The Otters face two more conference opponents this weekend after picking up their first conference win of the season on Friday against Sonoma State and nearly beating California Collegiate Athletic Association powerhouse Humboldt State on Saturday.
Friday, Cal State L.A. (9-4 overall and 3-3 in CCAA) will be at the Otter Sports Center and Saturday the CSUMB men will face Cal State Dominguez Hills (6-5 , 1-4). Of the two games, Friday's would appear to be the most difficult. Cal State L.A. is coming off a two-victory weekend road trip -- on Friday the Golden Eagles defeated Dominguez Hills 74-72 and on Saturday beat UC San Diego 111-102 in overtime.
The Eagles have four players scoring in double figures: Dejon Prejean (16.5), Louis Hamilton (14), Vincent Camper (12.6), Demetrius Hazel (12.3). Hamilton, a 6' 6” forward, is shooting 64.9 percent from the field. Prejean, a 6' 4” guard is shooting 43.1 percent from the three-point line.
On Saturday CSUMB will have the opportunity to climb out of the conference cellar with a victory over Dominguez Hills. CSUMB is currently in three-way tie for last with the Toros and Chico State. The Toros' lone conference victory was a 50-47 win over Cal Poly Pomona. They are led in scoring by Jerrell Smith, with 10 points a game, and Jamaal Barnes with 9.5. Smith also leads the team in rebounds with 6.2 per game. As a team, the Toros allow just 65.6 points a game. The problem is, they score 67.1.
CSUMB's defense has not nearly been as sturdy, allowing 78.8 points per game, and they are scoring just 74.1, that's a 4.7-point deficit. But lately, the Otters have shown they can compete with anybody. HSU is in second place in the CCAA and just narrowly won Saturday night, despite having a 14-point lead late in the game. In that game, Juston Willis came off the bench to score 12 points in the final minutes of the game. Assisting Willis in that effort was D'Shon Cannon, who has been scoring in bunches. He is averaging 15.8 on the season, but scored 24 on Friday, 23 on Saturday. Against Sonoma State he scored 19 in the second half. Cannon has scored the majority of those points driving to the basket and making acrobatic layups, what his coach Pat Kosta has described as “D'Shon's individual artistry.” Look for more Cannon's art to be on display this weekend at the Otter Sports Center.
