The Sacramento State women’s basketball team started the season at 4-7 before the winter break started. Some players felt the time off would help them focus and get them back above .500.

The break began with a promising 3-1 start, but the losses came swiftly afterwards as the team has dropped five straight since. Its overall record is 7-13.

The Hornets head down the home stretch of the season with nine games left.

Hornets’ senior forward, Emily Christensen said the winter break gave the team and her more time to focus on basketball.

“We always are trying to focus on basketball as much as we can,” Christensen said.

Christensen said leisure reading was also big with her and the team.

“We have all been reading different books on our Kindles and passing around books,” she said. “Even people at the airport were giving us books to read.”

She said one book she read is the Hunger Games, along with various mystery books that she was not able to read during the semester.

She was not able to have any other sports activities over the break due to the ongoing season, and said practices were shifted to later in the day to condition the team to the upcoming semester.

“I’ve just been relaxing and getting some sleep,” Christensen said.

When the team is in Sacramento over the winter break, she said that they spend a lot of time with each other, with trips to the movies and getting ice cream.

“Lots of basketball and lots of hanging out at each other’s apartments, since most of us live together,” said Christensen.

Hornets’ junior guard Se’nyce Parrish said she has been getting lots of rest when not playing and it has helped her refocus.

Parrish, from Fresno, said she was able to visit family and friends from her hometown during Christmas break for three days and her family has been able to cheer her on for her home games.

She said for the rest of the season, the team needs to focus on playing at full capacity for the entire game, citing the recent five losses.

“We have to be a lot better than what we have shown lately; we have to just keep playing hard and play hard through the whole game, that’s where we are struggling,” Parrish said.

Over winter break, away from basketball and working out, she found comfort in her small Chihuahua-Terrier puppy as well as watching TV with her roommate.

“I watch MTV, BET, ‘The Game,’ ‘Mob Wives’ and a lot of reality television. I also take a lot of naps,” she said.

Hornets sophomore guard Alle Moreno said winter break for her consisted of keeping ready for the next game.

“We need our bodies to stay in shape all season long for January, February and maybe even March,” Moreno said.

“So, we need to take care of our bodies with icing, working out or resting: that’s a big one, and that’s what we pretty much do,” she added.

When not training or playing, Moreno was able to visit family in Lodi over the holidays, seeing them during Christmas.

She said more determined playing in future games would ensure a successful season for her team.

“If we just keep playing hard, we can come out with some victories, and that’s what we need to do,” Moreno said.

When off the court, Moreno enjoys relaxing with her teammates, practicing her shooting and preparing herself for the next game.