Sacramento State has further cemented their identity as one of the Big Sky Conference’s most formidable defenses, commanding a top-4 defense over the last five games.
Over the last five, the Hornets have allowed 61.6 points per game on average and have generated the fourth most turnovers in conference play. While they generate turnovers at an elite level, they also commit a near equal amount on the other end, resulting in an average -0.17 turnover margin.
The Iron Curtain
Senior forward Katie Peneueta and junior forward Fatoumata Jaiteh were the anchors for this strong defensive showing during their homestand.
Jaiteh’s footwork and physicality in the post allows her to seal off defenders in the paint, limiting an equally physical Weber State to just 14 points down low.
She doesn’t protect the rim as much as a “traditional” big does, but her quick and active hands stop shooters in motion, ripping ball-handlers for steals. She’s currently ranked sixth in the Big Sky with 2.2 steals per game in conference play.
Jaiteh’s use of her hands can occasionally get her into foul trouble and she got whistled for seven of them in this series, the risk taken with a physical style of defense.
While Jaiteh battled opposing centers, Peneueta roamed the baseline to contest drivers to great effect.
In the 2-game series, she racked up eight total blocks along with plenty of deflections and verticalities. Her most impressive stretch was in the first quarter against Idaho State, where she recorded four steals and blocks in the span of three minutes.
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Peneueta does struggle in space as a defender, but her instincts as a rim protector are top-notch. If she manages to record one more block this season, she’d break 100 for her Sac State career and become one of only six women in school history to do so.
The starting five works well as a unit, and their relative size similarity makes it difficult for teams to find mismatches and take advantage. This makes transition defense another strength for them.
Sac State’s backline is aided by elite point-of-attack defense from redshirt junior guard Benthe Versteeg.
The goal of the modern basketball offense is to get the defense in rotation, forcing mismatches and drawing bigger and more awkward defenders out into space.
With a strong POA defender like Versteeg, those actions are limited by the pressure she manages to put on opposing handlers.
With her impact at the top of the arc, Jaiteh and Peneueta hardly have to leave the paint, and Sac State can more effectively contain offenses.
Sac State has allowed 24 points in the paint on average over the last five games, and their wing defense has limited opponents to just 34% from deep over the same stretch.
Turnover Bakery
Sac State has struggled to find consistent scoring, and when senior forward Jaydia Martin was sidelined with a concussion for the Idaho State game, the offense bottomed out.
Martin is a special offensive player, with the ability to create shots and openings out of thin air. Her 14.4 points per game is good for fourth best in the Big Sky, and her 2.4 assists per game are second only to Versteeg’s team-leading 5.9.
Her creation ability along with Versteeg’s word-class facilitation skills gives the Hornets two reliable offensive pillars. Versteeg is sixth in the nation with a staggering 40.3% assist percentage.
The pair account for a lion’s share of the playmaking for the Hornets, which becomes an issue when teams pack the paint against them. Exactly like all three of the last opponents have done.
Outside of the duo, facilitation has not been a strong suit for the Hornets, who turn the ball over at the second-highest rate in the Big Sky. Martin and Versteeg are the only players on the roster who, on average, turn the ball over less than they assist their teammates.
Some of these struggles can be attributed to the absence of redshirt freshman guard Sofia Alonso, who has missed most of the season with an injury, but the Hornets need to take better care of the ball.
Freshman guard Rubi Gray and freshman forward Noemi Arvai bring a lot to the table as defenders, but have a tendency to throw the ball away, combining for 5.5 turnovers per 40 minutes.
The Final Stretch
The Hornets go into their final 3-game series sitting in ninth place in the Big Sky, just a half-game behind eighth place and a game behind a tie for fifth.
Only one week remains #ExperienceElevated pic.twitter.com/xHAdZakvzS
— Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) February 24, 2025
To escape the bottom four seeds and an extra playoff game, they’ll need to win at least two of their final three.
Sac State has been in free fall for the last month, dropping from 3-3 to their current record of 5-10 in conference play, winning just two of their last nine.
Their first test comes against Montana, a team Sac State nearly beat at home on Feb. 1. Montana is not a strong defensive team, allowing the second most points per game in the conference.
Thursday is a prime opportunity to get the offense back on track before taking on 25-2 Montana State, who are ranked 53rd in the nation.
Montana State on the road is a monumental challenge. The Bobcats boast the best defense and the second-best offense in the Big Sky and have not lost at home since March 2 of last year.
The Hornets played solid defense against the Bobcats in the first quarter of their home loss on Jan. 30, but let the game slip from that point allowing 19 or more in each quarter the rest of the way.
Their final test comes against last-place Portland State in the final game in The Nest. This is the definition of a must-win game for the Hornets, a loss would guarantee a first-round playoff game.
Sac State takes on Montana in Missoula on Thursday, Feb. 27.
