As the Chico State men’s basketball team contends for the top spot in the CCAA, the women’s team needs everything to fall in place to make it to the playoffs.
Men
The men’s team has an overall record of 21-4, and a conference record of 15-3, giving them a one-game lead over second place UC San Diego. The team’s confidence has soared with a 9-1 record in its last 10 games.
One of the ‘Cats leading scorers, sophomore forward Isaiah Ellis, said that he believed their success was due to their final minutes of the game.
“We’ve got guys grinding through the final minutes of basketball, and last year we slacked off a bit,” Ellis said.
An important part of the men’s style of play is their tenacious rebounding and assist numbers, both which are ranked first in the CCAA. Chico State is also ranked No. 1 in 3-point shooting percentage at .410.
Sophomore guard Corey Silverstrom is ranked fifth in the CCAA for total 3-point field goals per game, and said that he thinks it is due to stepping up to his role as a guard.
“I can always score, but confidence is the key. Scoring has opened up the game for me,” Silverstrom said.
The men’s success this season is due to their dominating scoring performance, with 79.4 points per game, and their success on the glass, with 37.4 offensive rebounds per game and a seven rebound margin.
Women
While the men have enjoyed success in their season, the women have struggled as they’ve attempted to break a four-game losing streak. The team suffered a five-game losing streak earlier in the year, and is currently in 10th place.
The team is two wins away from playoff contention, and will be striving to win their final two. The team will need to finish their season in eighth place in the CCAA to make it to the post season.
A problem Chico State has had this season is their inefficient scoring, with 62.3 points per game. The poor scoring performance is due to a low shot percentage, with a field goal percentage of .394, and a 3-point percentage of .286.
While the ‘Cats have had difficulty in their shooting performance, they are currently third in the CCAA for assists (13.5), steals (8.68) and defensive rebounds (26.5).
While both teams attempt to grind through the remainder of their season, the men attempt to hold their first place position in the CCAA and gain the top seed in the playoffs, and the women team attempt to make it in to the playoffs.
Kenta McAfee can be reached at [email protected] or @KentaMcafee on Twitter.
