Ricky Glenn scored the games first five points, and the Sac State men’s basketball team never looked back as the beat Bethany College 103-48 on Friday afternoon at Hornet Gym.

Defense and turnovers is very commonly an equation for success on the court, and that was the game plan that Sac State was able to employ against Bethany in its season opener, where they pressured the Bruins to 37 turnovers and set an up-tempo pace for the game.

That pace was a clear advantage for the Hornets who put up a 33-8 run over the games first 10 minutes which was highlighted by a barrage of three pointers by both Pablo Gonzales and Derek Lambeth, and a thunderous dunk through traffic by big man Arinze Anouro.

The Hornets went into halftime with a 50-23 lead, and while that is impressive from the outside looking in, head coach Jerome Jenkins in unsatisfied with the results. He feels his team should beat a smaller, NAIU school such as Bethany and that his squad has a lot of work to do before they will be at their best.

“We just want to come out and grow as a team,” Jenkins said. “We’re just now coming out of the ground, and by January, and heading into the end of the season, we want to be a big tree. I’m pleased, but we’re not there yet.”

The offense was paced by Gonzales whose shooting touch stayed hot, hitting for 20 points from the outside, and Rene Jacques put up 18 off the bench including two three pointers. However it was the dribble penetration and ability to get to the basket by point guards Rame Batta and Chris Armstrong that opened up the offense for Sac State.

“Coach has emphasized me getting by my man and penetrating the lane,” Batta said. “When he calls my ’14,’ that’s my play to break down the defense, and either get my shot or hit somebody on the outside.”

The second half was just as easy as the first for Sac State as Bethany was unable to produce any kind of a spark. Their lone chance to change the direction of the tide came with 13:57 left, when the Bruins high-flyer Don Peoples completed an emphatic dunk, and also got the foul. But the Hornets answered quickly when Lambeth hit a three on the next possession. That was followed by a Jacques jumper, and a three-pointer by Jay Richardson.

The Hornets had complete control of the game, but Jenkins held his up-tempo philosophy, and refused to slow down the offense.

“We’re going to push it,” Jenkins said. “We’re going to run a whole lot, even if we’re up. We’re not going to slow it down.”

One area of concern for the Hornets against Bethany was the number of turnovers that they committed themselves. Although better than the Bruin’s 37, Sac State also committed 26, but Jenkins has come to accept that type of number.

“With the style that we play, we will turn the ball over a lot,” he said. “It’s something that I will accept, we are young.”

Sac State had five scorers hit double-figures, and along with Gonzales and Jacques, Glenn added 13 points and 6 rebounds, Richardson had 12 points and nine rebounds, and Batta added 11. Armstrong also had a solid performance, dishing out 11 assists, and Jenkins is proud of the depth on his team.

“Potentially, we will play a lot of guys this year,”Jenkins said. “I expect that type of production out of a junior college transfer like Jay (Richardson), and I think Chris (Armstrong) had a wake-up call today. He only played three minutes in our last exhibition, and he’s now getting the point that we need him to take care of the ball. He’s been doing push-ups for every turnover that he commits, and I think he’s tired of doing that.”

The players are also aware that there will be competition for playing time, and according Batta, there will be a more standard line-up in the future.

“I think that the number of guys getting in the game will change,” he said. “I think coach wants to eventually get it down to an eight-man rotation, but if everybody keeps playing well, we will see some competition for minutes. Practice is very good. Everybody knows that they have to play hard to get some ‘P.T.’ (playing time).”

Up next for Sac State is Saint Mary’s, a team that they feel will provide more competition.

“Saint Mary’s is very solid,” Jenkins said. “Their coach is very good, and they will be a test for us.”

That game will be held in Hornet Gym on Wed. Nov. 22 at 7:05 p.m.