SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The No. 15/RV Cal State San Marcos women's basketball team (17-3, 14-2 CCAA) will welcome the Chico State Wildcats (16-6, 12-4 CCAA) on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. before facing Stanislaus State (6-16, 2-14 CCAA) on Saturday at 1 p.m. in The Sports Center.
During halftime of the CSUSM men's basketball game taking place at 3 p.m. on Saturday, the 2019-20 and 2021-22 CCAA Women's Basketball Championship teams will be honored with a ring ceremony to commemorate the Cougars' back-to-back CCAA Regular-Season Championship seasons.
At halftime of the women's basketball game on Thursday, CSUSM Athletics will unveil the 2022 CCAA Women's Golf Tournament Championship banner and the 2022 CCAA Softball Regular-Season Championship banner.
The CSUSM Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is holding its annual basic needs drive from Feb. 6-12. All items collected will benefit the Cougar Pantry. All fans in attendance who bring three or more items will receive free admission to Thursday's and/or Saturday's games. Donations needed are toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, feminine products, soap, toilet paper, shampoo and canned foods.
LAST WEEK
- CSUSM took care of business last week on the road, taking down Cal State Monterey Bay 76-48 before recording a 62-42 victory over San Francisco State.
- Chairty Gallegos led the Cougars last week, averaging 15 points and four assists per game while recording a 66.7 field-goal percentage and a 57.1 3-point field-goal percentage.
- With their win over SF State, the Cougars clinched their fourth consecutive trip to the CCAA Women's Basketball Tournament which will be held at Stanislaus State on March 2-4 in Turlock.
- The Cougars remain in second place in the CCAA standings, one game behind conference leader Cal State Dominguez Hills (21-1, 15-1 CCAA).
COUGARS BY THE NUMBERS
- CSUSM slid into the No. 15 spot in the latest WBCA Top 25 Poll.
- The Cougars are still receiving votes in the D2SIDA Top 25 Poll and remain at No. 5 in the D2SIDA West Regional Poll.
- CSUSM is the top ball-handling team in the CCAA, ranking 31st in turnovers per game (13.3) and 46th in assist/turnover ratio (1.00) in the nation.
- The Cougars remain in the top spot in the CCAA in free throw percentage at 77.7% (276-of-355) while ranking 13th in Division II.
- On Thursday, the top two teams in the CCAA in committing the fewest fouls per game will face each other as CSUSM is averaging 15.7 and Chico State is coming in at 15.4.
- CSUSM is the CCAA leader in both field-goal percentage (42.4) and 3-point field-goal percentage (34.4).
- Kate Carlson and Charity Gallegos are ranked No. 2-3 in the CCAA in assist/turnover ratio at 2.11 and 1.94, respectively.
- Kelsey Forrester is the CCAA 3-point field-goal percentage leader at 43.4%, ranking No. 17 in the nation.
- Dynnah Buckner ranks second in the CCAA with 74 made free throws and a 84.1 free throw percentage.
- Forrester has accumulated 214 career 3-pointers and is now chasing newly crowned CCAA 3-point leader Nicole Flennaugh of Cal State LA who collected her 227th career 3-pointer last week at CSUMB.
| GAME 21 | CHICO STATE |
| Date |
Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023 |
| Time |
5:30 p.m. |
| Location |
San Marcos, Calif. |
| Venue |
The Sports Center |
| Records |
CSUSM (17-3, 14-2 CCAA)
Chico (16-6, 12-4 CCAA) |
| Live Stats |
SideArm Stats |
| Live Video ($) |
CCAA Network |
| Tickets |
Hometown Ticketing |
THURSDAY AGAINST CHICO STATE
- CSUSM and Chico State will be meeting for the second time this season on Thursday.
- The Cougars won the previous meeting on Dec. 3 by a score of 54-41 in Chico with Mina Tameilau leading CSUSM with 16 points.
- With a five-game win streak on the line, CSUSM holds a 9-4 lead in the all-time series against the Wildcats and are 3-2 when playing in San Marcos.
- Chico is currently in third place in the CCAA standings, two games behind second-place CSUSM.
- The Wildcats are in the midst of a seven-game win streak, with their last loss coming at home against Cal Poly Pomona.
