It was downright disappointing — a common thread in college basketball come March.

Last year the Hornets made history by doing what nobody expected them to do: Making it to the Big Sky Conference Tournament for the first time ever, and then advancing to the semifinals. This season, the Hornets again broke school history with a record 13 wins, but the mood is different.

Yes, it’s a team on the rise, and yes, the team gave students something to feel proud of.

But something more could have been and something more should have been.

There was more hype surrounding this season than any other. The team had more talent than any previous Hornet team and they proved that all of the hype was deserved by earning a home playoff game.

With vivacious fans pulsating inside The Hive and a chance to knock off defending Big Sky champs Weber State, the Hornets didn’t deliver.

An entire season of success came down to one big game.

Sac State failed.

The Hornets shot 31.7 percent from the floor compared to the Wildcats’ 52.3 percent. It happens. It was an off night and there are no second chances in tournament basketball.

The season is over and on the move will be six seniors, including the team’s top three scorers, Joseth Dawson (14.4 points), Joel Jones (12.3) and Brandon Guyton (10).

The senior trio brought a new flavor to Hornet basketball and helped establish a new era for head coach Jerome Jenkins. Although failing to meet expectations, this year’s team brought a level of excitement far superior than any of Sac State’s other programs.

“When everyone thinks of Sac State basketball it will be impossible for someone not to mention the fast break basketball that me and Joseth brought and the shooting that Brandon brought,” Jones said. “I honestly think I will be remembered as a pioneer for the program.”

Head coach Jerome Jenkins said, “Dawson, Jones and Guyton are irreplaceable right now. It’s a huge loss.”

But hey, the Mariners lost Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson and Ken Griffey Jr. and had greater seasons without them. Why not the Hornets?

And if Jenkins has proven one thing during his tenure here at Sac State it is that he can go out and recruit talented players.

“Next year’s team won’t shoot the ball as well, but we will be much more athletic if recruiting goes the way I want it to go,” Jenkins said.

Jameel Pugh, who will be a senior next season, will headline that athleticism. “The good thing about me coming in as a junior was that I was able to learn from other guys,” Pugh said. “Like a fraternity, each year the seniors are preparing the juniors to step up and continue the tradition that has been set. They trained me to be a leader.”

In just four seasons, Jenkins has taken the Hornets from being at the cellar of Division I basketball to contending for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

The Big Sky was polluted with parity and a tough first round exit speaks to that. The Hornets are moving in the right direction and, in the overall scheme of things, these last two years can be seen as the golden age of Sac State hoops.

However, no one should be completely satisfied until the Hornets are in the tournament.

“Expectations are up to the fans and media to decide,” Jenkins said.

So I’ll say it: Pugh and company could and should push the Hornets into March Madness in 2005.

Contact Jimmy Spencer at [email protected]