SEASIDE, Calif. -- The Cal State Monterey Bay women's basketball team will begin its second appearance in the NCAA's "Big Dance" Friday (Mar. 9) when the No. 5 seed Otters tackle No. 4 seed Western Washington in UCSD's RIMAC Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.

Those who cannot make the trip may follow all of the action live on KION 1460 AM and OtterAthletics.com. Rob Ponce and Patrick Kelley will call the action live from courtside.

SCOUTING THE VIKINGS: Western Washington will be making its 13th NCAA Tournament appearance in the last 14 years. The Vikings won six consecutive games before falling to Alaska–Anchorage, 67–52, in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference title game. First team All–GNAC pick Kristin Schramm leads the team in scoring at 12.6 points per game. Corinn Waltrip trails close behind at 12.1 ppg. 6–2 center Britt Harris is the team's top rebounder at 6.4 rpg.

WHEN LAST WE MET: The only previous meeting between Western Washington and CSUMB was tight for 30–plus minutes before the Vikings pulled away late for an 87–72 win at the Great Western Shootout in Las Vegas on Dec. 18, 2007. The Otters led 58–55 midway through the second half before a 19–2 Western run turned the tide. Dana Andrews led CSUMB with 26 points while Alma Lopez  set the CSUMB record with 11 assists. Amanda Dunbar led five Vikings in double figures with 23 points.

SETTING THE REGIONAL STAGE: Based on the weekend's results, there was little drama in determining the eight teams comprising the 2012 West Regional field. Such drama as there was came in the seeding. In addition to No. 5 CSUMB and No. 4 Western Washington, the complete bracket looks like this. No. 1 UC San Diego (28–2) vs. No. 8 Chico State (18–10). The winner plays the winner of No. 4 Western Washington (21–7) and No. 5 CSUMB (21–8). On the other side, No. 2 Alaska–Anchorage (27–4) plays No. 7 Cal State L.A. (18–11) while No. 3 Grand Canyon (23–3) plays No. 6 Cal Poly Pomona (19–8). Semifinals games with be Saturday at 5 & 7:30 p.m.. The final is Monday at 7 p.m.

POSTSEASON BOUND–AGAIN: The Otters will continue their third consecutive postseason appearance when they face Western Washington Friday night. CSUMB is 5–3 all–time in postseason play, posting a 4–2 record in the CCAA Tournament and a 1–1 record in the NCAA Regionals. The Otters are 4–2 in neutral court postseason games.

TAKE THEM, THEY'RE FREE: The Otters made a season–high 29 free throws in last Friday's win over Chico State. That mark also ranks No. 5 on the CSUMB all–time list. The Otters made 35 free throws in a win over the University of Mary on Nov. 15, 2008.

ANOTHER 20–WIN SEASON, ANOTHER TITLE: The Otters secured a second consecutive 20–win season and a second consecutive championship banner with last week's run through the CCAA Tournament. They are the first two of each in CSUMB women's basketball history.

70 IS THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING: With apologies to Douglas Adams, the answer to everything isn't 42, it's 70. The Otters have won 23 consecutive games when scoring at least 70 points, a streak they continued with their 71–69 CCAA Championship Game victory over Cal State L.A.. In fact, CSUMB is 24-1 all–time when scoring 70 or more points under Renee Jimenez. The lone loss, you ask? An 85–79 loss to Cal State Stanislaus on Dec. 6, 2008.

ALL–CCAA TEAMS: Senior wing Brandi Stephens (Sacramento/El Camino HS) earned first team All–CCAA honors as voted on by the conference coaches. Juniors Stefanie Corgel (Manhattan Beach/UCSB and Brittani Jefferson (Palmdale/Quartz Hill HS) garnered second team recognition.

ALL–CCAA TOURNAMENT: Brittani Jefferson's buzzer beater in the title game helped propel her to winning the CCAA Championship most outstanding player award. She was joined on the all–tournament team by Jessica Fontenette (Corona/Bishop Amat) and Erika Ward (Simi Valley/Royal HS/Ventura College).

HIGH FIVE (SIX) FOR DOUBLE–DOUBLES: Brittani Jefferson stepped up big in her first postseason, recording double–doubles in wins over East Bay (10 points/12 rebounds) and Cal State L.A. (11 & 12). To put that effort in perspective, last season's CCAA Championship team combined for just four double–doubles (3 by Julie Heurung and 1 by Holly Holcomb).

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).

20–POINT POWER: Brittani Jefferson's 22–point game at Cal State East Bay on Dec. 30 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.

'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 19 of their 29 opponents to 60 or fewer points.

WHY PLAY 40 MINUTES? Second halves have become all but irrelevant when the Otters lead at intermission under Renee Jimenez. CSUMB has won 56 of its last 57 regular season games in which it has led at halftime. In fact, under Jimenez, the Otters have a 62–3 all–time regular season record when leading at intermission. Humboldt State broke the Otters' 52–game win streak in such situations by overcoming a 32-31 deficit Dec. 4 to win 65–51. CSUMB is 18–1 when leading at halftime this season.

FROM WAY DOWNTOWN: Senior guard Erika Ward is on a near record–setting pace from beyond the three–point line. Her 62 treys this season give her sole possession of the No. 2 spot in the Otter season record book. Dana Andrews holds the season record (73) set in 2008.

Ward's 90 career three–pointers broke the CSUMB two–year career record of Michelle Santizo, who made 82 from 2010–2011. Ward ranks No. 2 on the CSUMB career list, trailing only Andrews, who holds to all–time record of 178 set from 2006–09.