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2013 WBB Notebook Graphic-Holly Holcomb
Vernon McKnight

Otters Keep Rolling And Rising As Win Streak Hits 7

| By: By Kevin Gilmore
Holly Holcomb (33)--shown here celebrating her game-winning three against Sonoma State--and the Otters will look to make it eight wins in a row when they host Cal State East Bay Tuesday at 7 p.m.

CSUMB can grab a share of second-just one game off lead--Tuesday vs. East Bay





SEASIDE, Calif. -- With a share of second place on the line, the Cal State Monterey Bay women's basketball team will look to extend its active seven-game winning streak Tuesday night when it hosts Cal State East Bay for a rare 7 p.m. tipoff in The Kelp Bed.

With a win Tuesday, the Otters would pull into a tie for second place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association race with UC San Diego at 11-3. Both teams would be one game behind conference leader Chico State (whom the Otters defeated in Chico, 51-44, on Jan. 25).

The game is a continuation of CSUMB's season-high five-game homestand which concludes this weekend against Cal State L.A. (Feb. 8) and Cal State Dominguez Hills (Feb. 9).

Al always, Otters fans can listen and watch online at www.OtterAthletics.com. Veteran play-by-play man Kevin Richardson will call all of the action live from courtside.


SCOUTING THE PIONEERS (8–9, 6–7 CCAA): Although their style of play is dissimilar, the Pioneer defense mimics the Otters defense in the way it shuts down opponents. Entering last weekend, East Bay ranked No. 12 nationally in scoring defense and trailed only CSUMB among CCAA and west region teams. Offensively, however, the Pioneers have been struggling to score points as they enter the week ranked dead last in the CCAA in scoring offense at 54.4 points per game. East Bay's top five scorers all average between 7.3 and 8.4 points per game. Senior forward Marlene MacMillan leads the Pioneers in both scoring (8.4 ppg) and rebounding (7.5 rpg).

WHEN LAST WE MET: Despite opening both halves a combined 5–of–28 from the floor, the Otters never trailed after a Stefanie Corgel (Manhattan Beach/UCSB) three–pointer gave them a 14–12 lead midway through the first half of a 51–38 win in Pioneer Gym on Dec. 8. Corgel and Nikki Beckman (Dublin/Ohlone College) led CSUMB with eight points apiece. Micah Walker led East Bay with nine.

WHEN LAST WE PLAYED: The Otters never trailed but needed a three–pointer from Holly Holcomb (Ventura/Buena HS) with 3.1 seconds remaining to slip past upset–minded Sonoma State 54–51 Saturday night in The Kelp Bed. The Otters led by as many as 13 points in the first half and by as many as 15 in the second before Sonoma made a late run. Brittani Jefferson (Palmdale/Antelope Valley JC) led both teams with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

ON A ROLL: Saturday night's win over Sonoma State was the seventh in a row for CSUMB, its longest of the season. It's CSUMB's longest streak since winning nine in a row from Dec. 12, 2011 through Jan. 13, 2012. It's the fourth winning streak of at least five games in CSUMB women's basketball history. All four of those streaks have come during the tenure of Renee Jimenez.

BOOKEND THREES: In an odd statistical quirk, the Otters made just two three–pointers in Saturday's win over Sonoma State: Stefanie Corgel made CSUMB's first three–point attempt of the night and Holly Holcomb knocked down the last. Between that stretch, the Otters were 0–for–15 from beyond the arc.

HOT AND COLD: Nearly two thirds of CSUMB's 84 three–point field goals this season have come in six hot–shooting games when the Otters went a combined 55–for–125 from beyond the arc (44.0 pct.). In CSUMB's other 10 games this season, its has shot just 29–for–162 (17.9 pct.) from long range.

SIX IS THE MAGIC NUMBER: Six seems to be the magic number for three–point field goals in the Renee Jimenez era of Otter basketball. The Otters have won 10 consecutive games when draining at least six long balls. Even more impressive, CSUMB is 22–3 (a winning percentage of 88.0) in its last 25 contests when it made at least six three–pointers. All–time under Jimenez, CSUMB is 57–13 (81.4 pct.) when making at least six treys in a game.

DEFENSE IS BEST IN THE WEST: The Otter defense currently ranks No. 1 among NCAA Division II West Region schools by allowing just 51.6 points per game entering the week. That number is also good for the No. 4 ranking among all NCAA Division II schools. That mark would rank No. 2 all–time in CSUMB history behind only the 2010–11 squad that led the nation by allowing just 51.2 ppg.

