A classic meeting between the irresistible force and the immovable object will kickoff the 2012-13 home schedule for the Cal State Monterey Bay women's basketball team. The stalwart Otter defense will try to corral the high-scoring Menlo College offense in their final exhibition game of the preseason.
The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tipoff.
to watch the live stream. Campus viewers can watch live on channel 72.
SCOUTING THE OAKS: The Oaks opened the season on fire, defeating No. 14 Corbin University (NAIA Div. II) 86–54 before blowing out Concordia–Irvine 98–79. Proving that small NAIA school aren't their only prey, Menlo defeated Pac West Conference member Notre Dame de Namur 91–64 Wednesday night (CSUMB opens at Notre Dame on Nov. 16).
Jolise Limcaco leads five Oaks averaging in double figures at 17.7 points per game. Senior post player Lauren Adamek adds 15.0 ppg and shares the team rebounding lead at 8.3 rpg.
ABOUT LAST WEEK: The Otters weren't literally tilting at windmills Sunday at USC, but with eight players on the Women of Troy roster as tall or taller than the tallest Otter, it was pretty close to that. The Otters hung tough with the Pac–12 Conference contenders, trailing by 31–24 at the half and still within 14 points with six minutes remaining. But, thanks in large part to a 63–24 rebounding advantage, USC pulled away late for a 73–45 win. Senior guard
Stefanie Corgel led the Otters with 13 points. Senior forward
Brittani Jefferson grabbed six rebounds.
OH SAY DOES THAT CCAA BANNER YET WAVE? Not yet, but the 2012 CCAA Tournament Championship banner will rise in a pregame ceremony prior to tipoff of Saturday's game versus Menlo.
ANOTHER 20–WIN SEASON, ANOTHER TITLE: The Otters secured a second consecutive 20–win season and a second consecutive championship banner with last season's run through the CCAA Tournament. They are the first two of each in CSUMB women's basketball history.
70 IS THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING: With apologies to Douglas Adams, the answer to everything isn't 42, it's 70. The Otters have won 23 consecutive games when scoring at least 70 points, a streak they continued with their 71–69 CCAA Championship Game victory over Cal State L.A. on Mar. 3, 2012. In fact, CSUMB is 24-1 all–time when scoring 70 or more points under
Renee Jimenez. The lone loss, you ask? An 85–79 loss to Cal State Stanislaus on Dec. 6, 2008.
ALL–CCAA TEAMS: Then senior wing
Brandi Stephens earned first team All–CCAA honors as voted on by the conference coaches for 2011–12. Current seniors
Stefanie Corgel and
Brittani Jefferson garnered second team recognition.
ALL–CCAA TOURNAMENT: Brittani Jefferson's buzzer beater in the title game helped propel her to winning the CCAA Championship most outstanding player award. She was joined on the all–tournament team by
Jessica Fontenette and
Erika Ward.
HIGH FIVE SIX FOR DOUBLE–DOUBLES: Brittani Jefferson stepped up big in her first postseason, recording double–doubles in wins over East Bay (10 points/12 rebounds) and Cal State L.A. (11 & 12); her 5th and 6th overall. To put that effort in perspective, on the previous season's CCAA Championship team combined for just four double–doubles (3 by
Julie Heurung and 1 by
Holly Holcomb).
20–POINT POWER: Brittani Jefferson's 22–point game at Cal State East Bay on Dec. 30, 2011 was the sixth 20–point game of the season by the Otters. Four different Otters reached that plateau last season. Jefferson has did it twice (including a 21–point night vs. Simpson).
Erika Ward (22 vs. Colorado State–Pueblo),
Stefanie Corgel (20 vs. Cal State L.A.) and
Brandi Stephens (22 vs. Humboldt State; 25 vs. Sonoma State) account for the other four.
20–POINT POWER, PART II: The above statistic stands out a bit more when you consider that the Otters posted just three 20–point games during 2011's 27–4 CCAA Championship run. All three of those games belonged to current assistant coach
Julie Heurung.
WHY PLAY 40 MINUTES? Second halves have become all but irrelevant when the Otters lead at intermission under Renee Jimenez. CSUMB has won 56 of its last 57 regular season games in which it has led at halftime. In fact, under Jimenez, the Otters have a 62–3 all–time regular season record when leading at intermission. Humboldt State broke the Otters' 52–game win streak in such situations by overcoming a 32-31 on deficit Feb. 4, 2012 to win 65–51. CSUMB was 18–1 when leading at halftime last season.
THE DEFENSE NEVER RESTS: Otter success in the
Renee Jimenez era begins with defense. The 2011–12 Otters allowed just 59.6 points per game, marking the third consecutive season they allowed fewer than 60.0 points per game.
BALANCING ACT: While defense remains the forté, the Otter offense found success by doing an insane balancing act once again in 2011–12. CSUMB's top six scorers averaged between 9.8 and 7.6 points per game, marking the second consecutive season that an Otter championship team did not feature a player who averaged in double figures.
OTTERS WEARING RED? While not traditionally a CSUMB color, red will be the color for five Otters who will redshirt the 2012–13 season: Two of the redshirts will be returning players: Senior guard
Danielle Padilla and sophomore forward
Mykayla Harris. They will be joined on the redshirt list by junior wing
Kayla Patton and freshman guards
Victoria Dorn and
Tyvette White.
WORKING OVERTIME: Four seasons, four overtime games, four wins. That's the formula for CSUMB and bonus basketball during the
Renee Jimenez era. The Otters have played (and won) exactly one overtime game each season under Jimenez. Last season, the Otters came from behind late in regulation then finished off Sonoma State 64–59 in The Kelp Bed on Dec. 3, 2011.
