Men's Basketball | February 03, 2015

SEASIDE, Calif. — March Madness technically is a month away, but if the Cal State Monterey Bay men's basketball team hopes to play into March, it almost certainly must win two games this weekend when it hosts fellow contenders San Francisco State (Friday) and Sonoma State (Saturday) in The Kelp Bed. Tipoff both nights is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and the nightcaps of men's/women's doubleheader action.

The Otters knocked Sonoma State out of first place by handing the Seawolves a 91-82 defeat in Rohnert Park on Jan. 2. The Gators, meanwhile, tripped up the Otters the following night in The City, 73-58. Both teams enter the weekend one game ahead of CSUMB in the race of one of six CCAA Tournament bids.

Fans who can't make it to The Kelp Bed may catch the action with live video on OtterAthletics.com and radio on KION 1460 AM/101.3 FM. Rob Ponce will handle the play-by-play simulcast. Former Otter assistant coach Alex Hudson will join Rob to provide color on Saturday.

Links for all feeds—including live stats—will be available free of charge. Visit Otter Game Day Central for all of the appropriate links.
 

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GATOR 3–DOT NOTES (8–10, 6–8 CCAA): The Gators have been a bit streaky as of late, following four consecutive losses with a pair of wins and then another pair of losses entering Friday's game in The Kelp Bed…SFSU is looking for its first road win of the season (0–8)…the Gators haven't won a road game since winning at Cal State East Bay on Jan. 25, 2014 (0–12)…Sr./F Udun Osakue is the only Gator averaging in double figures at 15.1 ppg…he also is the team's leading rebounder (5.4 rpg).

WHEN LAST WE MET: The Otters spotted the Gators a 13–3 lead out of the gate and never could catch all the way up in a 73–58 loss in The Swamp on Jan. 3. The Otters pulled to within five points twice in the final three minutes of regulation, but SFSU made 9–of–10 from the line in the final 74 seconds to pull away. Alex Fertig led the Otters with 15 points. Deririck Brown (21) and Osakue (20) led SFSU.

WHEN LAST WE PLAYED: The Otters didn't score their first point until seven minutes had elapsed and it didn't get any better from there as UC San Diego rolled to an 84–61 win Saturday in RIMAC Arena. Drew Dyer hit a 3–pointer with 10:15 to play in the first half, making it 18–6 UCSD, and the Otters never got within 10 for the balance of the game. Isaiah Smith led three Otters in double figures with 18 points.

THIS DATE IN OTTER HISTORY: The Otters defeated No. 18 Cal Poly Pomona 60–57 on Feb. 6, 2014. It remains the highest–ranked opponent ever defeated by the Otter men's basketball team.

THE HIGH FIVE CLUB: Alex Fertig enters Friday's game versus San Francisco State with 958 points, just two points behind Devoughn Lamont for the No. 5 spot on the CSUMB scoring list. If he maintains his current pace, Fertig will finish the regular season No. 3 on the Otter career scoring list with more than 1,050 points. Brandon Ward owns the Otter career–scoring record with 1,231 points.

BIG NIGHT FOR THE BIG GUY: Although the team result didn't go CSUMB's way, Saturday's game at UC San Diego was a big night for sophomore big man Isaiah Smith, who poured in a career–high 18 points. His previous high was 15 in a win at Notre Dame de Namur on Nov. 22.

QUINTUPLE DOUBLE FIGURES: The Otters placed five scorers in double figures Jan. 17 at Humboldt State, the first time they have accomplished the feat this season. The last time five Otters turned that trick in a single game came in an 89–83 win over Cal State East Bay on Dec. 20, 2013.

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 Friday, the Otters are now 0–44 when scoring fewer than 60 points 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 won was a 54–53 decision over Cal Poly Pomona in The Kelp Bed on Jan. 29, 2005.

OTTERS AMONG THE CCAA LEADERS: With Evan Zeller, the league's No. 3 scorer, leading the way, the Otters are well represented in the CCAA's Top 10 lists. Otters making the grade include: SCORING: No. 3 Evan Zeller (15.8 ppg); *3PT%: No. 5 Evan Zeller (.395); FT%: No. 3 Daye Turner (.851); REBOUNDS: No. 6 Greg Anderson (6.6 rpg); ASSISTS: No. 6 Patrick Lefiti (3.3 apg).  *Min. 2.0 made per game

IT'S A TEAM GAME: The Otters are also well–represented among the CCAA team stat leaders, including ranking No. 2 on the circuit in scoring (71.2 rpg). They enter tonight's ranked No. 2 in the CCAA rebounding race at 35.3 rpg. They also rank No. 3 in assists (13.0 apg) and No. 5 in field goal (.454) and free throw (.681) shooting percentages.

HE GIVITH AND HE TAKETH AWAY: Alex Fertig enters the SF State game holding the No. 8 spot on the CSUMB career assist list with 145. He needs 2 more to catch Steve Becker for No. 7. On the flip side, he enters the game No. 6 on the Otter career steals list with 77. He needs two more to catch Steve Monreal for fifth. He has a chance to catch Joe Mitchell's school record of 91 by season's end.