SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The No. 19/NR Cal State San Marcos women’s basketball team (3-1) will begin CCAA play on the road this weekend, traveling to Stanislaus State (3-3, 0-1 CCAA) on Thursday for a 5:30 p.m. game before closing out in Chico State (4-2, 1-0 CCAA) for a 1 p.m. tipoff on Saturday.
LAST TIME OUT
CSUSM held on to a 59-56 victory over Westminster on Friday, Nov. 25 at Felix Event Center on the campus of Azusa Pacific.
Shasta Parker recorded career highs with 17 points and eight rebounds to lead the Cougars.
COUGARS BY THE NUMBERS
CSUSM is the top ball-handling team in the CCAA, ranking fourth in turnovers per game (10.5) and fifth in assist/turnover ratio (1.43) in the nation.
With a turnover margin of 10.5, the Cougars rank second in the CCAA.
CSUSM is committing the second-fewest fouls in the CCAA at 14.8.
With a CCAA-leading 8.5 3-pointers per game, the Cougars rank 32nd in Division II.
The Cougars have the third-best assists per game average in the CCAA at 15.0.
Kayden Korst leads the CCAA and ranks sixth nationally with an assist/turnover ratio of 7.00.
Shooting 53.3% from behind the arc, Charity Gallegos leads the CCAA and ranks 24th nationally in 3-point field-goal percentage.
GAME 5 | STANISLAUS STATE
Date Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022
Time 5:30 p.m.
Location Turlock, Calif.
Venue Ed & Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena
Records CSUSM (3-1, 0-0 CCAA)
Stanislaus State (3-3, 0-1 CCAA)
Live Stats SideArm Stats
Live Video CCAA Network ($)
CCAA OPENER AT STAN STATE
The Warriors are 3-0 at home this season so far, defeating Holy Names (64-47) and Academy of Art (62-49) in their Warrior Classic before taking down Fresno Pacific (67-60) right before Thanksgiving.
Stan State opened CCAA play with an 85-70 loss at Chico on Nov. 26.
CSUSM has won the past two meetings against Stan State and four of the last six.
The Cougars are 4-6 in the all-time series and are 1-4 when playing in Turlock.
The Cougars only faced the Warriors once last season, resulting in an 80-70 victory over the Warriors in San Marcos.
Makayla Rose and Joia Armstrong lead the Warriors in scoring with 13.2 and 10.7 points per game, respectively.
Armstrong along with Liliana Marques lead Stan State with 6.2 rebounds per game.
Last week’s CCAA Player of the Week, Rose is the conference leader in field goals made (29) and ranks second in steals (13).
Stan State ranks last in the CCAA in scoring margin (-1.7).
The Warriors were picked to finish eighth in the 2022 CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
GAME 6 | CHICO STATE
Date Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022
Time 1 p.m.
Location Chico, Calif.
Venue Acker Gym
Records CSUSM (3-1, 0-0 CCAA)
Chico State (4-2, 1-0 CCAA)
Live Stats SideArm Stats
Live Video CCAA Network ($)
SATURDAY AT CHICO
The Wildcats will wrap up a six-game homestand when they host the Cougars on Saturday.
Prior to Saturday, Chico State will host Cal State LA on Thursday night.
The Wildcats are on a three-game win streak, registering victories over Saint Martin’s (59-52) and Holy Names (71-52) before opening their CCAA schedule with an 85-70 win over Stanislaus State last Saturday.
The Cougars own an 8-4 lead in the all-time series and are 4-2 when playing in Chico.
CSUSM has won the past four meetings against Chico, including a series sweep during the 2021-22 season and a 73-60 victory over the Wildcats in the semifinals of the CCAA Tournament.
Haley Ison is leading the Wildcats with 11.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.
Chico is committing the fewest fouls in the CCAA at 14.5 per game, right ahead of CSUSM’s 14.8.
The Wildcats rank last in the CCAA in steals per game at 6.2.
The Wildcats were picked to finish fifth in the 2022 CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
CONFERENCE FAVORITE
CSUSM was picked to finish first once again in the 2022-23 CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
The Cougars will start the new season ranked No. 12 in the WBCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll and No. 18 in the D2SIDA Top 25 Media Poll.
Nine Cougars return for the 2022-23 season including All-CCAA first teamers Jordan Vasquez and Dynnah Buckner as well as second-team selection Kelsey Forrester.
CSUSM adds three transfer, including sophomore Charity Gallegos (Chico State), redshirt junior Mina Tameilau (Cal State East Bay) and redshirt sophomore Malia Mastora (Seattle Pacific).
Beginning their collegiate campaign in Cougar Blue this season are freshmen Tatum Tamashiro and Alina Tran.
THE JIMENEZ FILE
Head coach Renee Jimenez enters her eighth season in charge of the Cougar women’s basketball team, a program that is only in its twelfth season of existence.
In 2021-22, Jimenez earned her third career and second consecutive CCAA Coach of the Year honor. She previously earned the award as the head coach at Cal State Monterey Bay during the 2010-11 season.
With Jimenez at the helm, the Cougars clinched their second consecutive CCAA Regular-Season Championship
After CSUSM’s 2019-20 inaugural NCAA Division II West Regional appearance was cut short due to COVID-19, the Cougars were finally able to make their debut in the national tournament in 2021-22 as the No. 4 seed.
The Cougars have advanced to the CCAA Tournament three times, making it to the semifinals in 2018-19 followed by back-to-back finals appearance in 2019-20 and 2021-22.
Jimenez has compiled a 221-139 (.614) in her 14 seasons coaching in the CCAA, spending two seasons at Cal State San Bernardino after a five-year stint at Cal State Monterey Bay.
In her seven seasons at CSUSM, Jimenez has tallied a record of 96-68 (.585).
