SEASIDE, Calif. -- After dropping a pair of heartbreakers in historic fashion last weekend (see note below), the Cal State Monterey Bay women's basketball team will try to get over the hump this weekend when it finishes a 4-game roadtrip by facing Cal State Stanislaus (Jan. 17) and Chico State (Jan. 18).

As always, fans who can't make the trip may listen to the game live on www.OtterAthletics.com. Rob Ponce will call the action from courtside. Live stats will be available via www.WarriorAthletics.com. Cal State Stanislaus will provide live video for Friday's game (click link above). There will be no live video Saturday at Chico.

The Otters return to The Kelp Bed for a 2-game homestand against San Francisco State (Jan. 24) and Sonoma State (Jan. 25) before hitting thre road for yet another 4-game trip.

SCOUTING THE WARRIORS (8–4, 5–3 CCAA): Hats off to second–year Head Coach Wayman Strickland for the amazing turnaround. After finishing 1–25 last season, the Warriors find themselves in the thick of the CCAA Tournament chase with results that include two wins over Chico State and a win at UC San Diego. Lauren Godde, the team's top returning player, is enjoying a strong season by leading Stanislaus in both scoring (16.7 ppg) and rebounding (6.5 rpg). Riley Holladay (10.8 ppg) and Briana Cotton (10.5 ppg) also average in double figures for the Warriors.

WHEN LAST WE MET: The Otters clinched third place in the CCAA with a convincing 76–50 win over Stanislaus in The Kelp Bed on Feb. 28, 2013. Thirteen different players scored for CSUMB, led by Brittani Jefferson, who chipped in a 13–point, 10–rebound double–double. Erin Godde led Stanislaus with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

WHEN LAST WE PLAYED, OTTER EDITION: For the third time in four outings, the Otters came tantalizingly close to victory only to fall late. This time, the Otters couldn't get the final shot to fall in a 40–38 loss at UC San Diego Saturday night (Jan. 11) in RIMAC Arena. CSUMB led by four points with less than a minute remaining before UCSD scored the final six points to pull out the win. Senior wing Chezla Self (Sacramento/S.J. Delta College) led the Otters with a career–high 15 points.

WHEN LAST WE PLAYED, WARRIOR EDITION: Stanislaus saw its 3–game winning streak snapped with consecutive home losses last weekend, including a 68–62 defeat by Cal State Dominguez Hills Saturday (Jan. 11) in Fitzpatrick Arena. Lauren Godde led four Warriors in double figures with a game–high 21 points. Cassidy Sanders–Curry added 11 boards.

THIS DATE IN OTTER HISTORY: Nothing to see here. Friday's game will mark the first Jan. 17 appearance by the Otters as an NCAA Division II member.

CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR: The Otters dropped consecutive games last week by one point (47–46) at San Bernardino and two points (40–38) at UC San Diego. It marked the first time ever that the Otters played consecutive games decided by a total of three points. The previous record for consecutive close games was five points, with the Otters falling at San Francisco State (55–52) and to Cal State Dominguez Hills (52–50) on Feb. 10–12, 2010.

MY GIRL FRIDAY: No, we're not speaking of the Cincinnati area cover band (nor the Cary Grant screwball comedy…that was His Girl Friday). Rather, were speaking of junior guard Jenna Bandy (Thousand Oaks HS) who is averaging 11.3 ppg in Friday outings this season (compared to 3.7 ppg on all other days). In her last two Friday contests, Bandy scored a career–high 20 points versus Humboldt State (Jan. 3) and 17 points at Cal State San Bernardino (Jan. 10).

THEY'RE CALLED FREE, BUT THEY'RE COSTLY: They may be called free throws, but they've been incredibly costly to the Otters through the first nine games. CSUMB has attempted just 117 free throws so far this season (an anemic 10.6 attempts per game). By comparison, CSUMB opponents have attempted 281 free throws (25.5 attempts per game). To put that imbalance in even greater relief, Otter opponents have made 73 more free throws (190) than the Otters have attempted (117).

A BREAK IN THE FREE–THROW HAZE: The Otters attempted more free throws, 13–10, than the Tritons did Saturday at UC San Diego. It marked the first time this season that has happened.

MORGAN ON THE REBOUND: Senior forward Ashley Morgan (Rohnert Park/Santa Rosa JC) set a personal record by grabbing 14 rebounds last weekend at UC San Diego They were the most rebounds in a game by an Otters since Julie Heurung grabbed 16 at Chico State on Jan. 22, 2011.

ALL SINGLES HITTERS: The Jan. 4 game versus Cal Poly Pomona marked the first (and only) game this season in which no Otter scored in double figures (Victoria Dorn led the team with eight points). That was the first time no Otter reached double figures since Stefani Corgel and Nikki Beckman (Dublin/Ohlone College) shared team–high honors with eight points apiece in a 51–38 win over Cal State East Bay on Dec. 8, 2012—a span of 33 games.

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.

THE DEFENSE DOESN'T REST: Defense continues to be the staple of the Otter diet, with CSUMB allowing a CCAA–leading 58.8 points per game. The Otters enter the week ranked No. 2 in the West Region and No. 21 in the nation in scoring defense.

FOR THE RECORD: In case you're wondering, the CSUMB record for scoring defense in a season is 51.2 points per game allowed in 2010–11. That mark led both the CCAA and the nation that season.

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, 2013 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.