SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The No. 15 Cal State San Marcos men's basketball team is staying home for the holidays this year. The Cougars host the CSUSM Holiday Classic Dec. 18-19 before holding the New Year's Cougar Classic Dec. 28-29.

THE SCHEDULE
CSUSM Holiday Classic
Tuesday, Dec. 18
Trinity Western (5-11) at No. 15 Cal State San Marcos (8-4), 5:00 p.m.
No. 5 Westmont  (7-1) vs. John Brown (Ark.) (10-1), 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 19
Trinity Western vs. John Brown, 5:00 p.m.
No. 5 Westmont at No. 15 Cal State San Marcos, 7:00 p.m.
Oceanside, Calif. – MiraCosta College
Live Stats

Exhibition
Friday, Nov. 21 – 7:00 p.m.
Cal State San Marcos (8-4) at University of Nevada (6-4)
Reno, Nev. – Lawlor Events Center
Live Stats
Watch Live

Game 15
Thursday, Dec. 27 – 7:30 p.m.
University of Alberta (14-3) at No. 15 Cal State San Marcos (8-4)
Oceanside, Calif. – MiraCosta College
Live Stats

New Year's Cougar Classic
Friday, Dec. 28
Hope International (10-1)  vs. Lethbridge (5-5), 5:00 p.m.
UC Merced (0-10) at No. 15 Cal State San Marcos (8-4), 7:oo p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 29
Hope vs. UC Merced, 5:00 p.m.
Lethbrdige at No. 15 Cal State San Marcos, 7:00 p.m.
Live Stats

Tickets
Single-game tickets are $7 at the door for general admission and $5 for seniors over age 55 and children younger than 12. As always, CSUSM students, faculty and staff are free with valid school identification. For more information, click here.

Cougars Stay in NAIA National Poll
CSUSM received 160 points in the latest NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Poll on Tuesday, dropping six spots to No. 15 after the team's loss to defending national champion Concordia (Calif.). The Cougars have been included in all three coaches' polls this season and Tuesday's distinction marks the first time in program history in which the Cougars have been ranked back-to-back weeks during the regular season.

CSUSM Takes Pilgrimage to Basketball Mecca
The Cougars faced UCLA on Tuesday, Dec. 4 at the newly renovated Pauley Pavilion in Westwood. Quincy Lawson led the Cougars with 14 points and Ali Langford added 10, but CSUSM fell 83-60. The game marked the second contest against a NCAA Division I opponent this season following the Cougars' clash with San Diego State on Nov. 11 (L, 46-67). CSUSM will play its third exhibition game against an NCAA DI team on Dec. 21 when it travels to face the University of Nevada.

The Week That Was
The Cougars downed NCAA DII's Point Loma Nazarene 51-46 the night after their trip to UCLA behind a career-high 24 points from point guard Danny Redmon. CSUSM trailed 30-20 three minutes into the second half, but Redmon scored 12 points in a 14-3 run over the next 4:25 to hand CSUSM the lead for good. On Saturday, Concordia (Calif.) used a 10-2 run over the final 2:35 to edge CSUSM, 84-79. Lawson led the Cougars with 18 points and six boards.

Seeing Red
Since returning from an early-season shoulder injury that cost him five games, Danny Redmon has been the driving force for the Cougar offense. He's averaged 12.6 points per game, second only to Ali Langford's 13.6, and has shot 28-of-38 (58%) from the field. In addition, Redmon is averaging 5.6 assists over his last five and has tallied five games of five or more assists in seven contests this year.

Because It's The Law-son
Quincy Lawson's 18 points against Concordia were a career-best for the junior from Oceanside, but he should be recognized most for his presence near the hoop. Lawson's 22 blocks are sixth most in the country and his per-game average (1.833) is seventh best He's shooting 60 percent from the field, the highest of any Cougar who has played more than five games.

Previewing The Classics
You know those awkward holiday parties at a coworker's house where you only know one other person, and you really have nothing in common with anyone else? That's kind of like what the Cougars are in for during the CSUSM Holiday Classic and the New Year's Cougar Classic. CSUSM has never faced Trinity Western, Westmont, University of Alberta or UC Merced. The Cougars did face Lethbridge last season on Dec. 28, 2011, however; Jacob Ranger's 18 points and four rebounds helped the Cougars to a 75-50 victory over the Pronghorns.

CSUSM-Westmont Preview
After falling out of the NAIA Top 25 poll on Dec. 4, Westmont jumped to No. 5 in the latest national poll. The Warriors have beaten two ranked opponents thus far and sit at 7-1 on the season. NAIA All-American Preston Branson leads Westmont with 18 points per game, while Christopher Miller is averaging 14.9 points and 6.1 boards.

Quick Facts – Probable Starters
G 10 Danny Redmon: Shooting 62.9% over his last three games (22-of-35).
G 15 Jose Rivera: Scored in double digits in 10 of 12 contests this year.
G 33 Jacob Ranger: Shooting 40% from three-point range over last four games.
F 5 Quincy Lawson: Shot under 50% for the first two times this season vs. PLNU and Concordia.
F 24 Ali Langford: Left Concordia game with leg injury in first half.

Quick Facts – Probable Reserves
G 3 Hakeem Washington: Averaging 14.6 minutes per game as a reserve since Redmon's return to starting lineup.
G 4 Adam Alfaro: Led team with seven steals combined in two games last week.
F 21 Jeremy Ford: Did not appear against Concordia, his first DNP this season.
C 25 Kelly Lord: 2-of-2 from the line with three boards in 10 minutes of work vs. Concordia.
F 35 Adam Eakles: 24 minutes played against Concordia was second-highest total this season. He added six points and seven rebounds, a season-high.

Notes
The Cougars were able to fend off PLNU despite their lowest scoring output of the season (51) … CSUSM has only put forth two different starting lineups this year … Kelly Lord threw down an impressive dunk in the scrimmage against UCLA … Lethbridge, Alberta and Trinity Western all hail from Canada … All five typical starters are averaging double-digit scoring totals this season … Redmon has led the Cougars in assists in each of the last five games … CSUSM is 3-1 against Top 25 teams this season … The Cougars went 4-1 over last year's Holiday Break.

Season Tickets Still Available
Fans can get their seats for all of CSUSM's home contests today. The Cougars play all their home games at nearby MiraCosta College in Oceanside. Season ticket plans start as low as $65. VIP courtside seats are available for $100 with an additional $100 donation to the Cougar Athletic Club. Single game tickets are $7 for general admission, $5 for kids and seniors, and $4 for groups of 10 or more with previous arrangements. Visit CSUSMcougars.com/tickets for more information.

Connect with the Cougars
Get an inside look into Cougar Athletics via Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Like us at facebook.com/CSUSMcougars and follow along at twitter.com/CSUSMcougars. Also, you can watch highlights, previews and recaps at youtube.com/CSUSMathletics. Stay posted for giveaways and prizes throughout the season!