SAN MARCOS, Calif. – This week, Cal State San Marcos men’s and women’s basketball will hit the road for the final time this calendar year.
RV/No. 23 women’s basketball will go up against Cal Poly Pomona at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday before traveling to Cal State San Bernardino for a 1 p.m. game on Saturday.
Men’s basketball will take on the RV/No. 20 Broncos at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday before rounding out 2019 with a 3 p.m. game against the Coyotes on Saturday.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Thursday, Dec. 19 – 5:30 p.m.
RV/No. 23 CSUSM (8-1, 3-1 CCAA) vs. Cal Poly Pomona (6-4, 2-2 CCAA)
Pomona, Calif. – Kellogg Arena
Live Stats | Watch Live
Saturday, Dec. 21 – 1 p.m.
CSUSM vs. Cal State San Bernardino (1-6, 1-3 CCAA)
San Bernardino, Calif. – Coussoulis Arena
Live Stats | Watch Live
LAST WEEK •CSUSM concluded its non-conference season last Saturday with a 69-63 victory over Concordia Irvine.
•In the final minute of the game against CUI, the Cougars went 11-of-12 at the free-throw line to secure the victory.
•Four Cougars scored 14 points or more in the contest.
•The Cougars continue their best start in school history with just one loss in their first nine games.
•CSUSM is the only team with just one loss on the season with UC San Diego following with two losses.
•At 3-1 in CCAA action, the Cougars are third in the conference standings behind Cal State East Bay (5-1) and Stanislaus State (4-1).
•The Cougars remain the NCAA Division II national leader in 3-point field-goal percentage defense, holding their opponents to 20.0%. Second-place Lindenwood (Mo.) is averaging 21.1.
•Stephanie Custodio dropped to No. 2 in the CCAA and ranks No. 5 in the nation in free-throw percentage, going 30-of-33 (90.9%).
•Jon’Nae Vermillion’s 9.6 rebounds per game rank second in the league and 48th in the nation.
•In the latest D2SIDA West Region Poll, the Cougars remain at No. 3.
MATCHUP AT CAL POLY POMONA •The Broncos hold a 5-2 lead in the all-time series against CSUSM with both teams winning on their home courts last season.
•The last three matchups between these two teams were decided by four points or less.
•Prior to last week’s time off, the Broncos dropped back-to-back games beginning with a 73-70 loss to Humboldt at home on Dec. 5 before falling to Chico State on the road 79-67 on Dec. 7.
•CPP ranks second in the CCAA in rebounds per game (41.0).
•Kasey Smit is the conference leader and No. 30 in the nation with a 7.2 defensive rebounds per game.
•Smit is leading the Broncos in points (14.9) and rebounds (9.1) per game.
•CPP is eighth in the conference standings after being picked to finish second in the CCAA Preseason Poll.
CLOSING OUT 2019 AT CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO •The Cougars and Coyotes are knotted at 3-3 in the all-time series.
•The visiting team has been victorious in each meeting with CSUSM recording the win at the one neutral game in the inaugural matchup in 2011 in La Jolla.
•CSUSM tallied a 72-61 victory in San Bernardino on Feb. 7, 2019, with Vermillion leading the Cougars with 20 points after going 12-of-14 at the free-throw line.
•In their most recent game, the Coyotes dropped a 68-67 decision at Cal State Monterey Bay on Dec. 14.
•CSUSB’s lone CCAA victory came on Dec. 12 in Hayward when the Coyotes took down Cal State East Bay, 62-59.
•The Coyotes have the fifth-lowest foul total in the nation while leading the CCAA with only 95 fouls.
•Three Coyotes are averaging double digits in scoring with Tatianna Russell leading the way with 12.4 points per game, followed by Kayla Bibb (11.7) and Tehya Burroughs (10.7).
•CSUSB is tied for 11th in the CCAA standings.
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 179-130 (.579) 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, Dec. 19 – 7:30 p.m.
CSUSM (5-5, 1-3 CCAA) at RV/No. 20 Cal Poly Pomona (7-2, 3-1 CCAA)
Pomona, Calif. – Kellogg Arena
Live Stats | Live Video
Saturday, Dec. 21 – 3 p.m.