- Chico State has only lost one road game this season, a 70-69 loss at Sonoma State on Dec. 10.
- The last time the Wildcats were on the road, they took down then-undefeated Cal State Dominguez Hills, 73-72, in the Torodome on Jan. 28
- As mentioned earlier, the Wildcats are averaging the fewest number of fouls per game this season in the CCAA with 15.4 a game.
- Chico State is ranked second in the CCAA behind CSUSM with a 34.4 3-point field goal percentage.
- The Wildcats are last in the CCAA in blocks per game (1.3) and forced turnovers per game (14.82).
- Chico State was picked to finish fifth in the 2022 CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
| GAME 22 | STANISLAUS STATE |
| Date |
Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023 |
| Time |
1 p.m. |
| Location |
San Marcos, Calif. |
| Venue |
The Sports Center |
| Records |
CSUSM (17-3, 14-2 CCAA)
Stan State (6-16, 2-14 CCAA) |
| Live Stats |
SideArm Stats |
| Live Video ($) |
CCAA Network |
| Tickets |
Hometown Ticketing |
SATURDAY MATINEE AGAINST STAN STATE
- CSUSM and Stanislaus State will meet for the second time this year on Saturday after Cal State LA hosts the Warriors on Thursday.
- The Warriors currently sit in 11th place in the CCAA standings, just one game ahead of last-place Cal State Monterey Bay.
- The Cougars defeated Stan State, 70-59, in their conference opener on Dec. 1 in Turlock. Forrester had a team-leading 16 points after going 4-of-8 from the 3-point line.
- The victory extended CSUSM's win streak over the Warriors to three games
- CSUSM is 5-6 in the all-time series against the Warriors and is 3-1 when playing in The Sports Center.
- Stan State's two conference wins have come in its last six games with a 74-59 victory at San Francisco State on Jan. 19 before taking down Cal State East Bay 68-56 in Hayward on Jan. 28.
- The Warriors have the fourth-worst free throw percentage in Division II at 58.9%.
- Stan State leads the CCAA in blocks per game at 3.8, ranking 35th in the nation.
- Makayla Rose is the CCAA scoring leader, averaging 17.9 points per game. She also has the most steals in the conference with 62.
- The Warriors were picked to finish eighth in the 2022 CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
CONFERENCE FAVORITE
- CSUSM was picked to finish first once again in the 2022-23 CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
- The Cougars will start the new season ranked No. 12 in the WBCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll and No. 18 in the D2SIDA Top 25 Media Poll.
- Nine Cougars return for the 2022-23 season including All-CCAA first teamers Jordan Vasquez and Dynnah Buckner as well as second-team selection Kelsey Forrester.
- CSUSM adds three transfer, including sophomore Charity Gallegos (Chico State), redshirt junior Mina Tameilau (Cal State East Bay) and redshirt sophomore Malia Mastora (Seattle Pacific).
- Beginning their collegiate campaign in Cougar Blue this season are freshmen Tatum Tamashiro and Alina Tran.
THE JIMENEZ FILE
- Head coach Renee Jimenez enters her eighth season in charge of the Cougar women's basketball team, a program that is only in its twelfth season of existence.
- In 2021-22, Jimenez earned her third career and second consecutive CCAA Coach of the Year honor. She previously earned the award as the head coach at Cal State Monterey Bay during the 2010-11 season.
- With Jimenez at the helm, the Cougars clinched their second consecutive CCAA Regular-Season Championship
- After CSUSM's 2019-20 inaugural NCAA Division II West Regional appearance was cut short due to COVID-19, the Cougars were finally able to make their debut in the national tournament in 2021-22 as the No. 4 seed.
- The Cougars have advanced to the CCAA Tournament three times, making it to the semifinals in 2018-19 followed by back-to-back finals appearance in 2019-20 and 2021-22.
- Jimenez has compiled a 235-141 (.625) in her 14 seasons coaching in the CCAA, spending two seasons at Cal State San Bernardino after a five-year stint at Cal State Monterey Bay.
- In her seven seasons at CSUSM, Jimenez has tallied a record of 110-70 (.611).
