SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Head coach Renee Jimenez released the Cal State San Marcos women's basketball 2015-16 schedule on Tuesday morning that features two exhibition games against NCAA Division I USC and UNLV.
 
The Cougars, which will be in their first year of NCAA Division II competition in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), have 24 contests on the schedule.  Thirteen games will be at MiraCosta College, the Cougars home court until The Sports Center is completed in the summer of 2016.
 
All home games at MiraCosta College will feature live video and live stats through CSUSMCougars.com.
 
As a part of NCAA Division II Candidacy Year Two, CSUSM is ineligible for postseason competition.
 
"Our preseason is no easy task.  We scheduled USC and UNLV, not to see what the end score would be, but to test our team's competitiveness and our individual toughness," said Jimenez. "This is going to be a teaching year for our team, from our overall culture, to how we compete and how we learn from competing."  
 
The Cougars start the season on the road with three games, beginning with a stop at NCAA Division I USC in an exhibition on Sunday, Nov. 8.  CSUSM wastes no time in getting to its CCAA schedule, taking on the Tritons of UC San Diego on Saturday, Nov. 14.  The Cougars wrap up their exhibition schedule with a game at UNLV on Monday, Nov. 23. 
 
CSUSM's home opener against former NAIA rival San Diego Christian on Nov. 28 tips off a four-game home stand.
 
It's Homecoming Week for CSUSM. The Cougars host Humboldt State on Thursday, Dec. 3 before the big Homecoming Game slated for Saturday, Dec. 5 against Sonoma State.
 
On Dec. 9, the Cougars face Point Loma in their final game of the home stand. Last season, the Sea Lions took down then-No. 1 Alaska Anchorage in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual NCAA Division II runner-up Cal Baptist in the next round.
 
CSUSM makes the long trek up north for a single game against Chico State on Dec. 12.
 
The Cougars close out 2015 on the road, taking on defending CCAA regular-season co-champion and CCAA tournament champion Cal State Dominguez Hills on New Years Eve.
 
CSUSM doesn't get much of a breather before jumping back into action, traveling to Stanislaus State on Jan. 2. 
 
The Cougars are back in Southern California for their next six games – five of them at home. CSUSM concludes the first half of its CCAA conference schedule, hosting Cal State East Bay (Jan. 7) and Cal State Monterey Bay (Jan. 9).
 
CSUSM wraps up its non-conference schedule that next weekend with a stop at Vanguard (Jan. 14) before hosting Westmont (Jan. 16).
 
The final six weekends of season show a balance of road and home games beginning with a trip to face Cal State East Bay (Jan. 28) and Cal State Monterey Bay (Jan. 30).  
 
The following week, CSUSM welcomes Cal State Dominguez Hills (Feb. 4) and Cal State L.A. (Feb. 6).
 
The Cougars make their final trip north when they face San Francisco State (Feb. 11) and Sonoma State (Feb. 13), who both finished at the bottom of the CCAA last season.
 
CSUSM ends its home slate the following weekend, as local rival UC San Diego makes the short drive north on Feb. 18.  The Cougars will then celebrate Senior Night on Feb. 20 against Cal State San Bernardino.
 
The Cougars conclude their regular season on the road at Humboldt State (Feb. 25) and at Cal Poly Pomona (Feb. 27).
 
"Every player on this team is new to our staff, to the CCAA, and to the rigors of a conference season," said Jimenez. "So unlike a veteran team, our roles will be defined as we go.  
No matter the opponent, we're going to play really hard, compete, and have a lot of fun."

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