SEATTLE, Wash. – Sunday was a day for the Chico State women’s basketball team to do some sightseeing, visit the Space Needle, dine family style at Buca di Beppo, savor a hard-earned victory, and prepare for the team’s next big challenge – to bring home the NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional title and advance to the Elite Eight for the second time in the program’s history. On the heels of Saturday’s 86-76 victory over Humboldt State, the ’Cats enjoyed a relaxing day off before turning their attention to Monday’s West Regional championship game showdown with No. 1 seed Seattle Pacific. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. at Royal Brougham Pavilion. CLICK HERE TO VISIT TOURNAMENT CENTRAL.
The 23-9 Wildcats, the sixth seed in the West Regional, reached the title game with wins over Western Washington Friday and Humboldt on Saturday – and in both cases there was a bit of a revenge factor spurring Chico State on to victory. The ’Cats lost to Western Washington by 21 early in the season and dropped an 85-55 decision to the Lumberjacks in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) championship title game, and both losses have been avenged in the West Regional. Now Chico State trys to settle a third score Monday, taking on a 26-3 Seattle Pacific team that is ranked No. 13 in the nation and which dealt the Wildcats a 63-44 loss back on December 21 during the CCAA/GNAC Challenge.
Seattle Pacific, which has the advantage of playing the West Regional title game on its home floor, advanced with a 65-52 win over No. 8 seed Hawaii Pacific Friday and a 52-48 triumph Saturday over No. 4 Alaska Anchorage.
Chico State has put up some impressive offensive numbers in the NCAA West Regional, averaging 82.5 points in its two contests, hitting a season-high 10 3-pointers in Saturday’s victory over Humboldt. Natasha Smith is averaging 15 points and 7.5 assists a game; Synchro Bull and Melissa Richardson are both averaging 14.5 points a night, with Christine Vest chipping in with an average of 13 points a game.
Seattle Pacific is led by senior guard Daesha Henderson, averaging 14.5 points in the Falcons’ two West Regional contests, and junior center Melissa Reich, scoring at a 13.5 points per game clip.
Seattle Pacific holds a 10-4 edge in the all-time series with Chico State and has won each of the last three meetings. Monday will mark the fifth time the Wildcats and Falcons have faced off in the NCAA West Regional – Chico State beat Seattle Pacific 75-60 in the 2007 semifinals, and in 2006 the ’Cats advanced to the Elite Eight by topping the Falcons 72-63 in the West Regional championship game. Seattle Pacific earned an Elite Eight berth in 2005 by beating Chico State 85-70 in the West Regional title game, and ushered the Wildcats to a first round exit in 2003 with an 81-70 win.
Monday’s NCAA West Regional championship game will be broadcast live with Mike Baca providing the play-by-play on ESPN 101.7 and 1340 AM locally, as well as on the Internet via the Wildcat Athletics website. Seattle Pacific will provide live video and Live Stats of the West Region championship game through its official Women’s West Regional page.