COUGARS BY THE NUMBERS

• With its pair of convincing wins over the weekend, CSUSM moved to ninth in the D2SIDA West Region Poll released on Monday.
• The Cougars’ 18 steals in the season opener against Montana State Billings are the sixth most in a single game in Division II this season and are the most in the CCAA.
• With 91 made 3-points in his career, Seits is one away from tying former Cougar Jose Rivera for fifth all-time.
• Currently with 103 career assists, Jayce McCain is just six away from breaking into the program’s top 10.
• McCain moved to fifth all-time for career steals this past weekend with 69. He’s just three away from Blake Nash’s 72 (2014-15) and six away from Dayton Boddie’s 75 (2014-17).
• The Cougars’ 36 total steals rank fourth in Division II while their 12.0 steals per game rank eighth.
• CSUSM’s turnover margin of seven leads the CCAA and ranks 14th nationally.
• The Cougars’ 19 forced turnovers rank 24th in the country.
• Holding its opponents to 62.3 points per game, CSUSM’s scoring defense ranks 33rd in Division II.
• With a scoring margin of 12.7 points, the Cougars’ rank second in the conference.
• CSUSM has thrived at the charity stripe so far by shooting 77.8% – second-best in the CCAA.
• The Cougars’ 22 made 3-pointer rank second in the conference.
• Seits’ 11 3-pointers to begin the season rank 21st nationally and are tied with with CSUSB’s Brandon Knapper for the conference lead.
• Shooting 42.3% from beyond the arc, Seits has the second-best percentage in the league.
• Seit’s leads the CCAA and ranks 25th nationally with 24.0 points per game while his 72 total points also lead the league.
• McCain’s 2.67 steals per game and eight total steals lead the CCAA.

CROSS-COUNTY FOES

• After beginning the season with a pair of wins against Stanislaus State and Cal State East this past weekend, PLNU took a 79-75 loss in its home opener against Cal State San Bernardino on Wednesday night.
• The Sea Lions and Coyotes combined for 47 turnovers with PLNU contributing 26 of them.
• In the Week 1 poll of the D2SIDA Top 25, PLNU came in at No. 9 and topped the West Region rankings. The Sea Lions were voted No. 24 in the NABC Preseason Coaches Poll.
• PLNU took down Pepperdine 77-50 in an exhibition contest in Point Loma on Oct. 30.
• The Sea Lions have five players averaging double figures in their first three games with UCSD-transfer Hugh Baxter leading the way at 17 points per game.
• PLNU has the fifth-best free-throw percentage in Division II at 87%.
• The Sea Lions have tallied 41 3-pointers this season – seventh most in the nation.
• Opponents are shooting 46.9% against PLNU – second worst in the PacWest.
• The Sea Lions are allowing 19.3 turnovers per game – the worst in the PacWest and 273rd in Division.
• PLNU is allowing 73.3 points per game, putting its scoring defense ninth in the PacWest.
• At 83.3 points per game, the Sea Lions rank fourth in the PacWest.
• Saturday will be the first meeting between the Cougars and Sea Lions since Jan. 23, 2013. 
• CSUSM is 0-2 in the all-time series against PLNU, but they’ve yet to play the Sea Lions as a Division II member.
• The Sea Lions will be making their first-ever trip to The Sports Center on Saturday.
• A win over PLNU would the third time CSUSM has ever defeated a ranked team as a Division II member. The Cougars’ two wins over ranked teams were both against UCSD in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons.
• A win would also be the program’s first over a ranked team when playing at The Sports Center.