SEASIDE, Calif. -- The Cal State Monterey Bay women's basketball team gets the chance to play giant killer this weekend when it begins the final leg of its 4-game roadtrip against CCAA leading and 16th-ranked Cal Poly Pomona Thursday night in Kellogg Gym. The Otters will continue their geographically longest trip of the season when they head to far Northern California to tackle Humboldt State Saturday (Feb. 8). Tip-off both night is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. as the opening games of men's/women's doubleheader action.

As always, fans who can't make it to the games may listen live on www.OtterAthletics.com. Rob Ponce will call the action from courtside. Live stats and video will be available at www.BroncoAthletics.com. Live stats and video from Saturday's game at Humboldt State will be streamed as well (www.HSUJacks.com).

After this weekend, the Otters return to the friendly confines of The Kelp Bed to host UC San Diego (Feb. 13) and Cal State San Bernardino (Feb. 15). Note that the Cal State San Bernardino game will tip-off at 11 a.m. and will be televised live nationally on the CBS Sports Network.

SCOUTING THE BRONCOS (15–3, 12–2 CCAA): The Broncos enter the home stretch of the CCAA race in the driver's seat, having won three in a row and seven of their last eight. They have a 2–game lead on Cal State Dominguez Hills for the CCAA lead and, with a little help, can clinch a CCAA Tournament bid as early as this weekend. Arizona State transfer Jada Blackwell dominates the Cal Poly stat sheet at 17.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Ashley Lovett, a transfer from Loyola Marymount, adds 10.1 ppg and 7.2 rpg.

WHEN LAST WE MET: The Otters played Cal Poly tough for the first 16 minutes before the Broncos eased out to an 11–point halftime lead. Cal Poly then put the hammer down in the en route to a 75–43 win on Jan. 4. Jada Blackwell led all players with a 19–point, 10–rebound double–double for Cal Poly. Victoria Dorn (Marina/Seaside HS) made her first collegiate start and led the Otters with eight points.

WHEN LAST WE PLAYED, OTTER EDITION: After overcoming a 14–point deficit late, the Otters held the ball with the shot clock off and a tie score at Cal State L.A. last Saturday. But a turnover followed by a miracle 3–pointer by the Golden Eagles broke Otter hearts and gave CSULA a 61–58 win. Junior guard Jenna Bandy (Thousand Oaks HS) came off the bench to lead CSUMB with 17 points.

WHEN LAST WE PLAYED, BRONCO EDITION: Cal Poly almost fell victim to its own 3–point tragedy when Cal State San Bernardino hit a late trey to force overtime in Coussoulis Arena last Saturday. The Broncos survived the scare, however, and pulled out a 76–73 overtime win. Ariel Marsh led four Broncos in double figures with 21 points. Ashley Lovett added a 16–point, 15–rebound double–double.

THIS DATE IN OTTER HISTORY: Julie Heurung matched her own school record for the second time in three days by pulling down 14 rebounds in a 73–59 win at Humboldt State on Feb. 6, 2010. Two weeks later she would set a school record that stands to this day with 16 boards in a win over Cal State East Bay.

HOLCOMB FROM LONG RANGE: Senior forward Holly Holcomb (Ventura/Buena HS) caught current Otter Assistant Coach Stefanie Corgel) for the No. 2 spot on the CSUMB career list for 3–point field goals by making her 93rd Saturday night at Cal State L.A. She needs seven more to become only the second Otter ever to reach 100 career treys. Dana Andrews holds the high water mark at 178 in a career that spanned from 2006–09.

HOLCOMB ON THE REBOUND: Holly Holcomb entered the season holding the No. 2 mark in the CSUMB career rebounding list (569). If she continues at her current pace, she will join Krista Herr (643 from 2005–08) as the only Otters to reach 600 career rebounds.

SHE SHOOTS, SHE SCORES: Holly Holcomb also has her eyes set on moving up the CSUMB career scoring chart this weekend. She enters Thursday's game at Cal Poly Pomona with 609 points (No. 5 on that list). She is seven points behind Helen Suarez (616) for fourth place and 18 behind Brittani Jefferson (627) for third. Dana Andrews holds the Otter record with 1,359 points.

FLOWER POWER: The Otters scored 62 points Friday night at Cal State Dominguez Hills, marking just their third visit to the 60s this season. It was the first time they reached the 60s since a 72–62 loss to Cal State L.A. on Dec. 6, 2013.

CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR: The Otters dropped consecutive games by one point (47–46) at San Bernardino (Jan. 10) and two points (40–38) at UC San Diego (Jan. 11). It marked the first time ever that the Otters played consecutive games decided by a total of three points. The previous record for consecutive close games was five points, with the Otters falling at San Francisco State (55–52) and to Cal State Dominguez Hills (52–50) on Feb. 10–12, 2010.

THEY'RE CALLED FREE, BUT THEY'RE COSTLY: They may be called free throws, but they've been incredibly costly to the Otters through the first 15 games. CSUMB has attempted just 207 free throws so far this season (an anemic 12.2 attempts per game, lowest in the CCAA). By comparison, CSUMB opponents have attempted 425 (25.0 attempts per game), more than twice as many. To put that imbalance in even greater relief, Otter opponents have made 95 more free throws (302) than the Otters have attempted (207).

DOUBLE–DOUBLE TOIL AND TROUBLE: Alexous Robinson recorded her first collegiate double–double with season highs of 12 points and 12 rebounds in the Jan. 25 win over Sonoma State. The effort was not only Robinson's first double–double, it was the first double–double by an Otters since Gabby Munsch scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in CSUMB's 66–64 NCAA Tournament win over Chico State on Mar. 16, 2013.

MORGAN ON THE REBOUND: Senior forward Ashley Morgan (Rohnert Park/Santa Rosa JC) set a personal record by grabbing 14 rebounds Jan. 18 at UC San Diego. They were the most rebounds in a game by an Otter since Julie Heurung grabbed an Otter–record 16 at Chico State on Jan. 22, 2011. She leads the Otters with three double–figure rebounding games this season.

'TIS BETTER TO GIVE AND RECEIVE: Junior guard Angelique Bailey (Fontana/Etiwanda HS) set personal career highs with seven assists (previous high was five) and three steals (previous high was two) in the Jan. 25 win over Sonoma State. The seven assists matches Nikki Beckman's (Dublin/Ohlone College) effort at Cal State East Bay on Dec. 14 for most by an Otter this season.

98 FOR THE RECORD BOOKS: The Otters set several school records in the season–opening win over Dixie State, most notably by scoring 98 points to eclipse the previous record of 95 set in a 2OT win over the University of Mary on Nov. 15, 2008.

THE DEFENSE DOESN'T REST: Defense continues to be the staple of the Otter diet, with CSUMB entering the week allowing just 60.5 points per game. The Otters enter the week ranked No. 2 in the West Region and No. 30 in the nation in scoring defense.

70 IS THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING: With apologies to Douglas Adams, the answer to everything isn't 42, it's 70. The Otter saw their streak of 28 consecutive wins when scoring at least 70 points snapped Mar. 1, 2013 in overtime vs. Chico State. In fact, CSUMB is 31–2 all–time when scoring 70 or more points since the 2008–09 season. Prior to the 2013 regular season finale, the Otters hadn't scored 70 in defeat since a 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. CSUMB has won 72 of its last 76 regular season games in which it has led at halftime. Since 2008–09, the Otters have a 78–5 regular season record when leading at intermission. Included in that run was a 52–game winning streak broken when Humboldt State overcame a 32–31 on deficit Feb. 4, 2012 to win 65–51.