CSUSM at Cal State San Bernardino (7-3, 2-2 CCAA)
San Bernardino, Calif. – Coussoulis Arena
Live Stats | Live Video
PREVIOUS WEEK •Thursday will be CSUSM’s first competition in two weeks as they defeated Sonoma State 67-59 on Dec. 5.
•Blake Seits posted his second consecutive game with at least 20 points as he went 7-of-16 from the field with four threes.
•The Cougars shot 50% for the game as they went 26-of-52 from the field.
•Khalil Fuller has the eighth-best field-goal percentage in all of Division II at 67.2%.
•Jayce McCain’s 26 total steals rank 11th nationally while his 2.6 steals per game rank 20th.
•Seits’ 44.8 3-point field-goal percentage ranks 51st in the nation and third in the CCAA.
•CSUSM’s 91 total steals rank 31st nationally and fourth in the conference while its 9.1 steals per game rank 28th.
•The Cougars are holding opponents to 41.2% from the field this season – 48th in Division II and second in the CCAA.
•At 37.9 rebounds per game, CSUSM ranks second in the conference.
•At 1-3 in CCAA play, the Cougars are currently in 12th place.
THURSDAY AT CAL POLY POMONA •The Broncos come into Thursday night’s game ranked third in D2SIDA West Region.
•CPP is on a five-game winning streak with its last loss occurring at home in overtime against Cal State San Bernardino on Nov. 21.
•The Broncos last played on Dec. 5 and 7 as they defeated Humboldt State 96-64 before earning a 69-67 victory over Chico State.
•At 3-1 in CCAA play, CPP is currently tied for second with Cal State Dominguez Hills.
•William Christmas is CPP’s top player with 19.2 points per game, 3.8 assists per game, 2.22 steals per game, a 53.0 field-goal percentage and an 80.8 free-throw percentage.
•CPP has the eighth-best field-goal percentage defense in the nation as it is holding opponents to 37.8% from the field this season.
•The Broncos are holding their adversaries to 62.4 points per game – eighth nationally and first in the CCAA.
•CPP’s turnover margin of 6.9 ranks 10th in Division II while its 19.22 forced turnovers rank 12th.
•The Broncos are shooting 50.6% from the field this season – 21st nationally and second in the CCAA.
•CSUSM is 3-4 in the all-time series against CPP as the Broncos have come out on top in the last three games.
•The Cougars are 2-2 when playing in Pomona and earned their last victory in the series there on Feb. 6, 2018.
ROUNDING OUT 2019 IN SAN BERNARDINO •The Coyotes suffered a 70-69 loss to Cal State East Bay last Thursday before getting back in the win column with an 84-69 victory at Cal State Monterey Bay on Saturday.
•Before facing CSUSM on Saturday, CSUSB will welcome Stanislaus State on Thursday night.
•The Coyotes are currently seventh in CCAA play at 2-2 and are 2-2 in home games this season.
•Jeremy Smith is CSUSB’s leading scorer at 17 points per game while also leading the team with 5.0 assists per game, a 78.6 free-throw percentage and a 1.39 assist-turnover ratio.
•Daytone Jennings is the Coyotes’ best shooter at 51.7% from the field and is also the team’s best rebounder at 8.3 per game.
•CSUSB’s rebounding margin of 12.6 ranks second nationally while the team’s 42 rebounds per game rank 20th.
•The Coyotes are averaging the 12th-most offensive rebounds in Division II at 14.4 per game.
•CSUSB ranks dead last in the CCAA for turnovers per game (15.6) and personal fouls per game (23.5).
•The Coyotes are putting up 81.8 points per game while giving up 73.7 to their opponents.
•CSUSM is 2-3 in the all-time series against CSUSB as the Coyotes have won the last three games.
•The Cougars are looking for their first win in San Bernardino.
•CSUSM won the first two games of the series with the last occurring on Nov. 30, 2016.
•This will be the Cougars’ second straight game in San Bernardino as the Coyotes won the lone meeting of last season, 69-58.
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 52-43 (.547).
