ARCATA, Calif. – The Humboldt State women's basketball team kicks off 2016 with consecutive conference games on Jan. 1 and 2. Following a week off, the Lumberjacks (6-5, 3-1) returned to practice this week with the focus solely on the tough second half California Collegiate Athletic Association schedule.
 
"The team enjoyed a much deserved break from Dec. 20-27 and has returned fired up and ready for the CCAA schedule to resume," said Head Coach Joddie Gleason. "We open up the new year at UCSD and Cal state San Bernardino, two very good teams who play especially well at home.  Both squads went to the CCAA Tournament last year and finished on a high note. Both teams also have veteran players who know what it takes to win."
 
The Green and Gold last took the court on Dec. 19, and will travel south in its return to action. HSU first visits UC San Diego (8-2, 3-1) on New Years Day, before traveling to Cal State San Bernardino (4-4, 1-3) to complete the back-to-back.
 
The Tritons share an identical CCAA record with the Jacks, and will be playing for the first time since splitting games at the Seawolf Hoops Classic in the Seawolf Hoops Classic. UCSD leads the conference in several statistical categories, including field goal percentage, rebounds per game, and assists per game. San Diego turns the ball over just 14.2 times per game, also the fewest in the conference.
 
"UCSD is an uptempo, transition team with the ability to score at a high rate," said Gleason. "We will really need to work hard to slow them down and not allow them to get too many easy baskets."
 
Cal State San Bernardino exclusively played games against CCAA competition in the month of December, taking one win out of the four matches. After San Bernardino hosts Cal Poly Pomona on the first of the year, HSU visits The James and Aerianthi Coussoulis Arena the following day. The Coyotes are holding opponents to 27-percent from long range, good for second-best in the conference. The sharp-shooting Lumberjacks will look to buck this trend and get off to a good start shooting the ball in 2016.

"CSUSB has a new coaching staff, but has a veteran team with all of their fire power back from last season," said Gleason. "We expect a battle there on Saturday night."
 
Humboldt will return to the North Coast following the games and prepare for Chico State and Stanislaus State to come to campus on Jan. 7 and 9, respectively. The games are both scheduled to tip at 5:30 p.m.