CHICO STATE BASKETBALL

CHICO STATE WOMENS BASKETBALL IN NCAA TOURNAMENT

The Chico State women's basketball team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division 2 West Regional with a 79-68 win over 3rd seeded Western Washington.  Natasha Smith and Synchro Bull eached scored 15 for the Wildcats.  It was a back and forth game through-out, until Chico pulled away by outscording Western Washington 18-7 over the final 4 minutes of the game. Christine Vest, Chico's leading rebounder, left the game late in the 2nd half with an apparent sprained ankle. Her availability for today's 2nd round game is not known.  The Wildcats will face Humboldt State, who upset U.C. San Diego, in the 2nd round today at 5:00pm.  Chico beat Humboldt twice during the regular season,, but lost in the CCAA tournament by 30. The Lumberjacks have a strong post player in Brittany Taylor, who led the CCAA in scoring, plus three long-range shooters, Lisa Petty, Luiza Osborn and Andrea Bobic, who've had hot hands lately.  Mike Baca and the Pre-Game on ESPN starts at 4:35 this afternoon.

CHICO STATE BASEBALL

The Chico State baseball team needed extra innings, but bounced San Bernadino 8-5 in ten innings yesterday.  Shortstop Michael Murphy scored the winning run on a passed ball. Kevin Seaver and Devin Braden blasted homers for Chico State, in support of winning pitcher Michael Gleason.  Gleason went 7 innings to help the 10th ranked Wildcats run their season record to 14-3.   The teams meet again for a double-header at 11.  The first game will be broadcast on ESPN with Mitch Cox and the pre-game at 10:50 this morning.