THE RESISTIBLE FORCE MEETS THE IMMOVABLE OBJECT: By the numbers, tonight's match–up certainly doesn't favor Cal State East Bay on paper. Not only have the Pioneers failed to score as many as 60 points in 14 of their 17 games, the Otter defense has allowed opponents to reach 60 points in regulation just twice in 16 games.

THE DEFENSE NEVER RESTS: The Otter defense continues to be as consistent as — for lack of a better comparison — the Otter defense. Entering tonight's game with Cal State East Bay, the Otters had held five their last seven opponents (9 of 16 on the season) under 50 points. Only two opponents have reached the 60–point plateau in regulation against CSUMB, and both came in Otter victories (79–63 vs. Academy of Art on Dec. 5 and 78–66 at Dominguez Hills on Jan. 4).

A MISLEADING RECORD: While Cal State L.A. did touch up the Otter defense for an opponent season–high 72 points, credit that total to the three overtimes and not the Golden Eagles' scoring prowess. The Otters held CSULA to 45 points in regulation, 53 points through the first overtime and 63 points through the second overtime.

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 27 consecutive games when scoring at least 70 points, a streak they continued with their 70–44 win at Cal State Stanislaus on Jan. 26. In fact, CSUMB is 28–1 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.

WHY PLAY 40 MINUTES? Second halves have become all but irrelevant when the Otters lead at intermission under Renee Jimenez. CSUMB has won 65 of its last 67 regular season games in which it has led at halftime. In fact, under Jimenez, the Otters have a 71–3 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 on deficit Feb. 4, 2012 to win 65–51. CSUMB was 18–1 when leading at halftime last season.

A THIEF IN THE NIGHT: Jessica Fontenette (Chino Hills/Bishop Amat) finally grabbed the brass ring, taking the career steals record from Dana Andrews (2006–09) in Jan. 12 win over Humboldt State. She added four steals to her larder Saturday night versus Sonoma State and now has 153 steals, eclipsing Andrews' mark by 20. Junior forward Holly Holcomb currently ranks No. 7 on the list with 90.

MUNSCH–ING ON THE URBAN KNIGHTS: Senior forward Gabby Munsch (Lodi/Cal State San Marcos) hit 10–of–14 from the field to match her career high with 21 points in CSUMB's Dec. 5 win over Academy of Art. It was CSUMB's first 20–point game of the season and its first since Stefanie Corgel (Manhattan Beach/UCSB) dropped 20 on Cal State L.A. on Dec. 18, 2011. It's still the only 20–point game by an Otter this season.

BACK–TO–BACK DOUBLE–DOUBLES: Junior forward Ashley Morgan (Rohnert Park/Santa Rosa CC) and Brittani Jefferson each posted double–doubles the weekend of Jan. 4–5, 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.

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

THAT GIRL GIVES A HAND: Jessica Fontenette matched her personal best with seven assists in the win over Academy of Art. That mark ties for the No. 8 spot in the CSUMB record book. Fontenette now has 170 career assists moving her two behind Andrea Hanshew for No. 3 on that list. Alma Lopez set the CSUMB standard with 206 assists from 2007–08.

THE DEFENSE NEVER RESTS: Otter success in the Renee Jimenez era begins with defense. The 2011–12 Otters allowed just 59.6 points per game, marking the third consecutive season they allowed fewer than 60.0 points per game. The Otters entered the week allowing 49,2 ppg, good for No. 5 in the nation among NCAA Division II schools.

BALANCING ACT: While defense remains the forté, the Otter offense found success by doing an insane balancing act once again in 2011–12. CSUMB's top six scorers averaged between 9.8 and 7.6 points per game, marking the second consecutive season that an Otter championship team did not feature a player who averaged in double figures.

WORKING OVERTIME: Four seasons, four overtime games, four wins. That's the formula for CSUMB and bonus basketball during the Renee Jimenez era. The Otters have played (and won) exactly one overtime game each season under Jimenez. Last season, the Otters came from behind late in regulation then finished off Sonoma State 64–59 in The Kelp Bed on Dec. 3, 2011.

OTTERS WEARING RED? While not traditionally a CSUMB color, red will be the color for five Otters who will redshirt the 2012–13 season: One of the redshirts will be a returning player: Sophomore forward Mykayla Harris. She will be joined on the redshirt list by junior wing Kayla Patton and freshman guards Victoria Dorn and Tyvette White.


GET ENTHUSE, EARN REWARDS

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Once installed, search for “Monterey Bay Otters” to find your favorite CSUMB teams and you'll start earning points immediately. The more you follow the Otters, the more points you'll earn and the more free stuff you'll get. It really is that easy.

So download the Enthuse app and start earning your rewards today.




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