FULL NOTEBOOK vs. CAL STATE STANISLAUS IN PDF FORMAT


SEASIDE, Calif -- The Cal State Monterey Bay men's basketball team returns to The Kelp Bed for the first time in a month to host a pair of games this weekend. The Otters will host Cal State Stanislaus Friday (Jan. 20) and Chico State Saturday (Jan. 21). Both games tip-off at 7:30 p.m. as the nightcaps of men's/women's doubleheader action.

If you can't make the games in person, be sure to listen live on KION 1460 AM and watch live on www.OtterAthletics.com. Rob Ponce and John Berlin will call the action from courtside.

SCOUTING THE WARRIORS: After winning six of their first seven to open the season, the Warriors have been up and down, going 3–4 over their last seven games leading into Friday's trip to The Kelp Bed. Senior forward Reggie Jones, the only Warrior scoring in double figures this season, leads the CCAA with an 18.4 points per game average. He is also the top Stanislaus rebounder at 6.9 rebounds per game.

WHEN LAST WE MET: Stanislaus used second half spurts of 7–0 and 8–0 to break open a close game and win going away, 78–58, in The Kelp Bed on Feb. 25, 2011. Making their final Otter appearances, Davion Berry and Warren Freeman led CSUMB with 17 and 10 points respectively. Stanislaus got a game–high 19–point effort from Reggie Jones.

FROM WAY DOWNTOWN: Look for long range shooting to play an integral role in Friday night's meeting between the Otters and Warriors. Stanislaus enters the game ranked No. 1 in the CCAA by shooting 39.2 percent from beyond the arc. The Otters are ranked No. 3 at 37.1 percent.

ABOUT LAST WEEK: CCAA leading Cal State San Bernardino pulled away late in the first half en route to an 84–62 win in Coussoulis Arena on Jan. 13. But the loss that left a mark was a 71–67 setback at UC San Diego on Jan. 14. The Otters had the ball in a tie game with less than a minute remaining when an unforced turnover gifted the game to the Tritons. Three Otters scored in double figures, led by junior Geoff McIntosh's (Gig Harbor, Wash./No. Oklahoma JC) season–high 19 points.

CLOSE BUT ONE CIGAR: With the exception of their Dec. 3 overtime win against Sonoma State, close games have spelled doom for the Otters so far in 2011–12. The Otters have had the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead in the final minute six times this season, ultimately falling in five of those games. For the record, the games were: Westminster College (L), Sonoma State (W), Notre Dame de Namur (L), Cal State L.A. (L), Cal State East Bay (L) and UCSD (L).

DOUBLE VISION: Derrick Anderson's 15–point, 14–rebound double–double against Sonoma State was not only his first collegiate double–double, it has been the only double–double by an Otter in the last 37 games. Davion Berry was the last Otter to turn the trick, scoring 24 points with 12 boards in a 78–63 win over Cal State East Bay on Feb. 19, 2010.

START ME UP: By starting the Jan. 14 game at UC San Diego, Brandon Ward continued his steady climb up the CSUMB career starts top 10 list. Ward made his 57th Otter start that night, solidifying his hold on sole possession of the No. 4 slot. Should Ward start all 26 regular season games in 2011–12, he would end the season with 70 career starts, No. 3 on the all–time list and just six off the record held by current assistant coach Joe Mitchell.

Also of note, Derrick Anderson made his 50th and 51st career starts over the weekend and now is tied for seventh on the CSUMB career list.

THE MONTEREY BAY 500: Brandon Ward's final bucket Dec. 10 at Notre Dame de Namur put him in exclusive company. It lifted the junior guard over 500 career points (501). Ward became just the 16th Otter to reach that plateau. He enters Friday's game with 600 points, good for No. 14. He needs 15 points to catch Mike Miller at No. 13 Should he continue at his current pace, Ward will end the regular season as CSUMB's ninth all–time leading scorer.

THE WARD GIVETH… Brandon Ward recorded three assists at UC San Diego, bringing his career total to 161 assists, good for sole possession of the No. 4 spot. DShon Cannon owns the Otter record with 371.

…AND THE WARD TAKETH AWAY: Brandon Ward grabbed two more steals at UCSD Saturday night, solidifying his hold on the No. 9 spot on the CSUMB career list with 59 steals. Joe Mitchell holds the Otter record with 91 steals.

LOUSTALE LEADS THE WAY: Junior forward Kevin Loustale (Chico HS/Shasta College) has been a model of shooting consistency this season. Shooting at least 60 percent from the floor in eight of his first 10 games in which he recorded a shot, Loustale begins the week still leading the CCAA in field goal percentage at 66.2.

OTTERS AMONG THE CCAA LEADERS: Several Otters entered this week's action ranked among the CCAA leaders. Here are the numbers and ranking entering the week for CSUMB players ranked in the top 10:
NOW THAT'S SMARTS: The Otter men's basketball team boasted three players who earned CCAA All–Academic honors for their classroom work in 2010–11. The Otter triumvirate of James Albert, Brenden Fripp (Santa Barbara/Palo Verde HS) and Brandon Ward made CSUMB the only school to place three men's basketball players on the list. In case you were wondering, Albert posted a 3.65 grade point average as a business administration major. Ward posted a 3.90 GPA as a business administration major.