Lumberjacks recorded an 88-70 win on Jan. 24.
•HSU has the lowest blocked shot average in the CCAA at 1.00 per game while the Cougars rank sixth with 2.64 blocked shots per game.
•In the CCAA standings, the Lumberjacks are in a four-way tie for third and one game behind CSUSM with a 5-3 record.
SATURDAY AGAINST THE WARRIORS •The Warriors have played only one game since returning from the holiday break, falling 79-72 to HSU in Arcata.
•Stan State is 2-2 in its last four games.
•The Warriors are on top of the CCAA statistics leaderboard in steals with 10.8 per game.
•With a 19.38 forced turnovers average, Stan State is ranked 78th in the nation while leading the conference.
•The Warriors have the worst free-throw percentage in the CCAA at 63.5%.
•Angelica Baylon is the CCAA leader in steals (36), steals per game (2.77) and assists (67).
•Stan State leads the all-time series at 5-2 against the Cougars.
•CSUSM tallied its first win (69-65) in program history over Stan State in Turlock on Jan. 10, 2019.
•In their last meeting, the Warriors were victorious at 68-64 against CSUSM in The Sports Center.
•Stan State is in a four-way tie for third and one game behind CSUSM in the CCAA standings with a 5-3 record.
THE JIMENEZ FILE •Head coach Renee Jimenez enters her fifth season in charge of the Cougar women’s basketball team, a program that is only in its eighth season of existence.
•Jimenez has compiled a 182-131 (.581) in her 12 seasons coaching in the CCAA, spending two seasons at Cal State San Bernardino after a five-year stint at Cal State Monterey Bay.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Thursday, Jan. 9 – 7:30 p.m.
CSUSM (7-7, 3-5 CCAA) at Humboldt State (6-7, 2-6 CCAA)
Arcata, Calif. – Lumberjack Arena
Live Stats | Watch Live ($)
Saturday, Jan. 11 – 7:30 p.m.
CSUSM at Stanislaus State (9-4, 5-3 CCAA)
Turlock, Calif. – Ed & Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena
Live Stats | Watch Live ($)
PREVIOUS WEEK •CSUSM chalked up a pair of double-digit wins against then-second-place Cal State East Bay (83-56) and Cal State Monterey Bay (91-79) last week.
•Against the Pioneers, Marcus Brown led the Cougars with a season-high 22 points while Khalil Fuller tallied his fifth double-double of the season.
•The Cougars’ 27-point win was their largest-ever margin of victory over the Pioneers.
•Against the Otters, Blake Seits led the way with a season-high 28 points – the second-most points by a Cougar this season.
•CSUSM’s 91 points and 21 made free throws were its most of the season while its seven turnovers were the fewest.
•Jayce McCain ranks seventh nationally with an assist turnover ratio of 4.30.
•McCain is also one of the nation’s best when it comes to steals as he clocks in at 10th for total steals (34) and 19th for steals per game (2.43).
•Seits continues to be hot from downtown as the junior has a 45.1 3-point field-goal percentage for the season – 39th best in Division II.
•Fuller has posted the 89th-most total rebounds in the nation at 103 while his 7.9 rebounds per game rank third in the conference.
•As a team, CSUSM has tallied the 29th-most total steals in Division II this season at 121.
•The Cougars’ 516 total rebounds rank 66th nationally and third in the CCAA.
•CSUSM is averaging 36.86 rebounds per game – second-most in the conference.
THURSDAY AT HUMBOLDT STATE •The Lumberjacks come into Thursday’s game with losses in five of their last six games.
•HSU began 2020 with a 92-87 loss to Stanislaus State on Saturday.
•The Jacks’ lone win over the past month was an 80-74 victory at home against San Francisco State on Dec. 12.
•HSU has the 36th-highest free-throw percentage in the country at 76.3%.
•The Jacks have the second-best scoring offense in the league at 81.4 points per game.
•Rob Lewis and Leland Green are HSU’s leading scorers at 15.3 and 15.2 points per game, respectively.
•At 92.1% from the charity stripe, Jackson Strong has the 11th-highest percentage in the nation.
•Strong’s 45 made 3-point field goals lead the CCAA and rank 22nd nationally.
•In the all-time series, CSUSM and HSU are knotted up at 4-4 with both teams tied at 2-2 on their respective home floors.
•The Cougars have won the past two meetings in Arcata.
•HSU and CSUSM have split the season series for the past four years.
•Last year in Arcata, CSUSM won 91-72 as Darae Elliott came up with 20 points and nine rebounds.
SATURDAY AT STANISLAUS STATE •The Warriors come into the weekend with wins in two of their last games against Cal State East Bay (59-58) and Humboldt State (92-87).
•Vida Faniel leads Stan State with 16.2 points per game – sixth most in the CCAA.
•The 55.4 field-goal percentage by Xavier Francois ranks second in the CCAA and 72nd nationally.
•At 70.8 points allowed per game, the Warriors’ scoring defense ranks 83rd nationally and fifth in the conference.
•Stan State is allowing scoring 74.3 points per game – 198th nationally and ninth in the CCAA.
•The team’s free-throw percentage of 76.7 ranks 33rd nationally and second in the conference.
•The Warriors rank 12th in the league for total rebounds at 424 and 10th for rebounds per game at 32.62.
•Stan State is dead last in the CCAA for 3-point field goals made with 89.
•CSUSM owns a 5-2 lead in the all-time series against Stan State, but the Cougars have suffered losses in the past two games.
•In Turlock, CSUSM owns a 3-1 record.
•Last season at Stan State, CSUSM fell 82-60 behind Elliott’s 14 points and 11 rebounds.
THE FOSTER FILE •Head coach B.J. Foster enters his fourth 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 54-45 (.545).
