The Warriors will compete at the PacWest/CCAA Challenge in San Rafael this weekend with Dominican and Academy of Art as their opponents.

Friday
Warriors at Dominican (0-0), Conlan Center, San Rafael, 2 p.m. | [Live Stats] [Live Video]

Saturday
Warriors at Academy of Art (0-0), Conlan Center, San Rafael, Noon | [Live Stats] [Live Video]

Familiar Opponents to Start Season
Stan State opens the 2017-18 season the same way it started the previous, facing Dominican and Academy of Art. In fact, Dominican has been a regular early-season opponent for the Warriors as the teams also met in 2015-16 (game two of season) and opened 2014-15 against each other. Dominican was also Stan State's game one foe to start the 2012-13 season, making this the fourth time in the last six years that Stan State and Dominican play each other to begin a new campaign.

Solid Preseason
The Warriors had a productive preseason in three exhibitions with promising outcomes. Despite the two losses against Division I programs, the Warriors show their improved depth and athleticism. In three exhibition games the Warriors averaged 84 points, including a 105 out-put at home against Pacific Union.

New Leader Cleaves
One of the top new leaders is Andy Cleaves, who led the team in scoring in two of three exhibitions and scored in doubled digits in all three contests. He scored 18 on Nevada, added 17 against Pacific Union and dropped 15 on UC Riverside to average 16.7 points a game. In the home game on Nov. 1, he only missed one shot (6 of 7) and was 3 of 4 from the 3-point arch.

These Guys Will — and Can — Shoot
The new-look Warriors will and can shoot the rock. In three preseason games, the Warriors averaged 62 field goal attempts per game with an average field goal percentage of .473 (the 2016-17 team shot 41.8 percent). In these three games, they have taken 79 three-pointers (41.7 percent success rate, up from 31.4 last season).

Mitchell Hits from Downtown
So in preseason Senior Kaelen Mitchell is showing he will pick up where he left off. Mitchell made 10 three-pointers in the first two exhibition games, including a 5-for-5 night at home, to lead the Warriors' long-range shooting. Mitchell led the team with 56 triples (39.2 percent) in 2016-17. 

Lots of JC Transfers
The 2017-18 squad features nine junior college transfers to immediate reboot the program as co-head coaches Larry Reynolds and Paul Trevor look to make an impace in the CCAA. Transfers Tyrian Davis (College of Marin), Caleb Baskett (Las Positas College), Andy Cleaves (Riverside City College), Mat Bradshaw (Mt. San Jacinto College), Vida Faniel (Ventura College), Xavier Francois (Yuba College), and former East Union High grad Jacob Danhoff (Umpua Comunitty College) have all joined the Stan State program. Also new to the Warriors squad are Eddie Cowan (Ventura College) and Alejandro Diaz (Modesto Junior College).

Yes, Another Faniel
Vida Faniel, has followed his brother Vondel's foot steps and joined the Warrior family. Vida, who is named after the baseball great Vida Blue, will also have Vondel nearby as the elder is serving as a student assistant coach while he completes his education.

CCAA Preseason Poll
After coming off two seasons with a combined 10 conference wins, Stan State was picked to finished 10th out of 13 teams in the CCAA preseason poll by the head coaches. Chico State was voted as the favor to win the conference.

CCAA Basketball Championships
The 2017-18 CCAA Men's & Women's Basketball Championship tournament will be held at the end of February and during the first weekend of March. The first round games, of top 8 teams, will be on campus sites on Feb. 27 with the semifinals and finals on March 2 &3 at Kellogg Arena at Cal Poly Pomona. The winner of the tournament would receive the automatic bid for the NCAA tournament.

This Week's Opponents

Dominican PENGUINS (0-0)
Series Notes: The Warriors have lost two straight against Dominican including last year's opener in San Francisco. Stan State still holds a 5-4 advantage against the Penguins.

Last Time We Met... was last Nov. 11 at the SF State Tip-off Classic. Dominican won 60-58 on a layup with :03 left to play. Kaelen Mitchell had 17 points and Kyle Gouveia added 13 to lead Stanislaus.

About the Penguins: Jeremiah Gray was named to the Preseason All-PacWest team. He averaged 16.8 points and 4.5 rebounds last season for the 10-16 (9-11 PacWest) Penguins … Dominican was picked to finish eighth by the PacWest coaches.

Academy of Art URBAN KNIGHTS (0-0)
Series Notes: Academy of Art and Stanislaus State split their two previous meetings with Art U taking last year's contest in overtime.

Last Time We Met... was last Nov. 12 at the SF State Tip-off Classic. Art U won 88-85 in overtime. Kaelen Mitchell scored 21 points to lead five Warriors in double figures. Kyle Gouveia had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

About the Knights: Academy of Art is picked to finish 13th out of 14 in the PacWest in the preseason poll … The Urban Knights finished 7-19 (6-14 PacWest) in 2016-17 … Kendall Brown averaged 9.0 points, 4.3 rebounds a game last year.