WarriorBasketball Notebook: Complete PDF Version

The Warriors look to extend their winning streak when they host Sonoma State and San Francisco State this week.

Friday, Jan. 16, 7:30 p.m.
vs. Sonoma State SEAWOLVES (8-4, 5-3 CCAA) | Fitzpatrick Arena, Turlock, Calif. | Live Stats | Live Video & Audio | Audio Only (100.5 FM)

Series Notes: After sweeping Sonoma State in 2013-14, the Warriors are now 37-45 against the Seawolves all-time (11-21 in CCAA play). SSU is 13-4 in Turlock during the CCAA era.

Last Time We Met... was Feb. 1, 2014, in Turlock in a 69-47 Stanislaus victory … Marcus Bell had 15 points and 17 rebounds and Rob Walters scored 11 with 10 boards to lead the Warriors that night.

About the Seawolves: Sonoma State lost both games on the road last week … James Davis averages 15.7 points per game (3rd in CCAA). He makes 46.7 percent of his 3-point tries … SSU is the best free throw shooting team in the CCAA (76.6 %).

Saturday, Jan. 17, 7:30 p.m.
vs. San Francisco State GATORS (6-6, 4-4 CCAA) | Fitzpatrick Arena, Turlock, Calif. | Live Stats | Live Video & Audio | Audio Only (100.5 FM)

Series Notes: The Warriors beat SF State twice last year for the second series sweep in three seasons. Cal State Stanislaus now leads the all-time series 49-39 with a 12-4 mark at home in CCAA play.

Last Time We Met... was Jan. 31, 2014 when the Warriors held off a late SFSU rally to win 66-61 in Turlock. Rob Walters (12 points, 10 rebounds) and Chris Read (18 points) were the Stanislaus leaders.

About the Gators: SF State lost both games on the road last week by 32 points (CPP) and 13 points (UCSD) … The lowest scoring team in the CCAA averages 59.1 points per game … Udun Osakue averages 12.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.

Back In First Place
Cal State Stanislaus is back in first place in the CCAA standings (tied with Cal Poly Pomona) after a pair of wins last week. Both the Warriors and the Broncos are 6-2 in league play. The Warriors were in first after the first weekend of play in early December when four teams were at 2-0.

Two Nail-Bitters
After the late, narrow loss on the road at Cal Poly Pomona, the Warriors responded by winning two close games late last week at home. Stanislaus held CSUSB scoreless for three and a half minutes late in the game to win a four-point contest. Saturday night, Shey Mataele converted four free throws to seal a four-point win over Humboldt State.

CCAA Player of the Week
Rob Walters was named CCAA's men's basketball player of the week on Tuesday for his stellar performances last week. Walters recorded two double-doubles to lead the Warriors to two victories. He had 20 points and 14 rebounds on Friday and 16 points with 11 rebounds on Saturday.

More on Rob the Man
Rob Walters is heating up and it can only be great news for the Warriors. The senior picked up his 10th and 11th career double-double last week, including a career-high 20-point game (on 8 of 10 shooting) against Cal State San Bernardino. Against the Coyotes, he also had a season-best 14 rebounds and four assists … Last year, he recorded his first career double-double on Jan. 11 en route to rack up nine double-double games in 2013-14.

Home Sweet Home at the Fitz
The Warriors are in the midst of a four-game homestand, one of two this season. They are also home for eight of 10 games during this stretch. So far this season, Stanislaus is 3-1 at Fitzpatrick Arena, where they were 12-2 in in 2013-14 (9-2 in CCAA games).

Holding On To Leads
One of the reasons for this season's success is the Warriors' ability to hold on their late leads. Stanislaus is now 9-0 this season with a lead at the 5-minute left to play mark. This included the loss at Cal Poly Pomona, when, even though the Warriors led by five at 3:01 to go, the Broncos were up by one at 5-to-go.

Strong on the Boards
Cal State Stanislaus out-rebounded both opponents last week and continues to be among the better rebounding teams in the CCAA. The Warriors have now out-rebounded teams nine times and that translated into an 8-1 record in those games. Rob Walters (7.4 rpg in CCAA games) and Wes Bartole (6.0 rpg) are third and sixth, respectively, in the CCAA in rebounding.

Without Barber
Tyler Barber, who has not played since Dec. 13 (calf injury), has been missed offensively. In the team's first seven games, the Warriors averaged 63.6 points per game. Since Barber's been out (and counting the Chico game on Dec. 13), the Warriors have averaged 54.8 per game. Barber averaged 9.0 points per game and was heating up with outputs of 9, 11, and 16 in three games prior to going down. In the first half of the Dec. 13 game, Barber had netted 9. He's expected to return next week … Shey Mataele has picked up some of the slack since his return. He's scored a total of 19 points in three games.

20-Win Seasons
Last year's 23-win season was the program's  fourth 20-plus wins season:

20-Win Seasons
1986-87    Bob Thomason    20-8
1988-89    John Jones    21-8
1992-93    John Jones    20-8
2013-14    Larry Reynolds    23-9

Program's Best Record
Cal State Stanislaus set a program record with 23 wins in 2013-14, more than doubled the win-total from the previous year (10). The last time a Stanislaus team posted 20 wins was in 1992-93 under John Jones (20-8), the only other time a Warrior team had 20 wins since Cal State Stanislaus became a Division II program.

CCAA Basketball Championships
The 2014-15 CCAA Men's & Women's Basketball Championship tournament will be held March 5-7. Six teams qualify for the event to be held at the Stockton Arena in Stockton. The winner of the tournament would receive the automatic bid for the NCAA tournament.

CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll
The defending CCAA tournament champions Cal State Stanislaus Warriors were picked to finished third this season in a preseason poll of the league's head coaches. The Warriors received two first-place votes and earned 98 points, 10 points behind Cal State San Bernardino, which was picked to finish second. Cal Poly Pomona, which received eight first place votes, was the favor to win the 2014-15 title.