LOS ANGELES – Cal State LA's women's basketball team will try to punch its ticket into the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship Tournament in a pair of big home games this week in the Eagles Nest.
Cal State LA hosts Stanislaus State on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. before wrapping up its regular season on Saturday against Chico State on Senior Night, also at 5:30 p.m.
The Golden Eagles are currently tied for eighth in the conference with San Francisco State and hold the tiebreaker over the Gators thanks to a 66-57 win in Los Angeles last month. The top eight teams will qualify for the tournament, which begins at campus sites on Tuesday, March 1, and concludes with the semi-finals and finals at the Stockton Arena on March 4-5. The winner of the conference tournament receives the CCAA's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Cal State LA (8-16, 6-12 CCAA) is battling with not only San Francisco State (9-16, 6-12 CCAA), but also Chico State for the No. 8 spot. The Wildcats (10-14, 5-13 CCAA) are one game behind the Golden Eagles and Gators with two games remaining.
Cal State LA can clinch the eighth spot as early as Thursday with a win over Stanislaus State combined with losses by San Francisco State (at Cal State San Bernardino) and Chico State (at home vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills). If the Golden Eagles post wins in their last two games, they will also clinch a spot no matter what the Gators or Wildcats do. If the Golden Eagles lose on Thursday, they'll need to win on Saturday against Chico State to have a chance at advancing to the conference tournament.
Cal State LA is coming off a pair of overtime losses on the road last week, falling to Cal State Monterey Bay, 75-70, on Friday and to Cal State East Bay, 81-69, on Saturday. Bree Parsons had 21 points in both games for the Golden Eagles.
Franeka Hall leads the team in scoring with 12.9 points per game and was sensational in Cal State LA's last home game, a 98-92 overtime win over previously unbeaten Cal State Dominguez Hills. Hall had a career-high 31 points in the game. She also leads the team in rebounding with 5.4 rebounds per game and steals with 2.8 per contest.
Parsons has increased her scoring average to 11.8 points and Rikke Fabricius gives the Golden Eagles a fourth player averaging in double figures with 11.3 points per game. Chiara DiMarco, who averages 12.8 points per game, was injured in a game against Cal State East Bay on Jan. 8 and hasn't played since.
The Golden Eagles have gotten strong play from freshman Christine Delapina, who has started the last 12 games and leads the team in assists with 3.6 per contest.
Cal State LA will honor its five seniors - Ali Orlich, Franeka Hall, Bree Parsons, Kiah Knox, Geena Greene - in pregame ceremonies on Saturday.
