GAME #18
CSUMB (11-6) vs. CSU Stanislaus (5-10)
Friday, Jan. 30, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.
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GAME #19
CSUMB (11-6)  vs. Chico State (6-11)
Saturday, Jan. 31, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.
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Game Notes



OPENING TIP:
With eight of their ten games scheduled in January on the road, the Otters look forward to competing in their last two this weekend.  CSUMB is in a three-way tie with Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State L.A. for fifth place in the CCAA standings.

LOOKING AHEAD:
CSUMB returns home next weekend to welcome the Lumberjacks of Humboldt State on Feb 6 and the Seawolves of Sonoma State to the Otter Sports Center. 

SCOUTING THE WARRIORS:
Currently in last place in the CCAA standings, the Warriors (5-10, 1-9 CCAA) lone conference victory came against Cal State L.A. on January 16, in Turlock.  Players to watch: Benny Coochoie (12.6 ppg, 25 steals), Matt Ibewiro (11.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 16 blocks).

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS:
Chico State saw an 11-point halftime lead disappear in a frustrating 69-63 loss at UC San Diego Saturday, Jan 24, at the RIMAC Arena. UC San Diego shot 78% in the second half and outscored the visiting Wildcats 51-34 to erase a 29-18 deficit. Players to watch: CCAA leading scorer Any Bocian (20.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg), Justin Argenal (6.6 ppg, 72 assists, 20-for-25 at free throw line).

OTTERS BREAK INTO NATIONAL STATISTICS:
CSUMB finds itself ranked 95th in scoring (64.7 per game), 76th in the nation in free throw percentage (71.1) and 124th in scoring offense (74.0). Individually, senior #Steve Monreal# is in the national top 100 of two categories: free throw percentage with 76-for-86 in 15 games (88.4, 18th) and assists per game (4.4, 72nd).  Senior #Joe Mitchell# is ranked 42nd after averaging 8.8 rebounds per game.

AGAINST CAL POLY POMONA:
The Cal State Monterey Bay men's basketball team fell 79-60 to Cal Poly Pomona Friday, Jan 23, at Kellogg Gym, dropping to 11-5 on the season and 5-4 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.  With the victory, the Broncos improved to 9-5 overall and 5-4 in conference action. Seniors #Jose Sanchez# and #Dante Green# led the Otters in scoring with 13 and 12 points, respectively. Senior #Joe Mitchell# pulled down a team-high five rebounds, and senior #Steve Monreal# dished out four assists.

AGAINST CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO:
Despite having four players register double digits, the Cal State Monterey Bay men's basketball team fell to the Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes, 63-57, on Saturday, Jan 24, at the Coussoulis Arena. Senior #Steve Monreal# and junior #Keith Wilson# led the Otters with 11 points apiece, while senior #Jose Sanchez# added 10.  Senior #Joe Mitchell# snagged his sixth double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.  Monreal dished out a team-high five assists and three steals.

POST GAME COMMENTS BY BISHOP:
Against Cal State San Bernardino - “We played well enough on defense to win, but we just missed too many layups. Unfortunately, in the last two minutes we gave up two huge offensive rebounds when we got stops and they made us pay. I was proud how we battled tonight.  We bounced back from a woeful game at Pomona put ourselves in position but we came up short.”

MITCHELL NAMED WILSON/CCAA PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
#Joe Mitchell#, a 6-foot-4 senior from Oakland, Calif. averaged 15.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 blocks and connected on 52.9 percent of his field goal attempts as the Otters split a pair of road games at Cal State L.A. and Cal State Dominguez Hills. During an 80-70 loss at Cal State L.A., Mitchell scored 17 points and totaled a career-high 19 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. He followed that effort with 13 rebounds and five rebounds during a 76-72 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills that helped keep the Otters within a game of first place in the CCAA.A four-year player for the Otters, this is Mitchell's first time being named Wilson CCAA Player of the Week.  

MAKING IT REAL:
Senior #Steve Monreal# has emerged as CSUMB's top scoring threat, averaging 15.5 points per game.  He is shooting 37.8 percent overall but has been even more impressive at the free throw line, making 76-for-86 (88.4 percent) from the charity stripe.  Monreal followed a 28-point outing against Alaska Fairbanks in the season opener with a 23-point effort against Academy of Art, representing the first time in his career at CSUMB he reached the 20-point plateau in back-to-back games.

RECORD WATCH:
Senior #Joe Mitchell# is 148 points away from the 1000 career point milestone.  With 852 points thus far, Mitchell needs to average 14.8 points in the last 10 games.  Mitchell averaged 12.9 points per game in 2007-08 season and is currently averaging 11.5 ppg. 

HOME SWEET HOME:
The Otters opened the 2008-09 season undefeated at home with eight victories, the best start in school team history. 

CCAA LEADERS:
(Overall statistics as of 01/20/2009)

#Steve Monreal# - 4th in points (15.5 per game); 2nd free throw percentage (88.4 percent), 2nd in assists (4.4 per game); 4th in steals (1.8 per game), 9th in 3-point field goals made (30).

#Joe Mitchell# - 2nd in total rebounds (149), 2nd in rebounding (8.8 per game); 1st in offensive rebounds (3.0 per game), 3rd in defensive boards (5.8 per game), 3rd in field goal percentage (55.0 percent), 7th in block shots (0.6 per game), 19th in points (11.1 per game).

#Dante Green# - 6th in field goal percentage (52.9 percent), 8th in rebounding (5.8 per game); 9th in offensive boards (2.1 per game); 9th in defensive boards (3.8 per game), 29th in points (8.8 per game).

#Keith Wilson# - 13th in field goal percentage (48.6 percent).

#Jose Sanchez# - 23rd in points (9.8 per game).