ARCATA - After a tough road swing to Southern California last weekend, Humboldt State seeks to bounce back on its home turf.
The Lumberjacks suffered their two toughest results in back-to-back games of the year against the Toros of Cal State Dominguez Hills and the Golden Eagles of Cal State Los Angeles.
HSU will entertain another pair of California Collegiate Athletic Association foes ahead of it in the current standings in Cal State Stanislaus on Thursday night before hosting Chico State Saturday evening.
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Jacks try to stop slide at two
For the second time this season, HSU will be faced with trying to stop its losing skid at two games.
The first two-game slide was against CCAA travel partner Cal Poly Pomona in both ends of the back-to-back contests. The Broncos defeated the Jacks in Pomona on Dec. 14, before sweeping the series in both teams' next games a week later on Dec. 21.
HSU stopped the first two-game losing streak by winning the first game of the season at Cal State Monterey Bay, 65-53 overtime.
HSU tries to continue one run and end another
The Jacks will try to continue one winning run and stop a losing one this week in the two games in Lumberjack Arena.
HSU takes a five-game winning streak against Cal State Stanislaus into Thursday night's matchup. The Jacks, in fact, have claimed victory in 13 of the last 14 meetings and have swept six of the last seven season series of meetings. The Warriors posted their lone victory in Dec. 4, 2010 contest in Turlock.
Chico State has been almost as successful against HSU peering into the Saturday evening affair. The Wildcats have defeated the Jacks in each of the last four meetings including a 62-60 win in the CCAA playoffs. HSU pulled out its last win in the Dec. 17, 2011 game by a 72-62 final tally. Chico State has won each of the last seven in Chico, while HSU holds a 4-3 advantage in Arcata.
Coach Gleason on her team's from last week and the Jacks focus areas:
"We played two very good teams in Cal State Dominguez Hills and LA and were disappointed with the results of those games, however, the team showed focus and more energy on Saturday's game at Cal State LA. We started the game strong, but then a combination of missed shots and turnovers allowed LA to score in the open court which they are very good at.
As a group we need to compete and be able to play a focused effort for 40 minutes. Right now we have too many lapses which result in easy points for our opposition."
Kunst ignites her fire in big weekend
In what the HSU coaching staff hopes is the beginning of more to come, sophomore forward Amanda Kunst put together her best back-to-back games of her less than two-year collegiate career.
Kunst of local McKinleyville scored 25 points for a 12.5-point average with nine rebounds in 43 minutes over the two contests.
The sophomore made two of four tries and all four free throws for nine points at Cal State Dominguez Hills.
Friday night was just a warm-up for Kunst. She was the player who kept the Jacks in the contest Saturday night where she scored 15 of her career-high 16 points on six of 10 shooting. Kunst added her second highest game rebound total of eight.
"A bright spot was the play of Amanda Kunst who really showed poise and the competitive fire that we need," said Gleason of her sophomore's two games.
Tuey adds second career-high from last weekend
• HSU's Jain Tuey was the top performer in a difficult last Friday night. The senior guard drained three triples for her career-best 13-point evening. She pulled down four rebounds and swiped a pass to complete her night versus CSU Dominguez Hills.
HSU players among the CCAA leaders
•Kersey Wilcox -- 1st in Free Throws/game (6.1 made), 1st in 3FG% (54.5%), 2nd in scoring (17.1 ppg), 2nd Free Throw% (89.6), 2nd in assists (5.1 apg)
•Jae Shin -- 1st 3FG/game (3.1) & 4th in 3FG% (44.0%)
•Megan Shields -- 1st in blocks (2.5 bpg -- 35) & 8th in defensive rebounding (4.9 rpg)
•Elle Anderson -- 5th in offensive rebs/game (2.7 rpg)
•Jessica Johnson - 1st Asst/Turnover ratio (3.0)
Scouting Cal State Stanislaus:
• Bounced back from its first winless CCAA weekend by sweeping Cal State Monterey Bay (81-47) and Cal State East Bay (68-63).
• Overall, Warriors have won five of their last seven contests.
• Thursday will be Cal State Stanislaus' first road game in three weeks since playing at Cal State San Bernardino on Jan. 4.
• Recorded a 6-1 road mark thus far with lone defeat at San Francisco State on Dec. 7
• Coached by 2nd-year head coach Wayman Strickland ... the University of San Diego alum has made the largest turnaround in the league to this point of the season.
• Warriors has already won eight more games compared to last year's 2-25 difficult campaign.
• HSU has won the last eight meetings in Arcata dating back to the 1997-98 season. The Wariors last won on the Jacks' home floor in a 67-60 win in the 1996-97 campaign.
• Leading 47-43 in the second half, the Jacks went on a 12-0 run before winning 80-67 in Arcata for the last meeting. CSS's Briana Cotton netted 20 points, while HSU's Elle Anderson banked home 21 points and grabbed nine boards.
• The Warriors lead the CCAA in steals per game (10.4 spg) and second in scoring (73.7 ppg)
• F Lauren Godde paces the team at 16.2 ppg - 4th best in the CCAA. The senior ranked in the CCAA's top 10 in seven stat categories.
• F Riley Holladay and G Briana Cotton also average double figures at 10.6 ppg and 10.3 ppg.
• G Ana Burch rates 3rd in 3FG% at 53.6% (15 of 28)
• HSU coach Gleason on the Warriors:
"Cal State Stanislaus is the most improved team in the CCAA with some big wins over top teams and a legitimate 7-3 record. They have a veteran post player in Lauren Godde that we must try and slow down, and most importantly we must be able to handle their pressure defense for 40 minutes."
Scouting Chico State:
• The perennial top CCAA program, Chico State searches to regain its early season success
• Opened the year with four non-conference victories with an average winning margin of 23.5 points and no game closer than a 10-point final tally
• Won three of its last four contests, all at home, with only a last Friday loss to Cal State East Bay (64-61) as the lone defeat.
• Wildcats defeated the Otters of Cal State Monterey Bay (62-48) to end last weekend.
• Coached by 6th-year head coach Brian Fogel, who holds a 104-61 (.630) over that time.
• Seeks its 5th win in a row over HSU covering over two calendar years.
• Swept the series last year including a 76-66 decision last Jan. 31st in Arcata during the last meeting -- the Jacks led 39-36 at half only to see the Wildcats tie the game at 45 and score the next five points and never trail again ... Chico St.'s Jazmine Miller led her team with 22 points, while Lisa Petty hit for 26 points and 14 rebound for HSU
• HSU does hold a 4-3 record vs. Chico St. since joining the CCAA in the 2006-07 season - the Jacks only 4 wins of the last 15 games over that time frame.
• Wildcats are an even 3-3 in road games
• Lead the CCAA in field goal percentage (.443) and assists per game (15.1 apg)
• Wildcats have a balanced scoring squad with the top six players all averaging over 8 ppg.
• G Jasmine Miller leads (12.9 ppg) and G Briana Cotton (12.0 ppg) lead the team
• Womack is tops in the league with a 91.4% clip at the foul line
• Fs Analise Riezebos (10.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and McKenzie Dalthorp (10.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg) are the top inside players ... Dalthorp is the CCAA leader with a .538 field goal percentage
• PG Courtney Hamilton is the top CCAA assist player at 6.8 per game and 2nd in assist/turnover ratio (2.0)
• Coach Gleason on Chico State:
"The Chico State-Humboldt game is always a spirited rivalry game with a lot of history and pride at stake. Our relatively new group must be ready for a dog fight on Saturday night. Chico can really get out and score points in a hurry so we must be ready to match that offensive output ourselves while trying to slow them down.
