Stanislaus State and Chico State square-off twice in three days this week in the home-and-home series. It will be the Warriors' final home game of the season on Thursday

Team Records: 6-16, 3-12 CCAA [CCAA Standings]

Thursday
Warriors vs. Chico State, Ed & Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena, Turlock, 7:30 p.m.
[Live Stats] [Live Video] [Live Audio] KEFC 100.5 FM
 
Saturday
Warriors at Chico State, Acker Gymnasium, Chico, 7:30 p.m. [Live Stats] [Live Video] [Live Audio] 

This Week's Opponent

Chico State WILDCATS (18-6, 11-5 CCAA)
Series Notes: Chico State has the upper hand lately, winning five of last six meetings in the series. Overall, the Warriors trail 17-22 with the last win (62-60) in Chico on Dec. 20, 2014.

Last Time We Met... was earlier this year, on Nov. 22, when No. 19 Chico State won a 70-49 non-conference game at Chico. Kyle Gouveia scored 12 points and Richard Medina had eight points and five assists ot lead the Warriors.

About the Wildcats: Chico State has lost three straight games to go from the top of the CCAA Standings to fourth. They are coming of a one-point, 59-58, loss against CSU San Marcos last Saturday … The Wildcats have the second best scoring margin in the CCAA at +10.7 …  Jalen McFerren is the CCAA's top free throw shooter at 91.4 percent (64 for 70). He's also made 55 three-pointers … Corey Silverstrom averages 13.8 points a game.

Facing 'Cats Twice
The Warriors will have to face Chico State twice in three days as the teams meet first in Turlock for round one. Round two is on Saturday in Chico. The teams did the same thing — play back to back — back in 2014-15 season but it was 13 days apart over the Christmas break.

Homecoming Night
Without a doubt, Thursday night's crowd will be the biggest and loudest of the season as the student body celebrates homecoming. Annually this event draws nearly 2,000 fans in attendance.

Still a Rivalry 
This traditional rivalry has been one-sided, tipping towards Chico State's side as the Wildcats remain one of the top teams in the West Region. From 2011 to 2014, teams traded wins with mostly close games with the battle peaking at the end of the 2014 season. During the 2014 postseason, Stan State beat Chico State to claim the CCAA Championship and a week later, Chico State rallied from behind to took the West Region title from the Warriors.

Snapping the 5-Game Skid
The Warriors have lost five straight games for the first time this season. Aside from the 11-game skid of 2015-16, you'd have to go all the way back to 2009-10 to find a five-game skid. The 2008-09 season was the last time Stanislaus dropped six straight games.

Bennett Leads Bench
Joey Bennett came off the bench to score his season-best 18 points in last Thursday's game against Cal State San Marcos. He scored all of those points in the second half. He was 7 for 11 from the field and made three three-pointers.

Putting Up Points
Last Thursday against Cal State San Marcos, the Warriors scored 76 points — tying the season best total during a CCAA game (won at Humboldt State, 76-72, on Jan. 21). Unfortunately, the Warriors gave up 94 points to the best scoring team in the conference.

Winning at Rebounding
Stan State is the second best rebounding team in the CCAA, averaging 36.4 per game. The Warriors are also tied for second best in allowing rebounds as opponents averaged just 29.8 rebounds a game … Vondel Faniel remains second in rebounding at 8.9 per game. He's also second  with 3.6 offensive rebounds a game.

Freshman of the year?
Jaelen Ragsdale could make a case for CCAA Freshman of the Year as he's had a stellar rookie season. Ragsdale is averaging 9.4 points per game and has scored 20 points twice with 10 double-digit scoring game. Since he became a starter, he's scored in double digits in 10 of 14 games while averaging 12.4 points per game (team high 31.2 minutes per game). He's also prolific at the free throw line in these 14 games, hitting on 86 percent of attempts (49-for-57).

Oh, That 60-point Mark
Stan State continues to struggle to get a victory when scoring less than 60 points. The Warriors are now 0-13 in those games while going 6-4 in games when they score 61 or more points.

Senior Night
Three Seniors — Vondel Faniel, Nate Henry and Joey Bennett — are playing in their final home game on Thursday and will be recognized in a pregame event.

Reynolds to be in CSUSB HOF
Head coach Larry Reynolds is being inducted into the Cal State San Bernardino Athletics Hall of Fame in May, as CSUSB announced on Wednesday. Reynolds won three CCAA titles, two NCAA West Region championships and four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances in five seasons at CSUSB. The Coyotes were 110-35 under Reynolds, a four-time CCAA Coach of he Year honoree. [See page 4 for more information on Larry Reynolds]

Officially Out
Unfortunately the Warriors have been officially eliminated from contention for a CCAA tournament berth. The Warriors are four games behind seventh and eighth place Cal State San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona (7-9 in CCAA) with four games to go. CSUSB and CPP would win the tiebreaker having won all games against Stanislaus State in 2016-17.