ARCATA, Calif. – Humboldt State women's basketball's prize for opening the season at home for the first time since the 2006 season is five consecutive games away from campus. The Lumberjacks (1-1) came away with split results at the West Region Challenge and will now travel south for matchups with Hope International and California Baptist.
 
"While Hope International is an NAIA school, they are a good one," said Head Coach Joddie Gleason. "They will really compete in conference, and they play a style that is tough to guard. They have a lot of movement, get up and down the court, and have a lot of athletes. Then we will get ready for Cal Baptist, who as we know was the national runner-up last year in Division II, who has almost everyone back. It will be a huge challenge for us on Saturday, but it will be great to go in there and see what we are made of."
 
Hope International opens its 2015-16 campaign on Tuesday night with a home game against La Verne before welcoming in the Jacks on Thursday at 7 p.m. The Royals played four exhibition games to start the season, and came away with two wins and two losses. Last season, the Green and Gold upended Hope, 87-71, to extend its all-time record to 3-0 against the Fullerton, Calif., based program.
 
The Southern California swing continues on Saturday afternoon with a 2 p.m. matchup against No. 3-ranked California Baptist. The West Region champions from a season ago took care of business at the 2015 GNAC/PACWEST Yellowjacket Challenge to open the season, winning a pair of games in Billings, Mont.
 
"I think it is really important to have these road trips to have us get used to preparing, sleeping, eating, and doing everything you have to do on the road to be focused on the game," said Gleason. "We've had many conversations that we are not going on vacation, but this is a business trip. Our girls recognize that and come out ready to play."
 
Through two games, HSU leads all California Collegiate Athletic Association teams with 16 assists per game. Humboldt's bench is outscoring opponents 33-18 in the early going including 9-0 in the win over Western Washington.
 
Both the Hope International and California Baptist games will have an online video stream, which can be accessed through the women's basketball schedule on HSUJacks.com.