SEASIDE, Calif. -- The Otters will look to avenge last weekend's loss, earn their first CCAA win and close the 2013 calendar year with a bang when they host Cal State East Bay in the finale of their home-and-home series Saturday (Dec. 21) in The Kelp Bed.

Links for live stats, audio and video are listed above. watch live on the Internet and on Campus Televideo (Ch. 72). with veterand play-by-play man Kevin Richardson back to call the action live from courtside

Following Saturday's game, the Otters will be off for the Christmas holiday before returnin to action Jan. 3 vs. Humboldt State and Jan. 4 versus Cal Poly Pomona. Both nights will begin men's/women's doubleheader action with the women tipping off at 5:30 p.m. and the men tipping off at 7:30 p.m.

SCOUTING PIONEERS (5–5, 2–1 CCAA): The Pioneers were the top defensive team in the CCAA last season allowing a stingy 51.1 points per game. They allowed 70 or more points just one time and ended the season by not allowing 70 points for 23 consecutive game. This season, they've already allowed 70 points four times through nine games, although the Pioneer offense, averaging 14.5 points more this season than last. Senior forward Brianna Terrance leads a trio of Pioneers averaging in double figures at 15.2 points per game. Junior center Danielle Peacon adds 11.5 ppg. Sophomore forward Tori Breshers is the team's top rebounder at 5.2 rpg.

WHEN LAST WE MET: The Otters made two huge comebacks, but in the end it wasn't enough as East Bay held on for a 66–59 win last Saturday in Hayward. CSUMB trailed by 20 late in the first half before ending the period on a 16–2 run to trail just 39–33 at the break. Trailing by 15 late in the second half, before a 10–0 run got the Otters back in the game again. They had three chances to get closer but couldn't and a pair of late Pioneer free throws sealed the game. Nikki Beckman (Dublin/Ohlone College) matched her career high with 19 points to lead CSUMB. Tori Breshers led East Bay with 17.

WHEN LAST WE PLAYED, OTTER EDITION: CSUMB's most recent game was at East Bay (above).

WHEN LAST WE PLAYED, PIONEER EDITION: East Bay's last game was versus CSUMB (above).

THIS DATE IN OTTER HISTORY: The Otters posted back–to–back 50–rebound game for the first and only time in program history by pulling down 50 versus Cal State L.A. and 51 versus Cal State Dominguez Hills on Dec. 18–19, 2011. For the record, CSUMB won both games, defeating the Golden Eagles 71–60 and the Toros 71–51.

DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE I: The Otter defense has allowed fewer than 50 points twice in the first five games on the 2013–14 season, a feat matched just twice before in CSUMB women's basketball history (2010–11 and 2012–13). Should the Otters hold East Bay under 50 Saturday in Hayward, they would join the 2012–13 Otters as the only CSUMB defenses to accomplish that feat three times in the first six games of a season.

DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE II: While offense took center stage in CSUMB's season–opening win over Dixie State, defense ruled the day in the win over Southwest Minnesota State and NDNU. The Otters allowed just 83 combined points, its fourth–lowest two–game total in school history. Here's how it ranks on the all–time lists:

1. 61 points: Jan. 29, 2010 vs. Cal St. San Bernardino (40); Feb. 3 at Cal St. East Bay (21)
2. 78 points: Jan. 7, 2010 vs. Cal State L.A. (41); Jan. 9 vs. Cal St. Dominguez Hills (33)
3. 82 points: Dec. 4, 2010 vs. Cal St. East Bay (38); Dec. 18 vs. Dominican Univ. (44)
4. 83 points: Nov. 16, 2013 vs. SW Minn. St. (45); Nov. 17 vs. Notre Dame de Namur (38)
5. 88 points: Jan. 25, 2013 at Chico State (44); Jan. 26 at Cal St. Stanislaus (44)

SHOOTING THE LIGHTS OUT: Through six games, this edition of Otter women's basketball is proving to be the best perimeter shooting team in school history. Led by Ashley Morgan (13–of–30, 43.3) and Angelique Bailey (Fontana/Etiwanda HS) (5–of–13, 38.5), the Otters are converting at a 34.8 percent rate (47–of–135) from behind the arc in 2013–14. The school record for 3–point shooting percentage is 32.8 (151–of–460) set by the 2007–08 Otters.

