Friday, Jan. 4
vs. Cal State LA (7-4, 2-2 CCAA)
The Eagles Nest | Los Angeles
5:30 p.m.
Live video | Live stats

Saturday, Jan. 5
vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills (2-6, 1-3 CCAA)
The Torodome | Carson
5:30 p.m.
Live video | Live stats


HAYWARD, Calif. - The Pioneer women's basketball team will resume CCAA play with a pair of road games in Southern California. On Jan. 4, the Pioneers will face Cal State Los Angeles. The Pioneers will play Cal State Dominguez Hills on Jan. 5 to conclude their Southern California trip. East Bay was swept by Cal State L.A. in a two-game series last season. The Pioneers spilt two games with Cal State Dominguez Hills during the 2011-12 season.

Cal State East Bay fans can follow the Pioneers on Saturday night when the men's and women's basketball teams visit Cal State Dominguez Hills. Both game of the doubleheader will be televised
live worldwide on the Toro Sports Network. Fans can watch free of charge with no registration required. Coverage online at www.GoToros.com/Live starts at 5 p.m. with Toros Game Night counting down until tipoff at 5:30. 

East Bay will be playing for the first time since a 51-38 defeat to Cal State Monterey Bay on December 8th.
“We have been without a game for nearly a month, while our first opponent played only two weeks ago,” Pioneer Head Coach Suzy Barcomb said.  “The mandatory break is long enough time off, but how our schedule set up this year, we just didn't have games that worked into our winter break. I would imagine we will be somewhat rusty and overly anxious to compete on Friday evening.” 

The Pioneers are 1-2 in CCAA play and 3-4 for the season.  East Bay is averaging 56.9 points and 41.9 rebounds a game. The Pioneers rank nationally in three defensive categories in the Division II Women's Basketball Statistics released on Dec. 18.

East Bay tops all Division II Institutions in field goal percentage defense. Opponents have shot 30.1 percent from the field in seven games. In three-point defense, the Pioneers ranked 14th, holding opponents to a 22.4 percentage. The Pioneers are third in the CCAA behind Humboldt State (9th) and Chico State (12th). Also holding their opponents to just 53.4 points a game, the Pioneers are 24th in scoring defense. East Bay ranks second in the CCAA behind Cal State Monterey Bay (5th) in the category.

“With the offensive talent in the CCAA, we know we must excel on the defensive end of the floor,” Barcomb said. “Defense is about effort and energy, two controllable qualities. We must commit to getting stops or making our opponents uncomfortable.  It takes the entire team buying in to what the defensive system is trying to accomplish. We've made major improvements in this area. It is great the team can be rewarded for their efforts.”

Micah Walker is the Pioneers' leading scorer with an 11.3 point per game average. Walker has scored in double figures in four games, including a season-high 15 points against Westmont College. Lauren Lucchesi is averaging  10.3 points and 5.7 rebounds a game. In three CCAA games, Marlene MacMillan has averaged 7.3 points and five rebounds.   Tori Breshers has come off the bench in all seven games to average 7.9 points and 4.6 rebounds a contest. Rachel Finnegan continues to be one of the better all-around players for the Pioneers. Finnegan leads the Pioneers with  6.3 rebounds a game, 14 assists and 11 steals.

ABOUT CAL STATE L.A.
Cal State L.A. is 2-2 in CCAA play and 7-4 overall. The Golden Eagles posted a 2-1 record in the Alaska-Anchorage Hoops Classic on December 17-19. Tessondra Williams is one of the top scorers in the CCAA with a 19.5 point per game average. Lacey Gibbons is averaging 9.1 points per game.

“Cal State L.A. is a well prepared team, competes in every aspect of the game and has played a very demanding pre-season schedule, with a great deal of success,” Barcomb said. “Coach Jones added a great deal of talent in this year's recruiting class to go with a solid core group of returners. They present many challenges, can shoot the 3-ball, finish inside and play tough, physical defense.”

ABOUT CAL STATE DOMINGUEZ HILLS
The Toros are 1-3 in the CCAA following an 80-77 victory over Cal State L.A. on December 9. Cal State Dominguez Hills is 2-6 for the season. Monay Lee is the Toros' top scorer with a 12.8 point per game average. Lee is followed by Jamie Robinson, averaging 11.7 points per game. Robinson is averaging a team-best 8.9 rebounds a game.

“Cal State Dominguez Hills has a new coaching staff and basically an entirely new team, so they are not the same program,” Barcomb said. “They clearly have the ability to score points. Cal State Dominguez Hills can shoot the 3-ball, get to the free throw line and push the tempo well.”

Following the Southern California road trip, the Pioneers will return home to face Humboldt State on January 11 and Cal Poly Pomona on January 12.