Preview: Women's Basketball Faces California Baptist in WAC Road Opener

After it's originally scheduled game for Thursday in Seattle was postponed to Monday, the Chicago State women's basketball team rings in the New Year and continues its WAC slate by traveling to California Baptist for its first conference road showdown against the California Baptist Lancers at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday.
 

Chicago State Cougars vs. California Baptist Lancers Date | Time Saturday, January 8 | 3:00 p.m. CT Location CBU Events Center | Riverside, California Television ESPN+ Live Stats Live Stats Game Notes Chicago State Game Notes

 

ALL-TIME Chicago State and California Baptist have met six times, with the Lancers winning all six, including four in Riverside. Last year, the two squads faced off twice in January, with CBU earning wins of 93-52 and 67-52.

LAST TIME OUT Chicago State took on Grand Canyon on Thursday in its WAC opener, falling to the Antelopes, 66-49. The two sides were tied, 33-33, at halftime, but GCU closed strong for the commanding win. Freshman point guard Aaliyah Collins powered CSU with 19 points but fouled out with 7:40 left in the game. Allysah Boothe added two threes and eight points, while Kyjai Miles poured in seven points, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

SIZING UP THE LANCERS  9-2 California Baptist has yet to play a conference game but rolled through non-conference play, winning its last four games. Last season, the Lancers went an astonishing 22-0 in the regular season, winning the WAC Tournament and not losing until round three of the WNIT, to Rice. The return of CBU's three-headed monster — Ane Olaeta, Britney Thomas and Caitlyn Harper — have kept them among favorites to repeat as WAC champions.

CLIMBING THE RANKS As just a freshman, former Washington State Player of the Year Aaliyah Collins has taken the conference — and nation — by storm. She leads the Cougars with 16.1 points per game, which ranks second in the Western Athletic Conference. Her 3.1 steals per game lead the league, a total that ranks 17th in NCAA Division I. Adding to the defensive punch is junior Kyjai Miles, whose 1.6 blocks per game rank fourth in the WAC.

About Chicago State

Chicago State University Athletics is comprised of 15 intercollegiate teams involving over 150 student-athletes that compete in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and volleyball. CSU held memberships in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and NCAA Division II before transitioning to NCAA Division I in 1994. Melvin Bland was the first CSU student-athlete to gain NAIA All-American status in 1974 as a wrestler. Fred Evans became the first black swimmer ever to win a national championship in 1975. CSU's women's basketball team earned a spot in the 2011 Women's Basketball Invitational and CSU's men's basketball team won the 2013 Great West Conference Tournament title and made an appearance in the CollegeInside.com Postseason Tournament (CIT).  The Men's Outdoor Track & Field 4x100-Meter Relay team were 2019 Honorable Mention All-Americans and WAC Champions. Their feat marked the first time the Chicago State's men's track & field program was represented at the national meet. 

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