FULL HUMBOLDT STATE NOTEBOOK IN PDF FORMAT


SEASIDE, Calif. -- The Cal State Monterey Bay men's basketball team opens the CCAA portion of its schedule with a pair of home games this weekend. The Otters kick off their league campaign Friday (Dec. 2) against defending CCAA champion Humboldt State. Saturday (Dec. 3) brings Sonoma State to The Kelp Bed. Both games tip-off at 7:30 p.m. as the nightcaps of men's/women's doubleheader action.

SCOUTING THE LUMBERJACKS: After a 20–2 tour de force through the CCAA in 2010–11, the Lumberjacks are the pick of the conference coaches to win the CCAA again this season. They entered the season ranked No. 14 in the preseason national rankings and have done nothing to cast doubt on that ranking, bolting to a 4–0 record while out–scoring their opponents by 20.2 points per game. Senior forward Brandon Sperling, a Fresno State transfer, leads five players averaging in double figures at 17.3 ppg. He chips in a team–best 5.3 assists per game. Senior Kyle Baxter is the top rebounder at 7.3 rpg.

WHEN LAST WE MET: The 10th–ranked Lumberjacks pulled away late for a 76–68 win in The Kelp Bed on Feb. 19. The Otters led by as many as 10 points and Humboldt led by as a many as 12. It was still a two–point game inside of three minutes when Humboldt finished with a 6–0 run to seal the win. Davion Berry led CSUMB with 30 points. Randy Hunter led five Lumberjacks in double figures with 17.

ABOUT LAST WEEK: The Otters picked up their first win of the season with an 82–74 victory over Cal–Maritime in The Kelp Bed on Nov. 22. Junior forward Derrick Anderson (Pittsburg HS) led three Otters in double figures with 17 points. Freshman guard Jalen Headspeth (Oakland HS) added a game–high five assists.

OPENING STATEMENTS: Friday's game with Humboldt State with be the ninth CCAA opener in Otter men's basketball history. CSUMB is 5–3 in CCAA openers. In CCAA openers that also were home games, CSUMB is 3–1.

A CHANCE TO MAKE HISTORY: The Otters' time in the CCAA has coincided with the most successful run in Humboldt State basketball history. That convergence has made Humboldt State the only conference opponent CSUMB has yet to vanquish (0–15).

HOME SWEET HOME? Last week's win over Cal–Maritime snapped a five–game losing streak in The Kelp Bed. Prior to the win, CSUMB hadn't won in Seaside since an 82–80 victory over Cal State San Bernardino on Jan. 29, 2011. Oddly, the Otters earned twice as many road wins (6) as home wins (3) during the 2010–11 season.
                               
ANDERSON ENJOYS CAREER NIGHT: Senior swingman Derrick Anderson enjoyed a career night Nov. 17 against Westminster College. He set or tied five personal career highs, including his 25–point outburst which bested his previous high water mark of 15 against Cal State Dominguez Hills (Jan. 11, 2011). He also set career benchmarks with 10 field goals, 17 field goal attempts and five free throws. He equalled his previous best nine rebounds as well.

ON THE REBOUND: Rebounding continues to be a team strength for the Otters in the early going. Their plus–18 rebounding advantage over Westminster College (39–21 on Nov. 17) was their biggest rebounding margin in the Rob Bishop era and the largest since the 2005–06 Otters put up a 46–20 edge on the glass in a win over Cal State L.A. on Feb. 24, 2006 — that's a span of 142 games.

The Otters followed that by outrebounding Cal–Maritime 37–22 (+15) on Nov. 22. It marked the first time CSUMB had out–rebounded consecutive foes by double digits since posting +12 margins against Cal State San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona on Jan. 5–6, 2007.

LOUSTALE LEADS THE WAY: Junior forward Kevin Loustale (Chico/Shasta College) has led the way for the Otters on the boards so far. Loustale averages a team–best 8.3 rebounds per game, good for No. 4 among CCAA players entering this week's action.

START ME UP: By starting last week's game against Cal–Maritime, Brandon Ward continued his steady climb up the CSUMB career starts top 10 list. Ward made his 47th Otter start Nov. 22, moving him past Jose Sanchez (2007–09) into sole possession of the No. 9 spot. Should Ward start all 26 regular season games in 2011–12, he would end the season with 70 career starts, No. 3 on the all–time list and just six off the record held by current assistant coach Joe Mitchell.

THE WARD GIVETH… Brandon Ward collected three assists against Cal–Maritime now has 137 career assists, good for No. 7 on the CSUMB career list. Next up is Stephen Becker (2005–09) with 147. DShon Cannon owns the Otter record with 371.

…AND THE WARD TAKETH AWAY: Brandon Ward collected his 50th career steal Nov. 22 versus Cal–Maritime, tying him with Khi–Min Jung (2006) for No. 12 on the CSUMB career list. Joe Mitchell hold the Otter record with 91 steals.

NOW THAT'S SMARTS: The Otter men's basketball team boasted three players who earned CCAA All–Academic honors for their classroom work in 2010–11. The Otter triumvirate of James Albert, Brenden Fripp (Santa Barbara/Palo Verde HS) and Brandon Ward made CSUMB the only school to place three men's basketball players on the list. In case you were wondering, Albert posted a 3.65 grade point average as a business administration major. Ward posted a 3.90 GPA as a business administration major.

COMING AND GOING: The Otters face a challenging schedule from a travel standpoint in 2011–12. The Otters open by playing six of the first eight regular season games at home. But then they hit the road for nine of their next 11 before starting a five–game homestand in mid February. In fact, after hosting Cal State Dominguez Hills on Dec. 19, the Otters will not take the Kelp Bed floor for a full month until they host Cal State Stanislaus on Jan. 20.