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Nikki Beckman Notebook Graphic 2013
Vernon McKnight

Otters Finish Road Trip With Two Important Games

| By: By Kevin Gilmore
Sophomore guard Nikki Beckman and the Otters continue their quest for the 2013 CCAA title this weekend in San Bernardino and San Diego.

Women to face tournament hopeful San Bernardino and CCAA co-leader San Diego





SEASIDE, Calif. -- The Otters will play their final two regular season road games this weekend at a pair of tough venues when they face Cal State San Bernardino Friday in Coussoulis Arena before tackling CCAA co-leader UC San Diego Saturday in RIMAC Arena. San Bernardino is 7-2 at home this season and controls its own desitny in terms of advancing to the CCAA Tournament. UCSD, along with Chico State and the Otters, is one of three teams left in the hunt for the CCAA regular season title.

Al always, Otters fans can listen online at www.OtterAthletics.com. Rob Ponce will call all of the action live from courtside. Live video will also be available Friday at www.CSUSBAthletics.com and Saturday at www.UCSDTritons.com.

The Otters will return home to host their final regular season games in The Kelp Bed Thursday and Friday, Feb. 28 and Mar. 1, against Cal State Stanislaus and CCAA co-leader Chico State.


SCOUTING THE COYOTES (10–12, 8–10 CCAA): Following last weekend's road split at Chico and Stanislaus, the Coyotes control their own destiny in terms of earning a CCAA Tournament bid. They enter the week tied for seventh in a tight middle of the CCAA pack and could end up anywhere between fourth and 11th when all is said and done. Concluding the regular season with four homes games—where they are 7–2 overall—certainly plays in their favor. Like the Otters, the Coyotes feature a balanced offense with only Univ. of the Pacific transfer Eliza Dy averaging in double figures at 11.5 points per game.

WHEN LAST WE MET: San Bernardino took the air out of the ball and made enough shots in the first half to earn a 28–17 lead at intermission when the teams met in The Kelp Bed on Jan. 19. But as has been its wont all season, the Otter defense rose up in the second half, limiting the Coyotes to 19 points and spearheading a 55–47 CSUMB win. Nikki Beckman (Dublin/Ohlone College) led the Otters with 12 points while Holly Holcomb (Ventura/Buena HS) matched her career high with 13 rebounds. Jaslyn Crosby led San Bernardino with 13 points.

WHEN LAST WE PLAYED: The Otters yielded a 14–2 run to open the game then roared back to hand Cal Poly Pomona a 64–54 defeat Saturday night in Kellogg Gym. Stefanie Corgel (Manhattan Beach/UCSB) led the Otters with 15 points while Brittani Jefferson (Palmdale/Antelope Valley JC) matched her career–high with 13 rebounds as part of her sixth double–double of the season (11 pts.).

LET THE MADNESS BEGIN: Not only have the Otters clinched their fourth consecutive CCAA Tournament appearance, they have clinched at least one home postseason game for the third consecutive season.

THEY'VE GOT THE WHOLE (CCAA) IN THEIR HANDS: Although the Otters enter the week one game back of CCAA co–leaders Chico State and UC San Diego, CSUMB controls its own destiny in terms of winning the CCAA title. In fact, should the Otters win their last four games, they will be guaranteed the No. 1 seed in the CCAA Tournament.

A PERFECT 10.0: Heading into the final fortnight of regular season action, Brittani Jefferson maintains her season scoring average of 10.4 points per game. She is looking to become the first Otter since Veronica Williams to average double figures in scoring for a season. Williams averaged 12.1 points per game in 2009–10.

HOT AND COLD: Nearly two thirds of CSUMB's 95 three–point field goals this season have come in nine hot–shooting games when the Otters went a combined 73–for–172 from beyond the arc (42.4 pct.). In CSUMB's other 12 games this season, it has shot just 34–for–188 (18.1 pct.) from long range.

SIX IS THE MAGIC NUMBER: Six seems to be the magic number for three–point field goals in the Renee Jimenez era of Otter basketball. Including last week's win at Cal Poly Pomona, the Otters have won 12 consecutive games when draining at least six long balls. Even more impressive, CSUMB is 24–3 (a winning percentage of 88.9) in its last 27 contests when it made at least six three–pointers. All–time under Jimenez, CSUMB is 59–13 (81.9 pct.) when making at least six treys in a game.

DEFENSE IS BEST IN THE WEST: The Otter defense enters the week in a virtual tie for No. 1 among NCAA Division II West Region schools by allowing just 50.76 points per game. That number is also good for the No. 4 ranking among all NCAA Division II schools. That mark would rank No. 1 all–time in CSUMB history ahead only the 2010–11 squad that led the nation by allowing just 51.2 ppg.

THE DEFENSE NEVER RESTS: The Otter defense continues to be as consistent as — for lack of a better comparison — the Otter defense. Entering Friday's game at Cal State Stanislaus, the Otters have held eight their last 12 opponents (12 of 21 on the season) under 50 points. Only two opponents have reached the 60–point plateau in regulation against CSUMB, and both came in Otter victories (79–63 vs. Academy of Art on Dec. 5 and 78–66 at Dominguez Hills on Jan. 4).

