This time last year, Sacramento State had just racked up their third consecutive loss to start the season.

A year later, the Hornets turned the tables and earned three straight wins to keep them undefeated.

This win came by way of a blowout, as Sac State put on an indomitable performance in their 33-point win over the Division II Lincoln Oaklanders.

Sac State started out trading baskets with Lincoln, but would soon run away with the lead. The Hornets’ suffocating defense set the table for an onslaught of transition baskets that left the Oaks in the dust.

Lincoln turned the ball over eight times in the first quarter which became an ongoing theme for the rest of the first half.

Anchoring this defensive surge was senior forward Jaydia Martin, who finished the game with three steals and two blocks. Martin said the team’s defense will be the reason they will find success as the season goes on.

“Defense wins games and no matter what your offense is, defense is something you can always control and something you can always work hard at,” Martin said.

The Hornets only allowed 19 points in the first half and jumped out to a 23-point lead going into halftime.

Redshirt freshman guard Sofia Alonso was another bright spot for the Hornets, scoring 11 points and stuffing the stat sheet with three rebounds, four assists and a game-high four steals.

Alonso came off the bench early in the first quarter and provided a spark to the stagnant Hornet offense, scoring five points and cashing in Sac State’s first three-pointer of the game. Alonso said she has embraced playing the role as a reserve for Sac State.

“It’s really important for me, coming off the bench. I just want to find my teammates, find them in the best positions so they can make their shots,” Alonso said. “Coach has given me a lot of confidence at that.”

After bringing Alonso off the bench to start the game, Sac State head coach Aaron Kallhoff made the call to have her join the second half starting lineup.

“We’ve been slow a little bit in the third quarter. So, I was going to make a change,” Kallhoff said about deciding to start Alonso. “I just wanted to go out there and get a little bit more fluid.”

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Alonso said that she is willing to do whatever is asked of her to help the team win. She was set on getting the ball to her teammates by any means, throwing multiple no-look passes to her teammates in transition.

“I just want the best for my teammates. I don’t care about how many points I score,” Alonso said.

Familiar woes would appear in the second half as Sac State piled up fouls and turnovers in garbage time. Although the Hornets maintained a sizable lead for the last two quarters, Kallhoff wasn’t satisfied with the team’s execution as the game came to an end.

“We had game goals and we hit them in the first and second quarter. We didn’t hit them in the second half,” Kallhoff said. “We’re fouling too much and we’re turning the ball over too much, and that’s on us.”

The Hornets played their worst basketball of the game in the fourth quarter, allowing Lincoln to outscore them 23-18. Sac State’s sloppy play resulted in eight turnovers that the Oaks capitalized on, scoring 10 points off the Hornet’s miscues.

Despite Sac State’s inability to protect the ball late in the game, they managed to come out on top, winning 88-55 and improving to 3-0 on the season.

Sac State looks to put together a complete game on the road on Thursday at 7 p.m. against Cal State Fullerton, the first of three Big West Conference matchups for the Hornets.