ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University men's basketball team heads to Cal State Monterey Bay, California for the CCAA/GNAC Challenge this weekend.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Friday, November 12
Vs Cal State Monterey Bay
3:00 PM
 
Saturday, November 13
Vs Cal State San Bernardino
1:00 PM
 
QUOTABLE
"This is going to be a great opening weekend tournament for us," CWU Head Coach Brandon Rinta said. "We have been playing these two teams each year and all of us seem to be getting better every year. Cal State Monterey Bay has added a couple all-league players and will be very tough on their home court. Cal State San Bernardino has as talented a team as there is on the West Coast.  This tournament will give us an early look at where we match up with some of the better teams in the West Region."
 
SCOUTING CAL STATE MONTEREY BAY
Monterey Bay did not play during the 2020-21 pandemic-shortened season. In 2019-20, the Otters finished 10-18 overall and 7-15 in CCAA competition.
 
Central Washington and Monterey Bay opened the 2019-20 season against one another with the Wildcats taking a 93-73 victory over the Otters in Ellensburg.
 
They posted a 5-8 record in the confines of the Otter Sports Center.
 
Andrew Ferguson returns to the lineup after leading the Otters in scoring two years ago. He averaged 14.9 points per game and shot 52.6 percent from the field. He led CSUMB in rebounding as well, hauling in 7.4 boards per game. He added 11 blocks to season total, leading the Otters. Monterey Bay shot 42.8 percent from the floor as a unit in 2019-20. They averaged 75.21 points per game, while allowing 80.96. Opponents converted at a clip of 46.3 percent from the field. The Otters held a slim edge in rebounding over their opponents at 36.6 rebounds per game, while allowing 36.0.
 
Monterey Bay is without Jahvon Johnson and Damien Wilson, two of their top three scorers from 2019-20.
 
SCOUTING CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO
The Yotes open the season against Western Oregon University on Friday, before taking on the Wildcats on Saturday. San Bernardino finished 21-8 overall with a 16-6 mark in CCAA play in 2019-20. On the road, the Otters were 10-3.
Cal State San Bernardino also played the Wildcats in 2019-20. They nabbed an 80-71 win in Ellensburg.
 
Like the Otters, the Yotes return just one of their top three scorers from 2019-20. Dayton Jennings posted 14.8 points per game, good enough for second on the Yotes' roster. He shot 48.3 percent from the floor, only attempting 16 shots from beyond the arc in 29 games. He averaged a team-leading 8.8 rebounds per game and 16 blocks. He totaled 254 rebounds with 171 coming off the offensive glass. As a unit, the Coyotes averaged 79.17 points per game while shooting 46.9 percent from the floor. Opponents shot just 41.6 percent from the floor and averaged 73.66 points per game. The Yotes outrebounded their opponents, on average, 42-31.
 
Former Wildcat Tariq Woody is a member of the Yotes. He appeared in 14 games in 2019-20 for Central Washington, averaging 10.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
 
THE WILDCATS
Central has played a pair of exhibition games against Lincoln University (CA) and DI University of Washington.
 
In 2019-20, the 'Cats finished 17-11 overall and 10-10 in GNAC play.
 
Xavier Smith is the Wildcats' leading returning scorer from two years ago. He posted 9.1 points per game and shot 40.8 percent from the floor. Matt Poquette averaged 7.3 points two seasons ago. He led the Wildcats in blocks with 30.
 
The Crimson and Black averaged 72.93 points per game in 2019-20, while shooting 46 percent from the floor. The 'Cats held opponents to 69.96 points per game and a field goal percentage of 44.7.
 
COVID-19 PROTOCOL
Masks must be worn in the Otter Sports Center per the Cal State Monterey Bay and Monterey County Indoor Mask Mandate.
 
TICKET INFORMATION
Cal State Monterey Bay is encouraging fans to buy tickets online PRIOR to arriving at the Otter Sports Center. Tickets can be purchased HERE. You can also download the Hometown Ticketing app and purchase tickets through there.
 
VISITOR PARKING
Parking permits are required at all times while on the Cal State Monterey Bay campus. Click HERE for a parking map and HERE to buy daily parking permits online.