98 FOR THE RECORD BOOKS: The Otters set several school records in the season–opening win over Dixie State, most notably by scoring 98 points to eclipse the previous record of 95 set in a 2OT win over the University of Mary on Nov. 15, 2008.

BOMBS AWAY: A big part of the 98–point effort (39 points, to be exact), came from a record–breaking 13 3–point field goals (the previous high was 12 at San Francisco State on Jan. 23, 2008). Victoria Dorn (Marina/Seaside HS), Holly Holcomb (Ventura/Buena HS) and Ashley Morgan (Rohnert Park/Santa Rosa JC) led the way with three treys apiece.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN: The win over Dixie State was a team effort. So much so, in fact that, for the first time in CSUMB history, seven Otters scored in double figures in the same game. The magnificent seven were: Nikki Beckman 18; Holly Holcomb and Ashley Morgan 14; Victoria Dorn 13; Jenna Bandy (Thousand Oaks HS) 12; Chezla Self (Sacramento/Delta College) 11; and Alexous Robinson (Dublin/Ohlone College) 10. 

20–20 VISION: The March 16 NCAA Tournament win over Chico State secured CSUMB's third consecutive 20–plus win season. CSUMB won 27 games in 2011 (27–4) and 21 games in 2012 (21–9). During the Renee Jimenez era of CSUMB basketball (2008–13) the Otters have averaged 19 wins per season. Prior to Jimenez, the Otters had never won as many as 10 games in a season.

PICK UP THE PACE: While defense historically has been CSUMB's bread and butter, the Otters registered more than 70 points in three consecutive regular season games concluding with the season–opener versus Dixie State. The last time the Otters broke 70 in three consecutive regular season games came Dec. 10–19, 2011 in wins over Simpson University (86–55), Cal State L.A. (71–60) and Cal State Dominguez Hills (71–51). The Otters have never scored 70 or more points in four consecutive games.

70 IS THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING: With apologies to Douglas Adams, the answer to everything isn't 42, it's 70. The Otter saw their streak of 28 consecutive wins when scoring at least 70 points snapped Mar. 1 in overtime vs. Chico State. In fact, CSUMB is 31–2 all–time when scoring 70 or more points since the 2008–09 season. Prior to the 2013 regular season finale, the Otters hadn't scored 70 in defeat since a 85–79 loss to Cal State Stanislaus on Dec. 6, 2008.

WHY PLAY 40 MINUTES? Second halves have become all but irrelevant when the Otters lead at intermission. CSUMB has won 72 of its last 76 regular season games in which it has led at halftime. Since 2008–09, the Otters have a 78–5 regular season record when leading at intermission. Included in that run was a 52–game winning streak broken when Humboldt State overcame a 32–31 on deficit Feb. 4, 2012 to win 65–51.

BACK–TO–BACK DOUBLE–DOUBLES: Then junior forward Ashley Morgan (Rohnert Park/Santa Rosa CC) and Brittani Jefferson each posted double–doubles the weekend of Jan. 4–5, 2013 with Morgan going for 10 points and 10 rebounds at Dominguez Hills and Jefferson getting 10 and 13 at CSULA. It marks just the third time in four seasons two different Otters have posted consecutive double–doubles. The last two to do it were Jefferson (14 & 10 at SFSU on Jan. 5, 2012) and Shonetta Crain–Williams (14 & 12 at Cal Poly Pomona on Jan. 7, 2012).

In case you're wondering, the last time two Otters posted double–doubles in the same game came on Feb. 18, 2011 when Holly Holcomb had 10 & 10 and Julie Heurung had 20 & 10 in a 62–45 win over Sonoma State on Feb. 18, 2011.