Friday, Jan. 11 - Jam the Gym
vs. Humboldt State (7-5, 3-3 CCAA)
Pioneer Gym | Hayward
5:30 p.m.
Live stats | Humboldt radio

Saturday, Jan. 12 - Reading Night
vs. Cal Poly Pomona (5-5, 3-3 CCAA)
Pioneer Gym | Hayward
5:30 p.m.
Live stats | Pomona radio


HAYWARD, Calif. – After playing a pair of road games against Cal State L.A. and Cal State Dominguez Hills, the Pioneer women's basketball team will return home to face Humboldt State on January 11 and Cal Poly Pomona on January 12. Both games will tip off at 5:30 p.m.  

The Pioneers split a two-game series with Humboldt State during the 2011-12 season.  East Bay defeated the Jacks 57-52 in Arcata, to begin a four-game winning streak. The Pioneers would go on to win their last six out of their last nine games, and compete in the CCAA Playoff Tournament.  Cal State East Bay and Cal Poly Pomona split a two-game series last season.

“Every weekend is important, when we are trying to build some momentum,” Pioneer Head Coach Suzy  Barcomb said.  “We don't have time to look at the past, we must move forward and try and get this team pointed in the right direction. Leaders must lead, role players must play their parts, and defenders must defend.  We need to buy-in individually, then as a group.”

Cal State East Bay is 1-4 in the CCAA and 3-6 overall. The Pioneers have played four out of their five CCAA games on the road. East Bay will be home for its next four CCAA contests.  “We are happy to be at home for the next four games, especially with the start of winter quarter,” Barcomb said. 

The Pioneers continue to rank nationally in three defensive categories in Division II. East Bay ranks fourth in field goal percentage.  Opponents are shooting 31.5 percent from the field. The Pioneers are 13th in scoring defense, holding their opponents to 53.4 points a game. East Bay is 24th in 3-point field goal defense (25%).

Micah Walker is the Pioneers leading scorer with an 11.1 point per game average. Walker has scored in double figures in five games, and recently posted a season-high 16 points against Cal State Dominguez Hills.  Lauren Lucchesi is averaging 9.5 points and 5.3 rebounds a game.

Tori Breshers has come off the bench in all nine games to average 8.6 points and 4.6 rebounds a contest.  In 36 minutes against Cal State L.A. and Cal State Dominguez Hills, Breshers averaged 11 points and 4.5 rebounds. She added three blocked shots and four steals. In CCAA play, Marlene MacMillan has averaged 6.8 points and 5.2 rebounds.   Rachel Finnegan leads the Pioneers on the boards with 5.7 rebounds a game.

WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
The Jan. 11 game against Humboldt State will be the Pioneers' annual Jam The Gym event. If 1,000 fans attend the game, everyone in attendance will receive a Chipotle buy one burrito, get one free voucher. For the third straight year, East Bay will be looking to set a new attendance record. One lucky fan will win a new iPad mini.

On Jan. 12, the Pioneers will honor the Read with the Pioneers Program participants from local elementary schools. This year has been the biggest and best for the program, with 400 students from four schools participating and combining to read more than 200,000 pages in November. The students and their families will be in attendance for the doubleheader with Cal Poly Pomona, when they will be honored during halftime of the women's game.

ABOUT HUMBOLDT STATE                                                                                                                                              The Jacks are 3-3 in CCAA play and 7-5 for the season. Lisa Petty is the 28th leading scorer in Division II with an 18.4 point per game average. Petty, the Jacks' leading rebounder with an average of 8.3 rebounds a game, has three double-doubles this season. Caitie Richards is averaging 10.8 points per game and tops the Jacks with 36 assists.

“Humboldt has a great deal of talent in their guards,” Barcomb said. “It will be a challenging match-up for us.” 

ABOUT CAL POLY POMONA                                                                                                                                             The Broncos are 3-3 in the CCAA following a pair of victories over UC San Diego and Cal State San Bernardino this past weekend. Cal Poly Pomona is 5-5 overall. CCAA Player of the Week J.J. Judge leads the Broncos in scoring with a 17.3 point per game average.  Ashley Boggs, netting 12.4ppg, is averaging a team-best 8.1 rebounds a game. 

“Pomona seems to have everyone healthy now and have been on quite a roll, playing very solid basketball on both ends of the floor,” Barcomb said.

Following this week, the Pioneers will continue their homestand with a pair of games against Cal State San Bernardino on January 18 and UC San Diego on January 19.