SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos men's basketball team (13-8, 12-4 CCAA) will return to The Sports Center to face Chico State (10-11, 8-8 CCAA) on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. before hosting Stanislaus State (9-13, 7-9 CCAA) on Saturday at 3 p.m.
 
During halftime of the CSUSM women's basketball game taking place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, the 2022 CCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Championship team will be honored with a ring ceremony to commemorate the Cougars' historic season.

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 improved its winning streak to seven games last Thursday as it defeated Cal State Monterey Bay on the road, 72-71.
• The Cougars saw their streak come to an end on Saturday as they fell 64-62 at San Francisco State.

COUGARS BY THE NUMBERS

• Currently second in the CCAA standings, CSUSM can lock up a CCAA Tournament spot with two wins this weekend as they would have a five-game lead over seventh place with only four games remaining.
• The Cougars still have a three-game cushion for second place in the CCAA standings with six games to play in the regular season.
• CSUSM has the 11th-best turnover margin in Division II at 4.4.
• The Cougars' 10.6 turnovers per game are the 14th fewest in the nation.
• CSUSM's assist/turnover ratio of 1.36 ranks 23rd nationally.
• Shooting 39% from beyond the arc, the Cougars have the 27th-best 3-point field-goal percentage in the nation.
• CSUSM has the best scoring defense in the CCAA at 66.8 points allowed per game.
• With a scoring margin of 3.7, the Cougars rank second in the conference.
• CSUSM's field-goal percentage of 46.7 ranks second in the CCAA.
• Holding opponents to 32.1% from the perimeter, the Cougars have the second-best 3-point field-goal percentage defense in the league.
• CSUSM ranks third in the CCAA for assists (14.4) and steals (7.8) per game.
• Jayce McCain has the best assist/turnover ratio in the CCAA and ranks 11th nationally.
• Greg Milton III is the third-leading scorer in the conference at 18.5 points per game.
• Joel Mensah ranks fourth in the CCAA with 7.9 rebounds per game.
• McCain is now 16 steals from tying Danny Redmon for the most career steals in program history at 147.
• McCain scored his 800th career point at San Francisco State this past Saturday. He currently ranks third in program history and is 18 points behind Josh Spiers in second place.

 

GAME 22 | CHICO STATE
Date	Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023
Time	7:30 p.m.
Location	San Marcos, Calif.
Venue	The Sports Center
Records	CSUSM (13-8, 12-4 CCAA) CHICO (10-11, 8-8 CCAA)
Live Stats	SideArm Stats
Live Video ($)	CCAA Network
Tickets	HomeTown Ticketing

 

COUGARS FACE THE WILDCATS

• CSUSM and Chico will face each other for the second time this season on Thursday night.
• The Wildcats won the first meeting of the season 83-77 on Dec. 3 in Chico. Four Cougars put up double-digit point totals in Zack Perlstein (19), Greg Milton III (19), Joel Mensah (17) and Jayce McCain (13).
• CSUSM's last win over Chico came in the semifinals of the 2021-22 CCAA Tournament in Arcata as the Cougars advanced to the championship game with an 80-66 victory.
• Last season in San Marcos, the Wildcats left with a 63-57 win.
• CSUSM is 5-8 in the all-time series against Chico and is 2-3 when playing in San Marcos.
• The Wildcats are currently fifth in the CCAA standings at 8-8.
• This past weekend, Chico defeated Sonoma State 90-77 on Thursday before falling 71-67 to Cal Poly Humboldt on Saturday.
• The Wildcats are committing the second-fewest turnovers per game in the CCAA at 11.9.
• Chico's scoring defense ranks 11th in the conference at 74.7 points allowed per game while its scoring offense ranks third at 74.9.
• The Wildcats are shooting 43.5% from the field this season, ranking eighth in the league.
• Jojo Murphy is Chico's leading scorer at 16.9 points per game and ranks seventh in the CCAA.
• Evan Oliver is earning the second-most steals per game in the conference at 1.95.

 

GAME 23 | STANISLAUS STATE
Date	Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023
Time	3 p.m.
Location	San Marcos, Calif.
Venue	The Sports Center
Records	CSUSM (13-8, 12-4 CCAA) STAN (9-13, 7-9 CCAA)
Live Stats	SideArm Stats
Live Video ($)	CCAA Network
Tickets	HomeTown Ticketing

SATURDAY AGAINST THE WARRIORS

• The Cougars and Warriors will also meet for the second time this season on Saturday.
• Prior to Saturday, Stanislaus will face Cal State LA on Thursday.
• CSUSM defeated Stan State in the first meeting of the season with a 75-69 decision on Dec. 1 in Turlock. Perlstein and Milton each recorded 20 points.
• The Cougars are 8-3 in the all-time series against the Warriors and are 4-1 when playing at home.
• CSUSM has won the last three meetings with Stanislaus.
• The Warriors currently sit in a three-way tie for seventh in the CCAA standings at 7-9.
• This past weekend, Stan State defeated Cal Poly Humboldt 86-71 on Thursday before falling 81-78 to Sonoma State on Saturday.
• Stanislaus' best national ranking is 47th in turnover margin at 2.3.
• While the Warriors have the fourth-best scoring defense in the CCAA at 71.3 points per game, their scoring offense of 68.5 points per game ranks ninth.
• Stanislaus has the worst field-goal percentage defense in the CCAA at 46.1%.
• The Warriors are also tallying the fewest defensive rebounds in the conference at 22.09 per game.
• Marlon Short is Stan State's top scorer at 15.7 points per game and ranks eighth in the league.
• Travion Williams ranks eighth nationally for offensive rebounds per game at 3.65. His 6.8 total rebounds per game rank sixth in the CCAA.
• Benno Zecic is dishing out the third-most assists per game in Division II at 6.7 while recording the 11th-most steals at 2.27.

 

A NEW CAMPAIGN

• The Cougars were voted to finish second in the 2022-23 CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
• Nine Cougars return from the 2021-22 team, including All-CCAA first-teamer Jayce McCain and second-teamer Greg Milton III.
• CSUSM is joined this year by five transfers, including sophomore Quinn Denker (West Valley College), redshirt junior Edwyn Collins (Riverside City College), graduate Zack Perlstein (Cal State East Bay), redshirt junior Bing Huang (Johnson County CC) and redshirt junior Chris Howard (Palomar College).
• Rounding out the Cougars' roster of 15 is lone freshman Jermaine Rogers II (Ruben S. Ayala HS).

THE FOSTER FILE

• Head coach B.J. Foster enters his sixth season in charge of the CSUSM Men's Basketball program after taking over the head position in 2016.
• Under his leadership, the Cougars earned their first CCAA Tournament Championship in 2022 and made their first NCAA West Regional appearance.
• 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 92-67 (.579).