Kuhns sets school record as women’s basketball takes down Utah Valley

Kuhns sets school record as womens basketball takes down Utah Valley

State Hornet Staff

Sacramento State senior forward Kylie Kuhns is playing her final year as a member of the women’s basketball team, but after a game against Utah Valley, her name will never leave the program.

With 14:38 left in the game, Kuhns collected her 10th rebound of the game to set a new school record for total rebounds in her team’s 74-62 win against the Wolverines. Kuhns’ 934 career rebounds break the old record of 931 set by Heidi Carroll in 1986.

In addition to her 10 rebounds, Kuhns ended the game with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

“Coming into the season, I set some big goals and one of them was breaking the school record,” Kuhns said. “But this doesn’t change my game. I know I have to get double-digit rebounds every game.”

Hornets’ head coach Jamie Craighead said Kuhns is special player, one she never before had the privilege of coaching.

“I have never coached anyone like her in terms of her work ethic and drive,” Craighead said. “Her knack for getting rebounds is something you just don’t see.”

The Hornets started the game against Utah Valley struggling to find their outside shot as they missed their first six 3-pointers. At one point, Sac State was shooting 2-20 from the field and finished the first half shooting 28 percent.

“It was frustrating for our shooters, but I think they just have to play through that and I think you have to believe that shots are going to go down eventually,” Craighead said. “We know we are going to take a lot of shots and sometimes the ball is not going to go your way.”

Despite the Hornets’ poor shooting performance, junior forward Sadie Clements finished the first half with eight points, including two big 3-point baskets, to give Sac State a 30-26 lead going into halftime.

Junior point guard Alle Moreno did not make a shot from the perimeter, missing five straight outside shots, but she said she was not worried about only scoring four points.

“There was a little frustration in the first half, but my coach said shooters are going to keep shooting,” Moreno said. “You have to let the last one go and just keep shooting.”

However, In the second half, Moreno found her touch as she led the Hornets on with four 3-point shots and a team-high 24 points to finish the game.

With 9:38 left in the game and the Hornets ahead 48-47, Sac State would outscore Utah Valley on a 14-6 run, forcing the Wolverines to take a timeout.

Sac State extended its lead to 69-55 with Moreno’s fourth 3-pointer and finally finished with six free throws, giving Utah Valley its fourth loss of the season.

“You have to give credit to our kids to keep shooting,” Craighead said. “Overall, we will continue to get better, but we need to make more shots.”

Sac State returns to The Nest Nov. 28 when it hosts the University of San Francisco. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.

Ryan Kuhn can be reached on Twitter @rskuhn