Sacramento State dropped a pair of games to Big West Conference teams this week, the California State University Northridge Matadors and UC San Diego Tritons, extending the losing streak to three.
The Hornets never quite found their groove against the Tritons on Tuesday, but were in perfect position to come away with a win in The Nest over the Matadors on Saturday before crumbling late.
Sac State has shown it’s not shy in talent and capable of hanging with the opposition, but haven’t been able to get over the hump.
Start fast, finish strong
In each of its two games this week, Sac State either got off to a rocky start or a posted sluggish finish, which ended up making the difference in each loss.
Against the Tritons, the Hornets were outscored by 11 in the first half after a turnover-heavy opening frame that saw them give it away nine times in the first seven minutes. Sac State looked much more buttoned up in the second and ended up winning that half by one, but it was too little too late.
In The Nest on Saturday, it was just the opposite. The Hornets played their best half of basketball on the season against the Matadors, carrying an 11-point lead into the locker room, but faltered in the second half which resulted in a 21-point swing.
Sac State’s offense wasn’t nearly as explosive as it was in the first half, which allowed the Matadors to slowly chip away at the lead. Ten of the Hornets’ 16 turnovers came in the second half, and many came in the final minutes when CSUN upped their intensity on defense.
One of, if not the most important trait to have in basketball is the ability to endure another team’s runs; that’s the name of the game. But in order for Sac State to start winning games, they have to minimize the blows they’ve encountered in that area so far.
Grab your Windex
There wasn’t a ton Sac State did overwhelmingly well last season, finishing 10-24, but they were elite at cleaning the glass. The Hornets were a top-30 rebounding team in the country and atop the Big Sky Conference.
While it hasn’t necessarily been bad this season, it hasn’t been nearly as dominant. Against CSUN, Sac State was outrebounded 35-31. In the game prior, the Tritons had more offensive rebounds than the Hornets, resulting in 12-11 second-chance points advantage.
After leading the Big Sky in rebound margin in 2023-24, Sac State is middle-of-pack so far this season. Considering a good portion of the personnel that made Sac State such a dominant rebounding team last season returned, they’re capable of better.
A return to form would give Sac State something to leverage after a 1-3 start and could help fix some of their shortcomings in other areas. Being active on the offensive boards creates more opportunities for points and vice versa for the defensive glass and not allowing the opposition more than one look at the basket each possession.
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Player of the week
The player most likely to have a heightened impact on a reloaded Sac State team this season is senior forward Jacob Holt. After a slow-ish start, he’s starting to find his groove.
Free throw shooting was a strong suit for Holt last season in limited minutes, and he’s magnified that this year. He is third in the Big Sky in free throws made with 17.
The biggest driving factor behind Holt’s senior-season surge is the successful expansion of his game in the offseason. After only attempting 16 threes last season and converting 25%, Holt has made 6-of-12 from behind the arc in just four outings.
Holt’s physical stature and governing paint presence already made him a tough enough guard, adding an extra dimension has opened up more for his game. Because of that, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to see Holt on an All-Big Sky team in March.
This week at a glance
A quiet week lies ahead for the Hornets with one game on Sunday, Nov. 24, against the California Golden Bears.
Additional practice time without game interruption should be beneficial for a team still figuring itself out. Especially with their lone matchup coming against what is likely the best team on their schedule.
This is Cal’s first season as a member of the stacked 18-team Atlantic Coast Conference, which features college basketball blue bloods Duke and North Carolina. The Golden Bears ranked 16 in ACC preseason polls but have a roster steep in talent with NBA heritage.
Sophomore guard Andrej Stojakovic is the son of Sacramento Kings legend Peja Stojakovic, and was one of the most sought-after players to enter the transfer portal this past cycle. He is Cal’s leading scorer and has posted 15 or more points in each of the team’s first three games.
Two-time NBA all-star Stephon Marbury’s son, freshman guard Stephon Marbury ll, joined Cal as a walk-on this year, but has yet to log any minutes.
The Golden Bears are 3-1 on the season, with wins at home over Big West Conference schools Cal Poly and UC Riverside, and a significant win over USC in Los Angeles, CA. Their loss came on the road to Vanderbilt in a 16-point defeat.
The Hornets will face off against the Bears in Berkley, California on Sunday, Nov. 24 at 1 p.m.
