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).