SAN MARCOS, Calif. –  The RV Cal State San Marcos women's basketball team (16-4, 13-2 CCAA) will conclude its home schedule for the 2023-24 season this week with Cal State Monterey Bay (4-16, 2-13 CCAA) on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and Stanislaus State (13-12, 8-7 CCAA) on Saturday at 1 p.m. 

On Thursday, the 2023 CSUSM women's soccer team will be honored during the men's basketball halftime with a banner-raising ceremony celebrating their CCAA Tournament Championship last season.

Prior to Saturday's game, CSUSM will honor its four seniors – Katie FitzGerald, Natalie Nicolosi, Mina Tameilau and Jordan Vasquez. 

LAST WEEKEND

• The Cougars recorded season series sweeps with wins over Cal Poly Pomona (74-69) and Cal State San Bernardino (69-64).
• In their game against CPP, the Cougars made a program-record 15 3-pointers to pass the previous record of 13 set at Cal State LA on Jan. 2, 2022. 

COUGAR FACTS

• With seven games remaining in the regular season, the Cougars hold a two-game lead over second-place Chico State. 
• CSUSM continues to lead the CCAA in scoring defense (50th in DII) and 3-point percentage defense (37th in DII), holding opponents to 59.3 points per game and 26.9% from beyond the arc.
• The Cougars rank second in the CCAA in free throws made per game, averaging 14.70. 
• CSUSM's 42.4 field-goal percentage ranks second in the CCAA.
• The Cougars rank second in the conference in 3-pointers per game with a 7.1 average. 
• CSUSM is averaging just 17.2 fouls per game, the fifth fewest in the CCAA. 
• With a 55.6 field-goal percentage, Jordan Vasquez is the CCAA leader and ranks 23rd in the nation.  
• Vasquez is fourth in Division II (first in CCAA) in double-doubles with 13 in the 20 games. 
• Vasquez is the CCAA leader with 229 rebounds (8th in DII) and 11.4 rebounds per game (5th in DII).
• Malia Mastora is second in the CCAA in blocks per game (1.40) and total blocks (28). 
• Charity Gallegos ranks third in the CCAA in 3-pointers per game (2.45) and total 3-pointers (49) while ranking fourth in 3-point percentage (37.4).
• In points per game, Gallegos is fourth and Vasquez is seventh with averages of 15.8 and 15.2, respectively. 
• Mina Tameilau ranks third in the CCAA with an 82.4 free throw percentage. 
• Gallegos ranks fourth while Katie FitzGerald is fifth in assist/turnover ratio at 1.46 and 1.43, respectively. 
• Vasquez is 43 points away from joining CSUSM's 1000-point club. She has already compiled 1,552 points in her five-years of playing collegiate basketball. 

THURSDAY AGAINST CSUMB

• CSUMB, ranked last in the CCAA standings with a 2-13 record, recorded a big upset last Saturday with a 53-52 win over preseason-favorite Cal State LA. 
• The win over CSULA snapped a six-game losing skid for the Otters.  
• Earlier this season, the Cougars defeated CSUMB 80-54 in Seaside. 
• The Otters are leading the CCAA in bench points per game with 26.4. 
• CSUMB is second in the conference in offensive rebounds per game, averaging 15.6, which ranks 15th in Division II. 
• The Otters are last in the CCAA in field-goal percentage defense with their opponents averaging 43.1.  
• CSUMB's Camille Sroufe ranks second in the CCAA in assist/turnover ratio at 1.83. 
• Ciarah Michalik is leading the Otters' offense with 11.6 points per game. 
• The Cougars have won 11 consecutive games over the Otters and hold a 12-2 lead in the all-time series. 
• CSUSM is 6-0 when playing CSUMB at home. 
• The Otters were picked to finish second-to-last in the 2023-24 CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll. 

SENIOR DAY VS. STAN STATE

• The Warrriors enter the week tied for fourth place in the CCAA standings with Cal Poly Humboldt. 
• Last week, Stan State lost an 81-69 decision to Cal State LA on Thursday before bouncing back with a 60-50 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills. 
• Prior to facing CSUSM, the Warriors will travel to Sonoma State on Thursday. 
• Stan State is only leading the CCAA in one category with free throw attempts per game at 21.12. 
• The Warriors are second in the conference for blocks per game (3.7) and bench points per game (24.2). 
• Stan State has the 10th-worst free throw percentage in the CCAA at 66.5. 
• Mya Blake is leading the Warrior offense with 14.7 points per game while ranking second in the CCAA in steals with 52. 
• With a five-game win streak on the line, CSUSM has a 7-6 lead in the all-time series against the Warriors and is 4-2 when playing at home.  
• The Warriors were picked to finish ninth in the 2023-24 CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll. 

2023-24 OUTLOOK

• CSUSM began the season ranked No. 22 in the WBCA Division II Top 25 Preseason Poll.
• The Cougars were voted to finish second in the 2023-24 CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll. 
• Nine Cougars return from the 2022-23 team, including All-CCAA first-teamer Jordan Vasquez, second-teamer Mina Tameilau and honorable mention selection Charity Gallegos. 
• CSUSM is joined this year by four transfers, including Camille Johnson (Sonoma State), Rose Morse (UC Riverside), Ava Ranson (Montana State) and Truitt Reilly (Western Washington). 
• Closing out the Cougars' roster of 16 are freshmen Kaitlyn Beall (Dream City Christian School), Maddie Leiva (Santa Margarita Catholic HS) and Jade Ramirez (Pinewood HS).  

THE JIMENEZ FILE

• Head coach Renee Jimenez enters her ninth season in charge of the Cougar women's basketball team, a program that is only in its 13th season of existence.
• Last season, CSUSM made it deepest run as a NCAA Division II program in 2022-23 by making it all the way to the NCAA West Regional final. The Cougars won the program's first-ever CCAA Tournament Championship. 
• In 2021-22, Jimenez earned her third career and second consecutive CCAA Coach of the Year honor. She previously earned the award as the head coach at Cal State Monterey Bay during the 2010-11 season. With Jimenez at the helm, the Cougars clinched their second consecutive CCAA Regular-Season Championship in 2021-22. 
• After CSUSM's 2019-20 inaugural NCAA Division II West Regional appearance was cut short due to COVID-19, the Cougars were finally able to make their debut in the national tournament in 2021-22 as the No. 4 seed and followed it up with a No. 3 seed in 2022-23. 
• The Cougars have advanced to the CCAA Tournament three times, making it to the semifinals in 2018-19 followed by back-to-back finals appearance in 2019-20 and 2021-22.
• Jimenez has compiled a 259-148 (.636) in her 15 seasons coaching in the CCAA, spending two seasons at Cal State San Bernardino after a five-year stint at Cal State Monterey Bay.
• In her ninth season at CSUSM, Jimenez has tallied a record of 134-77 (.635).