FULL NOTEBOOK vs. CAL STATE DOMINGUEZ HILLS IN PDF FORMAT


SEASIDE, Calif. -- The No. 22 Cal State Monterey Bay women's basketball team will look to bounce back into the win column when it begins a four-game roadtrip Friday (Jan. 27) at Cal State Dominguez Hills. The Otters will also play Saturday night (Jan. 28) at Cal State L.A.

Those who can't make the trip can follow the action live on www.OtterAthletics.com. Rob Ponce and Patrick Kelley will call the action live from courtside starting at 5:30 p.m. each night.

SCOUTING THE TOROS: Although the Toros are stalwart as always on the defensive end, they quite simply are having difficulties scoring this season. They average a CCAA–low 49.1 points per game, shooting just 32 percent from the floor and 21 percent from beyond the arc. No Toro player currently scores in double figures for the season. Junior guard Porcha Davis leads the offense at 8.4 points per game. Senior forward Sherrie Hughes is next on the list at 7.2 ppg. She adds a team–high 7.1 rebounds per game.

WHEN LAST WE MET: In a game that was a bit closer than the final score indicated, the Otters led nearly wire–to–wire in a 71–51 win in The Kelp Bed on Dec. 19. CSUMB led by six at the half (32–26) but didn't get the lead to double figures until a Brandi Stephens (Sacramento/El Camino HS) layup made it 46–35 eight minutes into the second half. The Otters eased away from that point. Erika Ward (Simi Valley/Royal HS/Ventura College) led four Otters in double figures with 14 points. Sherrie Hughes and Ashley Hudson scored 11 apiece for CSUDH.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME: The Toros lead the all–time series with the Otters, but the Torodome has been a friendly place to play for CSUMB. The Otters are 3–1 in their last four games at the Torodome.

ABOUT LAST WEEK: The Otters didn't lead wire–to–wire, but Friday's contest with Cal State Stanislaus was never really in doubt as CSUMB raced to a 20–point halftime lead en route to a 66–46 victory. Brandi Stephens led a balanced effort with 13 points in just 19 minutes. Saturday, the Otters suffered through their worst shooting night of the season (33.3 percent) in a 63–58 loss to Chico State. The game was tied at 58–58 inside the final minute when Chico scored the final five points from the line.

CSUDH picked up a pair of home losses last week, falling 65–60 to Cal Poly Pomona and 74–52 to San Francisco State. Siedah Wilson scored 14 against the Broncos. Hillarie Perrin–Grant had 14 against the Gators.

FRONTRUNNERS: As has been noted in this space throughout the season, the Otters have been lethal when winning at the half, but they've also done a great job putting teams away early. The Jan. 13 win at Cal State San Bernardino marked the sixth time this season that the Otters never trailed en route to a victory.

20–POINT POWER: Brittani Jefferson's 22–point game at Cal State East Bay was the sixth 20–point game of the season by the Otters. Four different Otters have reached that plateau this season. Jefferson has done it twice, including a 21–point night vs. Simpson. Erika Ward (22 vs. Colorado State–Pueblo), Stefanie Corgel (20 vs. Cal State L.A.) and Brandi Stephens (22 vs. Humboldt State; 25 vs. Sonoma State) account for the other four.

20–POINT POWER, PART II: The above statistic stands out a bit more when you consider that the Otters posted just three 20–point games during last season's 27–4 CCAA Championship run. All three of those games belonged to Julie Heurung.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN… After playing eight games at home to open the 2011–12 season, the Otters are seeing extensive road action for the first time, playing nine of 11 away from The Kelp Bed. The Otters finished the first leg of that spread with a 4–1 record. They'll head south again this weekend to begin a four–game road trip.

…JUST CAN'T WAIT TO GET ON THE ROAD AGAIN: If recent history is any indication, hitting the road is a good thing for the Otters. CSUMB has won 16 of its last 18 regular season road games dating back to the 2009–10 season.

'TIS THE SEASON OF NOT GIVING: While not quite on its record setting pace which led all of NCAA Division II last season, the Otter defense has not been in the giving spirit this season. The Otters have held 11 of their first 15 opponents to 60 or fewer points.

HIGH (TWENTY) FIVE: Brandi Stephens' 25–point effort against Sonoma State made her just the fifth player in CSUMB women's basketball history to score 25 points in a game. The only Otters to score more were Dana Andrews (who did it eight times, including a school–record 41 points against Cal State Dominguez Hills in 2008) and Alma Lopez (who dropped 33 on SFSU in 2008). The other 25–point scorers were Julie Heurung (vs. Cal State Stanislaus on Feb. 25, 2011) and Helen Suarez (at Cal State Dominguez Hills on Jan. 9, 2009).

DOUBLE–DOUBLE TOIL AND TROUBLE: By posting 18 points and 11 rebounds last week against the Coyotes, Brittani Jefferson recorded her third double–double in four games. She is one of three Otters to post a double–double this season The trio of Jefferson, Shonetta Crain-Williams and Holly Holcomb already have combined for five double–doubles. Last season, only two Otters posted double–doubles in the regular season: Julie Heurung (3 times) and Holcomb (once).

TURN IT ON AGAIN: The Otters will look to turn it on again after having two significant streak end the past two Saturday. The Jan. 14 loss at UC San Diego snapped CSUMB's CCAA win streak at 14 games dating back to Feb. 11, 2011. Last Saturday's loss to Chico State snapped the Otters' streak of 10 consecutive CCAA home wins. CSUMB still rides a 17–2 CCAA home streak dating back to the 2009–10 season.

WHY PLAY 40 MINUTES? Second halves have become all but irrelevant when the Otters lead at intermission under Renee Jimenez. CSUMB has won 50 consecutive regular season games in which it has led at halftime. In fact, under Jimenez, the Otters have a 56–2 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.

FROM WAY DOWNTOWN: Senior guard Erika Ward (Simi Valley/Royal HS/Ventura JC) is on a record–setting pace from beyond the three–point line. Her 37 treys this season lead the CCAA and already rank No. 8 in the CSUMB season record book. At her current pace, she will finish the regular season with 72, one off the school record of 73 set by Dana Andrews during the 2007–08 season.

LARGE MARGINS: The 86–55 win over Simpson University equalled the largest margin of victory—31 points—in CSUMB women's basketball history. It matched the 83–52 win over William Jessup University on Dec. 13, 2008 and the 52–21 win over Cal State East Bay on Feb. 5, 2011.