Men's Basketball | November 19, 2015
SEASIDE, Calif. — After playing tough against another highly–regarded NCAA Division I opponent, the Cal State Monterey Bay men's basketball team heads to Oregon to put the finishing touches on its season–opening 7–game roadtrip at the Doubletree By Hilton D2 Shootout in Monmouth. The Otters will take on host and No. 20 ranked Western Oregon in their opener Friday at 7 p.m. before taking on Saint Martin's University Saturday at 5 p.m.
Rob Ponce will call the action for both games live from WOU's New P.E. Building in KION 101.1 FM.
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WOLF 3–DOT NOTES (2–0 overall): The Wolves enter the season as one of the top contenders for the West Region title, ranked No. 3 in the region and No. 20 in the nation in the latest D2SIDA National rankings…So./F Tanner Omlid, a transfer from West Point, scored 28 points in the season–opener vs. Point Loma and leads the team at 20.0 ppg…Julian Nichols (15.0 ppg), Alex Roth (14.5 ppg) and Devon Alexander (14.0 ppg) also average in doubles…the top six players in the WOU rotation all average at least 27.5 minutes.
WHEN LAST WE MET: The Otters had their hands full last season when they hosted Western Oregon minus
Patrick Lefiti. Things got worse when
Alex Fertig missed the entire second half due to injury. Nevertheless, the Otters battled back from a 17–point deficit to take a 62–60 lead before WOU ended the game with a 13–2 run to win 73–64.
Evan Zeller scored 21 of his career–high 25 points in the second half to lead the Otter comeback. Julian Nichols led four Wolves in double figures with 17 points. Lewis Thomas added a double–double (11 & 14).
WHEN LAST WE PLAYED: The Otters played another strong exhibition game against a Division I opponent, hanging tough until the final minute in a 71–62 loss at Cal Poly Wednesday night. The game was tied at the half and it was still a 1–point game at 63–62 with 2:35 to play before the Mustangs scored the final eight points to seal the win.
Marquise Washington led a balanced offense with 11 points.
Greg Polosky just missed a double–double (10 and 9).
THIS DATE IN OTTER HISTORY: November 20ths historically have not been kind to the Otters. MB is 0–4 when playing on Nov. 20, although it has not done so since a 72–58 setback versus Western Washington on Nov. 20, 2009.
FRESH STARTS: Seniors
Devin Murphy and
Marquise Washington have literally made fresh starts this season. Each has started the first two games this season after starting just two games apiece in their Otter careers.
OH AND TWO: The Otters are off to an 0–2 start for the first time since the 2011–12 season. The last time the Otters started 0–3 was in 2007–08. For the record, the Otters bounced back nicely that season and advanced to the CCAA Tournament.
THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS IN EARNEST: With 23 points opening weekend,
Alex Fertig has raised his career total to 1,079, moving him to within 152 points of Brandon Ward's Otter career record (1,231) set from 2010–13.
FERTIG GIVITH…: Alex Fertig continues to solidify his hold on the No. 5 spot on the CSUMB career assist list. He has four this season, bringing his career total to 164. Next up is Joe Mitchell in the No. 4 spot. Mitchell posted 180 assists from 2006–09.
…AND FERTIG TAKETH AWAY: Alex Fertig began his senior season with three steals last weekend, lifting his career total to 84, good for No. 5 on the Otter list. He needs one more to catch D'Shon Cannon (85) for No. 4. Joe Mitchell owns the CSUMB record with 91 career steals.
BOMBS AWAY: Evan Zeller became the seventh player in Otter history to make 100 3-pointers (101) by draining eight last weekend to reach the century mark. Augie Johnston owns the MB career record with 137 (2005–08).
60 SHALL BE THE NUMBER, NO LESS: With apologies to Monty Python, the number for the Otters shall be 60, not three. Following CSUMB's 66–59 loss at Cal Poly Pomona last season, the Otters are now 0–44 when scoring fewer than 60 points against NCAA Division II opponents dating back to the 2004–05 season, their first at the NCAA Division II level. The last time the Otters scored fewer than 60 points and beat a Division II foe was a 54–53 decision over Cal Poly Pomona in The Kelp Bed on Jan. 29, 2005.
The last time the Otters scored fewer than 60 points and beat any foe was their 50–47 win over Cal Poly on Nov. 18, 2010.
GO OTTERS!
