Squeaking sneakers, the sound of the buzzer going off and the iconic snap of the net are on the horizon as Sacramento State women’s basketball begins regular season action on Nov. 4.

After posting a disappointing 6-25 record the season prior, this year is expected to be better following a busy offseason where they revamped their roster and brought in more experienced players to build around.

“We definitely will take a leap offensively. And I’m not saying this because I want to give respect to the kids that were here last year,” Sac State head coach Aaron Kallhoff said. “We’re better at every position, so I would expect the scoring to increase.”

‘Jacks Sweep the Preseason Polls #ExperienceElevated pic.twitter.com/c9cuJRT6bi

— Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) October 23, 2024

Pick Your Poison

The Hornets hovered around the middle of the pack last season in terms of 3-point shooting in the Big Sky Conference, knocking down outside shots at a 32% clip.

After the loss of three of their top-four 3-point shooters, they responded by adding NC State’s senior forward Katie Peneueta and Eastern Washington University’s senior forward Jaydia Martin.

Peneueta was previously a part of Sac State’s 2022-23 Big Sky championship run and is a career 45.5% 3-point shooter with nearly five attempts a game.

Martin, the 2021-22 Big Sky Freshman of the Year, adds another lethal weapon to the Hornets’ new-look offense as a career 32% 3-point shooter and averaging 12 points per game.

Martin saw a diminished role in her last year at EWU and said she chose to transfer due to the roster Sac State has constructed.

“I chose here because of the people that were going to be here, that I knew were going to be here,” Martin said. “It’s a very family atmosphere.”

Kallhoff said the additions of experienced transfers should make the transition easy and give the team an easier start to the season.

“We have got a bunch of people that have played in this league and also been successful in this league,” Kallhoff said. “I think you’re going to see an exciting brand of basketball.”

Cleaning Off The Trophy Case

Redshirt junior guard Benthe Versteeg returns this season off the heels of earning All-Big Sky Conference Second Team and Inaugural Big Sky Conference All-Defensive Team honors in 2023-24 after she averaged career-highs with 11.6 points, 6.7 assists and 1.9 steals per game.

Even with the improvement across the board last year, Versteeg said she made it a point in the offseason to cut down on her 4.7 turnovers per game as well as boosting her 3-point percentage.

“I worked on my shot, I worked on my vision, even more my decision making,” Versteeg said.

Though Versteeg’s turnovers piled up last season, it can be attributed to her extended minutes. She ranked second in the nation with 38.4 minutes per game, according to the NCAA.

RELATED: A revolving door: How the transfer portal affects Sac State basketball

The Hornets’ offense struggled last year despite Versteeg’s strong showing, ranking near the bottom of the conference in scoring, rebounding and averaging the most turnovers a game with 17.4.

The improved depth of the team should take the workload off Versteeg and allow her to see more open lanes and fewer traps at the top of the arc.

Open The Safe: Betting On Bench Production

The Hornets will be a much deeper team this year and shouldn’t rely on their starters to play nearly 40 minutes per game like they did last season.

In 2023, the team found themselves on a 12-game losing streak from the middle of December to the end of January. They caught a passing spark by going 4-1 in their next five games, but lost five straight, four of which were by six points or less.

In those games, turnovers or shots short of the rim were common as players were gassed by the time the fourth quarter hit. With the current roster construction, Kallhoff said that should be a thing of the past.

“I’m hoping to settle in with nine to 11,” Kallhoff said about the rotation size this season. “I feel pretty confident because I have kids that can play high minutes if need be, but I’d like to see some dispersion.”

Kallhoff said he doesn’t have an exact starting five yet, but Versteeg, Martin and junior forward Fatoumata Jaiteh are locks to open the season.

Versteeg said the depth pieces the team acquired over the offseason will make the difference and that they will see more success because of it.

“We have a better team, we have better pieces,” Versteeg said. “I’m so confident in this team to reach our goals.”

The Hornets will have a chance to showcase their shiny new roster at The Nest on Monday, Nov. 4 at 6:30 p.m. when they take on the Jessup Warriors.