Men's Basketball | December 09, 2014
SEASIDE, Calif. — The Cal State Monterey Bay men's basketball team begins its annual home-and-home series with that other Bay area rival—Cal State East Bay—this Saturday (Dec. 13) at Pioneer Gym in Hayward. The Otters and Pioneers will run it back the following Saturday (Dec. 20) in The Kelp Bed. Tipoff in Hayward this week is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. as the nightcap of men's/women's doubleheader action.
The Otters will return home for a nonconference tilt against Grean Northwest Athletic Conference foe Northwest Nazarene University (Dec. 18) between the East Bay affairs.
Fans who can't make it to Hayward for this week's games may watch live on
PioneerWebTV.com and listen live on
KION/IHeart Radio as well as
OtterAthletics.com. As usual, Rob Ponce will handle the play–by–play duties live from courtside.
PIONEER 3–DOT NOTES (2–5, 0–2): The Pioneers are in a transition mode with a significantly revamped roster from Head Coach Gus Argenal's first season…their top six scores this season weren't with the team in 2013–14…Sacramento State transfer Ryan Okwudibonye leads the Pioneers in scoring at 11.2 ppg…Juawnn Springfield is the only other Pioneer in double figures at 10.6 ppg…DeAnza College transfer Jack Pasquini leads the rebounders at 8.6 rpg.
WHEN LAST WE MET: The Otters broke out of an early season shooting slump to shoot 60 percent in an 89–83 win over Cal State East Bay in The Kelp Bed on Dec. 21, 2013. Tied at the half, the teams played through seven ties and eight lead changes over the final 20 minutes until a
Kris Gallop layup with 58 second remaining gave the Otters a 78–76 lead they wouldn't relinquish
Ryan Nitz led CSUMB with 20 points. Gabe Kindred scored 19 for East Bay.
WHEN LAST WE PLAYED: The Otters more than held their own against defending CCAA champion Cal Poly Pomona before the Broncos pulled away in the final minute for a 63–54 win last Saturday night in The Kelp Bed. The Otters led 31–26 at the half before exchanging leads with the Broncos five times down the stretch.
Alex Fertig led CSUMB with 16 points. Terrence Drisdom and Jordan Faison scored 19 apiece for Cal Poly.
THIS DATE IN OTTER HISTORY: Steve Monreal dished 10 assists—still the No. 5 mark in CSUMB history—in a 78–70 loss to Concordia–Irvine on Dec. 13, 2008. No Otter has given more assists in a game since that effort.
WHEN Z COMES FIRST: Sophomore guard
Evan Zeller grabbed the CCAA scoring lead after Friday night's action, leading the conference at 17.3 points per game. He enters this week ranked No. 2 in scoring at 16.6 ppg behind Cal Poly Pomona's Terrence Drisdom (16.9 ppg.
DOUBLE THE FUN: With 12 points against Cal Poly Pomona, Zeller has now scored in double figures in all seven games to start the season. In case you're wondering, Devaughn Lamont is the only player in Otter history to score in double figures in every game of a season, turning the trick 29 times in 2005–06. Since then,
Alex Fertig has the longest streak of double figure games to start a season. He accomplished the feat in the first 10 games last season.
TAKING CARE OF THE ROCK: The Otters have taken excellent care of the rock so far this season, posting 106 assists against 116 turnover through the first six games. Individually, several Otters boast positive assist–to–turnover ratios, led by
Alex Fertig (1.8),
Evan Zeller (1.5) and
Patrick Lefiti (1.5).
LENDING A HAND: Patrick Lefiti's seven assists against Cal Baptist were the most by an Otter since
Brandon Cole dished eight in a win over Cal State East Bay on Dec. 30, 2012.
OTTERS AMONG THE CCAA LEADERS: In addition to
Evan Zeller,
Alex Fertig cracks the CCAA scoring Top 10 this week, checking in at No. 9 with 12.4 ppg. Other Otters appearing in the CCAA's Top 10 lists this week include: Rebounding (
Greg Anderson No. 4, 6.7 rpg); Assists (
Evan Zeller No. 4, 3.7 apg;
Patrick Lefiti No. 7, 3.3 apg); *3FG% (
Evan Zeller No. 5, 40.4); FT% (Zeller No. 3, 90.5). *Min. 2.0 made per game
No. 10 WITH A BULLET: Another double–digit scoring night versus Cal Poly Pomona (16 pts) brought
Alex Fertig within shouting distance of the No. 9 spot on the CSUMB career scoring list. With 824 points, he needs 24 more to catch Augie Johnston (2005–08) for ninth place at 848. Jay Demaestri (2003–06) is just three points ahead of Johnston at 851.
GO OTTERS!
