GAME #28
CSUMB (14-13) vs. CSU Dominguez Hills (21-6)
Tuesday, Mar. 3, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.
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Game Notes








OPENING TIP:
After finishing tied for sixth in the CCAA regular season standings, the Otters was put in the seventh slot and will take on Cal State Dominguez Hills in the first round of the CCAA Championship. 

SCOUTING THE TOROS:
Cal State Dominguez Hills (21-6, 15-5 CCAA) finished the regular season in a three-way tie for first place.  After the tie breaker rules were enforced, the Toros were placed in the 2nd seed of the CCAA Tournament.  Prior to the 75-71 loss to Humboldt State in Arcata on Feb. 27, the Toros were on a eight-game winning streak.  Player to watch: Michael Hernaandez (12.6 ppg, 116 assists), Jerrell Smith (12.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 40 blocks), Rodney Yearby (9.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg).

REMATCH OF LAST YEARS FIRST ROUND:
Last year, the Otters saw their season come to an end in a 56-53 loss to the Toros in the first round of the CCAA Championships at the Otter Sports Center. CSUMB was able to keep the game close throughout even though the Otters were dominated inside. CSUMB lost the rebound battle 32-22 and allowed CSUDH to get 14 offensive boards. The Toros scored 30 points from inside the point compared to the Otters' 12. But there were 13 lead changes and the score was tied eight times. Former Otter Juston Willis, tied the game for the final time at 53-53 with two free throws with 1:35 left in the game. Dominguez Hills' Jonathan Tolliver later put the Toros ahead for good at 55-53 with a jumper from the top of the key with one second left on the shot clock and 1:01 left in the game. After the Otters failed to answer that bucket, less than 30 seconds remained and CSUMB was forced to start fouling. CSUMB had started the season 1-9 overall and 1-7 in the CCAA before reeling off six straight victories and winning 10 of their last 13 to finish the regular season 12-14 overall and 11-9 in the CCAA. That earned the Otters a fourth seed and a home game in the postseason.


OTTERS BREAK INTO NATIONAL STATISTICS:
CSUMB finds itself ranked 71st in the nation in free throw percentage (71.6) and 127th in scoring offense (73.1). Individually, senior #Steve Monreal# is in the national top 100 in two categories: free throw percentage with 108-for-123 in 25 games (87.8, 23rd) and assists per game (4.4, 72nd).  Senior #Joe Mitchell# is ranked 31st after averaging 9.1 rebounds per game.

AGAINST CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO:
The Cal State Monterey Bay men's basketball team fell, 85-77, to visiting Cal State San Bernardino on Thursday, Feb. 26, at the Otter Sports Center. Senior #Dante Green# led the Otters with 19 points, shooting 66.7 percent from the field. Senior #Joe Mitchell# connected on his first 3-pointer of the season, while recording a team-high six rebounds and five assists. With his 16 points tonight, Mitchell is now CSUMB's all-time leading scorer with 950 points.  The previous record was held by D'Shon Cannon, who scored 937 points in three season as an Otter (2005-08). The Otters outrebounded CSUSB, 27-26.

AGAINST CAL POLY POMONA:
The Cal State Monterey Bay men's basketball team dropped a 66-59 decision to Cal Poly Pomona in its regular season finale on Friday, Feb. 27, at the Otter Sports Center. Senior #Joe Mitchell# recorded his 22nd career double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.  Senior #Steve Monreal# led the Otters with 18 points and three steals.  Junior #Sean Jergo# added 10 points.

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 free throw shooter, by accumulating an impressive 88.4 percentage making (114-for-129) from the charity stripe.  Monreal began the season with a 14-for-14 showing at the free throw line against Alaska-Fairbanks on Nov. 14, 2008.

RECORD WATCH:
On Thursday, Feb. 26, senior #Joe Mitchell# claimed another career record at CSUMB by raising his career points to 965. Mitchell passed D'Shon Cannon, who played three season for the Otters to claim the all-time leading scorer title. Mitchell holds the following CSUMB career records: field goals made (368), rebounds (750), steals (90) and games played (104).

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 03/02/2009)

#Steve Monreal# - 3rd in points (15.1 per game); 2nd free throw percentage (88.4 percent), 3rd in assists (4.3 per game); 3rd in steals (1.8 per game), 4th in 3-point field goals made (53).

#Joe Mitchell# - 2nd in total rebounds (243), 2nd in rebounding (9.0 per game); 1st in offensive rebounds (2.7 per game), 2nd in defensive boards (6.3 per game), 2nd in field goal percentage (57.1 percent), 10th in blocked shots (14), 17th in points (11.0 per game).

#Dante Green# - 6th in field goal percentage (53.6 percent), 14th in rebounding (5.0 per game); 13th in offensive boards (1.7 per game); 15th in defensive boards (3.3 per game), 25th in points (9.3 per game).

#Jose Sanchez# - 26th in points (9.2 per game).