In what could have been the program’s most critical road trip ever, Sacramento State came home empty handed. The Hornets (10-15 overall, 4-8 in Big Sky Conference) lost to Big Sky leader Weber State (22-5, 12-0) on Thursday, 88-65, and Idaho State (13-12, 6-6) on Saturday, 90-83.

Sac State, who came into the road trip in a three-way tie for fifth place, are now in a two-way tie for sixth place with the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks. However, the Hornets have rights to the sixth and final seed in the Big Sky Tournament due to a tie-breaker they own over the Lumberjacks.

On Thursday, Weber State’s starting five combined to score 75 points, including 22 from forward Slobodan Ocokoljic. After leading 34-31 at halftime, the Wildcats used back-to-back 3-pointers from John Hamilton to push their lead to 47-33.

Seniors Derek Lambeth and Raashad Hooks each scored 14 points for the Hornets. Weber State outrebounded the Hornets 35-25, including 11 boards from Ocokoljic.

On Saturday, the Bengals and Hornets went back-and-forth in the first half, with Idaho State taking a 44-40 lead. After a Sac State run made the score 65-64 midway through the second half, the Bengals used an 18-4 run to take an 83-68 lead.

Idaho State received 26 points from forward Scott Henry and 24 points from small forward Jeremy Brown, while point guard Marquis Poole had nine points, eight rebounds and seven assists.

Brandon Guyton led the Hornets with 22 points, including 5-of-10 shooting from 3-point range, while Hooks had 11 points and 10 assists on 3-of-12 shooting. Hornet forward Jimmy White had 17 points and six rebounds.

The Hornets will next return to Sacramento to face Montana on Thursday and Montana State on Saturday in Hornet Gym.

Hornet head coach Jerome Jenkins feels his team learned from his team’s road trip to Montana, where they beat Montana State and fell to Montana.

“We’ve got to make shots or else (Montana) will zone us all night,” he said.

The Hornet coach also believes his team must do a better job of defending the 3-point shot.

Northern Arizona will also take on Montana State and Montana at home.

Both games are set to tip-off at 7:05 p.m., and tickets can be purchased in advance at the Central Ticket Office in the University Union.

‘We really have a big burden on our shoulders,” said Jenkins, who is attempting to lead the Hornet program to their first ever Big Sky Tournament.

“We have to go in and knock the door down.”

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