FULL OTTERS vs. THUNDERWOLVES NOTEBOOK IN PDF FORMAT


SEASIDE, Calif. -- Cal State Monterey Bay women's basketball opens play at the 2011 Otter Thanksgiving Shootout Wednesday (Nov. 23) against Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference contender Colorado State-Pueblo. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

Tickets for the Thanksgiving Shootout -- including Friday's (Nov. 25) game between Pueblo and Simon Fraser and Saturday's (Nov. 26) game between the Otters and SImon Fraser -- are free.


SCOUTING THE THUNDERWOLVES: After three consecutive 20–win seasons and four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, the Thunderwolves are looking to “bounce back” from a 16–11 finish in 2010–11. Head Coach Kip Drown, who led Grand Canyon in four CCAA seasons (2002–05), enters Wednesday's game just 14 shy of 400 career wins. Four Thunderwolves enter the game scoring in double figures, led by sophomore guard Alex Evans at 13.0 ppg. Senior forward Jennelle Branting chips in 10.5 ppg and a team–best 6.5 rebounds per game.

WHEN LAST WE MET: This will be first meeting between the Otters and Thunderwolves. In fact, CSUMB's only previous meeting versus a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference school was a 71–64 loss to Fort Lewis College on Dec. 29, 2007.

FOR OPENERS: With last week's win, the Otters are 4–4 all–time in season–openers at the NCAA Division II level (2004–05 to present). The Otters have won all four openers under Head Coach Renee Jimenez, including a 71–49 victory over Hawaii Pacific to open last season.

OPENING WITH A BANG: In CSUMB's four openers under Renee Jimenez, the Otters have won by an average of 15.5 points. The smallest margin of victory in those games was eight points.

RANK IT UP: After finishing 24th in the WBCA/USA Today Top 25 last season, the Otters enter 2011–12 receiving votes in the preseason top 25. It marks the first time the Otters have received votes in the preseason national rankings.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME: The Otters enter Wednesday's game versus Colorado State–Pueblo riding a seven–game home winning streak. The Otters are on a five–game nonconference win streak at home. The last time the Otters lost to a non–CCAA team in The Kelp Bed came in a 71–64 setback to Fort Lewis College on Dec. 29, 2007.

TWO TITLES IN ONE: The Otters earned not one but two titles during the 2010–11 campaign. With a 20–2 mark in conference play, the Otters captured their first CCAA women's basketball championship. By allowing just 51.2 points per game, they also earned the NCAA Division II statistical championship for scoring defense. It was the first statistical title for the CSUMB women's basketball program.

STARTING FAST: The Otters found much of their success by starting fast last season. CSUMB went 23–1 when it led at halftime in 2010–11, including a spotless 21–0 mark in the regular season.

WHY PLAY 40 MINUTES? Second halves have become all but irrelevant when the Otters lead at intermission under Renee Jimenez. CSUMB has won 41 consecutive regular season games in which it has led at halftime. In fact, under Jimenez, the Otters have a 47–2 all–time regular season record when leading at intermission. The last time the Otters lost such a game came on Feb. 14, 2009 when Cal State L.A. overcame a 29–25 deficit at the break to win 67–63.

WELCOME ABOARD: The Otters welcome seven new faces to their 2011–12 roster, including a pair of NCAA Division I transfers in junior Stefanie Corgel (Manhattan Beach/UC Santa Barbara) and sophomore Hillary Drinovsky (Long Beach/Loyola Marymount). Corgel is eligible to play immediately while Drinovsky must sit due to NCAA transfer regulations.

WELCOME ABOARD, COACHES EDITION: The Otter bench will welcome a pair of new coaches as well in 2011–12. Former NBA star Tariq Abdul–Wahad, the first French national to play in the NBA, will get his first taste of collegiate coaching with the Otters this season. Meanwhile, LaShawn Johnson will make the transition from player to student–assistant coach in 2011–12. Johnson appeared in 24 games for the Otters as a senior in 2010–11, averaging 9.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.

THIEVES IN THE NIGHT: Two Otters continued their climbs up the CSUMB career top 10 for steals. Junior guard Holly Holcomb (Ventura/Buena HS) grabbed three steals versus Academy of Art and slipped past Andrea Hanshew into the No. 7 slot with 68 career steals. Fellow junior guard Jessica Fontenette (Chino Hills/Bishop Amat HS) added two steals and now is alone at No. 10 with 55. Both are chasing the career record of 133 set by Dana Andrews from 2006–09.

ON THE BLOCKS: Holly Holcomb also begins the season chasing the career blocked shots record. She begins her junior season ranked third with 34 career blocks. Julie Heurung set the pace with 77 blocks in just two seasons (2010–11).

ON THE REBOUND: Holly Holcomb will look to climb one more career list this season, beginning the 2011–12 campaign with 291 total rebounds, good for the No. 4 spot on the Otter career list. Next up is Julie Heurung with 416 boards. Krista Herr sets the pace in this category with 643 rebounds from 2005–08.