ARCATA — One win locks up a first round home berth in the California Collegiate Athletic Association postseason, something the Lumberjacks could achieve this week on the road. They'll get their first chance Friday against Cal State Stanislaus, then go at it again Saturday against Chico State. Both evening's games tip off at approximately 7:30 p.m.
Humboldt State heads into the weekend with a 17-6 overall record and 14-4 CCAA mark that ties the Jacks with CSU San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona at the top. CSU Stanislaus is 10-13 and 6-12 in league, while Chico State is 14-9 overall and 10-8 in the CCAA.
On-the-Air
Every Lumberjack basketball game is broadcast live over the local airways on KATA, 1340 AM, beginning with the pregame show 15 minutes prior to game time. Bicoastal Media Sports Director J.B. Mathers describes the action from Lumberjack Arena and HSU Assistant Athletic Director Dan Pambianco goes on the road with the Jacks. …Audio is also streamed live over the Internet through the hsujacks.com web site. The new UStream format allows an interactive chat between listeners during the webcast. The specific URL for access is located at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/humboldt-state-athletics.
Live Stats
All Lumberjack basketball home games can be tracked online by using the Live Stats feature on hsujacks.com. Real time statistics, momentum tracker and other information are featured on the game viewer. The feature can be found at http://www.sidearmstats.com/humboldt/mbball/.
Head-to-Head
The Lumberjacks hold a 32-28 overall mark over CSU Stanislaus in the historical series, including a 68-49 win over the Warriors earlier this season. HSU has won six straight against CSUS, dating back to the 1997-98 season …Against Chico State, the Jacks are 67-105, having claimed a 70-62 win against the Wildcats in Lumberjack Arena on Jan. 14. HSU has won the last seven straight games, and all six as members of the CCAA. …HSU has capatured every game against this week's opponents since joining the CCAA nearly four years ago.
Projected Starters
G - #12 Ernie Spada, 5-11, 175, Jr., Lake Oswego, Ore.
G - #22 Zac Tiedeman, 6-1, 180, Sr., Santa Rosa, Calif.
C - #32 Brian Morris, 6-9, 270, Jr., Portland, Ore.
F - #34 Elliot Babcock-Krenk, 6-3, 205, So, Lake Oswego, Ore.
F - #24 Kevin Atkins, 6-6, 220, Sr., Long Beach, Calif.
Lumberjack Links
Following are links to more information on the Lumberjack basketball program.
Complete Roster
Schedule
2009-10 Statistics
Head Coach Tom Wood
Lumberjack Head Coach Tom Wood has announced that he will retire following the current season. In 29 years directing the Jacks, Wood's teams have compiled a 458-349 overall record and have won more than 20 games in eight seasons. During the new millennium, Wood's teams have posted a 212-75 overall record, including 124-18 on their home court (the East Gym and Lumberjack Arena).
Lumberjack Notes
It's no surprise that the Jacks show up near the top of most CCAA team categories, leading the list in five statistical areas and second in four others. Individually, HSU players rank among the top three in eight categories. …In their fourth season as members of the CCAA, the Jacks have a chance to win their third regular-season title. They claimed the crown outright in 2005-06, and shared first place with CSU San Bernardino in 2006-07. Last year the Lumberjacks finished two games behind tri-champions CSUSB, CPP and CSUDH."We value a regular season championship because it represents a complete body of work," HSU head coach Tom Wood said. "Finishing first represents winning the long grind that it takes to get through a successful season." …This is the third year the CCAA has held a league tournament, with the winner earning an automatic berth into the NCAA Division II West Region Championships. Teams can also earn at-large berths in the postseson, as HSU has done the past two years. …Despite winning both of its games the previous week, Humboldt State slipped down one spot to No. 5 in the NCAA Division II West Region poll. Ahead of HSU were Great Northwest Athletic Conference schools Western Washington and Seattle Pacific, in the top two spots, along with CCAA schools Cal State San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona. With a loss to CPP and win over CSUSB last weekend, the Jacks are likely to move into the No. 4 position or remain where they were at No. 5 when the poll is announced Wednesday.
Opponents' Notes
CSU Stanislaus has hit a rough patch in its otherwise resurgent season that began with four wins. The Warriors had dropped five straight games before pulling together a 67-60 victory over Cal State East Bay at home last Saturday. …Senior guard Chad Johnson leads the way with 10 points per game, while Jordan Stokes, a 6-3 senior forward, averages 9 points per game for the Warriors. Junior post Frank Monge, at 6-11, gives CSUS a true threat in the middle, where he averages 8.4 points, 6.7 reobudns and nearly a block per game. … Chico State has won its last three games, putting the Wildcats in strong contention for a home first round game in the CCAA Tournament. The Wildcats have recently defeated CSU Stanislaus (72-64), CSU East Bay (71-67) and UC San Diego (58-42) to improve their league record to 10-8. … Senior sharpshooter Jon Baird is Chico State's top scorer with an average of 14.4 points per game. The 6-2 guard has hit 71 3-pointers this season and is shooting 38 percent from long range. …Also in averaging in double figures for the Wildcats are juniors Roderick Hawkins (11.2 ppg) and Terrence Pellum (10.8 ppg). Hawkins leads the team in rebounding with 6.7 per game.
Wood's Words
"Cal State Stanislaus has some athletic players that can wreak havoc on you. They have a veteran coach who plays to their strengths. We have to find a way to match those players individually so we can limit them." … Chico State is getting better every weekend. Theyve weathered the storm of the long season and are playing well."