A MISLEADING RECORD: While Cal State L.A. did touch up the Otter defense for an opponent season–high 72 points on Jan. 5, credit that total to the three overtimes and not the Golden Eagles' scoring prowess. The Otters held CSULA to 45 points in regulation, 53 points through the first overtime and 63 points through the second overtime.

70 IS THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING: With apologies to Douglas Adams, the answer to everything isn't 42, it's 70. The Otters have won 27 consecutive games when scoring at least 70 points, a streak they continued with their 70–44 win at Cal State Stanislaus on Jan. 26. In fact, CSUMB is 28–1 all–time when scoring 70 or more points under Renee Jimenez. The lone loss, you ask? An 85–79 loss to Cal State Stanislaus on Dec. 6, 2008.

WHY PLAY 40 MINUTES? Second halves have become all but irrelevant when the Otters lead at intermission under Renee Jimenez. CSUMB has won 67 of its last 69 regular season games in which it has led at halftime. In fact, under Jimenez, the Otters have a 73–3 all–time regular season record when leading at intermission. Humboldt State broke the Otters' 52–game win streak in such situations by overcoming a 32–31 on deficit Feb. 4, 2012 to win 65–51. CSUMB was 18–1 when leading at halftime last season.

A THIEF IN THE NIGHT: Jessica Fontenette (Chino Hills/Bishop Amat) finally grabbed the brass ring, taking the career steals record from Dana Andrews (2006–09) in the Jan. 12 win over Humboldt State. She added five steals to her larder Saturday night Cal Poly Pomona and now has 165 steals, eclipsing Andrews' mark by 32. Junior forward Holly Holcomb currently ranks No. 6 on the list with 92.

MUNSCH–ING ON THE URBAN KNIGHTS: Senior forward Gabby Munsch (Lodi/Cal State San Marcos) hit 10–of–14 from the field to match her career high with 21 points in CSUMB's Dec. 5 win over Academy of Art. It was CSUMB's first 20–point game of the season and its first since Stefanie Corgel (Manhattan Beach/UCSB) dropped 20 on Cal State L.A. on Dec. 18, 2011. It's still the only 20–point game by an Otter this season.

BACK–TO–BACK DOUBLE–DOUBLES: Junior forward Ashley Morgan (Rohnert Park/Santa Rosa CC) and Brittani Jefferson each posted double–doubles the weekend of Jan. 4–5, with Morgan going for 10 points and 10 rebounds at Dominguez Hills and Jefferson getting 10 and 13 at CSULA. It marks just the third time in four seasons two different Otters have posted consecutive double–doubles. The last two to do it were Jefferson (14 & 10 at SFSU on Jan. 5, 2012) and Shonetta Crain–Williams (14 & 12 at Cal Poly Pomona on Jan. 7, 2012).

In case you're wondering, the last time two Otters posted double–doubles in the same game came on Feb. 18, 2011 when Holly Holcomb had 10 & 10 and Julie Heurung had 20 & 10 in a 62–45 win over Sonoma State on Feb. 18, 2011.

ANOTHER 20–WIN SEASON, ANOTHER TITLE: The Otters secured a second consecutive 20–win season and a second consecutive championship banner with last season's run through the CCAA Tournament. They are the first two of each in CSUMB women's basketball history.

THAT GIRL GIVES A HAND: Jessica Fontenette matched her personal best with seven assists in the win over Academy of Art. That mark ties for the No. 8 spot in the CSUMB record book. Fontenette now has 184 career assists moving her six behind Helen Suarez for No. 2 on that list. Alma Lopez set the CSUMB standard with 206 assists from 2007–08.

THE DEFENSE NEVER RESTS: Otter success in the Renee Jimenez era begins with defense. The 2011–12 Otters allowed just 59.6 points per game, marking the third consecutive season they allowed fewer than 60.0 points per game. The Otters entered the week allowing 51.0 ppg, good for No. 4 in the nation among NCAA Division II schools.

BALANCING ACT: While defense remains the forté, the Otter offense found success by doing an insane balancing act once again in 2011–12. CSUMB's top six scorers averaged between 9.8 and 7.6 points per game, marking the second consecutive season that an Otter championship team did not feature a player who averaged in double figures.

OTTERS WEARING RED? While not traditionally a CSUMB color, red will be the color for four Otters who will redshirt the 2012–13 season: One of the redshirts will be a returning player: Sophomore forward Mykayla Harris. They will be joined on the redshirt list by junior wing Kayla Patton and freshman guards Victoria Dorn and Tyvette White.


GET ENTHUSE, EARN REWARDS

Hey Otter fans, want to earn rewards simply following your favorite CSUMB sports teams? Of course you do. Otter Athletics is partnering with Enthuse to allow you to do just that. All you have to do is visit the iTunes Store (iPhones) or play.google.com (Android) and download the FREE Enthuse app.

Once installed, search for “Monterey Bay Otters” to find your favorite CSUMB teams and you'll start earning points immediately. The more you follow the Otters, the more points you'll earn and the more free stuff you'll get. It really is that easy.

So download the Enthuse app and start earning your rewards today.




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