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Making a habit of victory

***The Cal State Monterey Bay women’s basketball team celebrates its California Collegiate Athletic Association championship on March 1 following a victory over Sonoma State in the Kelp Bed at the Otter Sports Center. ***

For months, it seemed they couldn’t lose.

Even when the Otters women’s basketball team finally fell to top rival Cal Poly Pomona after 16 straight victories, they bounced back to win 11 of their next 14.

By season’s end, the women had dramatically raised the bar for Cal State Monterey Bay basketball: an unprecedented 27-4 record, a championship in the California Collegiate Athletic Association conference, a No. 19 national ranking, Division II’s top defense, a ticket to the NCAA West Regional tournament, and three players named all-conference.

“This is the most unselfish team I’ve ever been a part of as a player or a coach, and I think that’s what got us to the point we are this season,” said head coach Renee Jimenez, who was named CCAA Coach of the Year. “They stayed away from each other’s strengths and completed each other’s weaknesses.”

The Otters claimed the CCAA title outright and nearly won the conference tournament, losing to rival Cal Poly Pomona in the final. They crushed Dixie State in the first round of the regional and then went cold against Grand Canyon University.

“In the locker room, I told them, ‘You followed the game plan absolutely perfectly, and the ball just didn’t drop tonight,’” Jimenez said. “A few more shots drop, and it’s a ball game.

”She’s not betting on another 16-0 start, but a dozen returning players and strong freshmen will create a fun, exciting and successful team next season, she said.

“I do think that next year’s team is going to peak at just the right time to make a run through the NCAA tournament,” Jimenez said.