The 2024-2025 season has been anything but satisfactory for Sacramento State. The Hornets only managed to pick up seven wins in 31 games, but their slate has been wiped clean as they head into the Big Sky Conference tournament.
Starch Madness begins Saturday and features all 10 Big Sky teams. 10-seed Sac State landed a first round matchup against 9-seed Weber State, who the Hornets beat in their last matchup on Feb. 20.
Is another Cinderella run on the horizon?
Last season Sac State saved their best basketball for the conference tournament, shocking their competition and taking down 1-seed Eastern Washington in a race to the final round.
The Hornets are riding a 4-game losing streak into Starch Madness with no momentum in sight, but Sac State head coach Michael Czepil said that Weber State is a matchup that should work in their favor.
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“We have had some success against them recently,” Czepil said. “Our guys should play with uber confidence that they can make plays on both sides of the ball against them.”
A win against Weber State would pin Sac State up against conference co-champion Northern Colorado, which Sac State failed to beat in two games this season.
While highly unlikely, another run to the final round is still possible for the Hornets.
Tale of the Tape
These two teams split a 2-game season series, but both games could have gone either way, with final scores coming within six points or less.
Sac State and Weber State both had their best scoring performances of conference play in their first matchup of the season, an 87-81 Weber State win.
Their second matchup of the season went the Hornets’ way, winning 80-77 in another shootout that was sealed by a dagger three from senior forward Jacob Holt.
“I think we did a great job of moving the ball in the last two games,” Holt said. “Finding open shooters as well as passing out anytime they pack the paint. That’s a key for us.”
JACOB. HOLT. @SacHornetsMBB wins in Ogden #ExperienceElevated pic.twitter.com/lHaDaTMFbC
— Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) February 21, 2025
The scoring outbursts the Hornets have displayed against the Wildcats have been an anomaly. Sac State’s scoring offense ranks in the bottom of the conference at 66 points per game, the only team in the Big Sky below the 70-point mark this season.
Their conference-leading defense has been Sac State’s identity for the majority of the season. The Hornets have allowed 75 points or more in three of their last five games and have slid to the fourth spot in the Big Sky, just two spots ahead of Weber State.
It is almost certain that another close shootout will ensue in the first round in Boise, Idaho.
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Extinguishing the Wildcats’ dynamic duo
Senior guard Blaise Threatt and sophomore guard/forward Viljami Vartiainen have been the go-to options for Weber State in their previous two games against Sac State.
Threatt ranks second in scoring in the Big Sky at 20 points per game, but has averaged 23 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists on over 60% from the field against the Hornets.
.@threatt_blaise extends the lead #ExperienceElevated pic.twitter.com/luNFAbL7lq
— Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) January 25, 2025
Vartiainen, an eight point per game scorer, averages 23 points per game against Sac State, and has knocked down half of his 19 attempts from three.
“We have to be really mindful of those two,” Czepil said. “Threatt’s in a lot of pick and rolls, so our coverage has to be spot on. If Vartiainen gets a shot off, that’s an issue. We have to have great closeout discipline and floor position.”
Senior guard EJ Neal stressed the importance of not letting the Wildcat duo get comfortable on offense.
“Threatt is a good player,” Neal said. “We have to take him out of his rhythm early, through ball screens, his mid-range and finishing. With Vartiainen, we have to be on his toes on every catch and make sure he doesn’t get any good looks.”
Sac State’s defense must find a way to shrink the floor for Threatt and Vartiainen if they wish to stop these two from snagging a winnable game.
Senior Hornets’ last shot at a Big Sky Championship
Holt and Neal are the only seniors on a Sac State team made up of nine underclassmen, and are preparing to play what could potentially be their last game in green and gold.
Holt has put together a season worthy of an All-Conference nod, averaging 16 points and seven rebounds per game. He said this team can unite in an effort to replicate last year’s success.
“Last year was a great experience because we finally came together at the right time,” Holt said. “This year, we have to have the same mindset. I think we’ve played our best ball as of late and the goal is to win.”
Holt knocked down a season-high five threes in Sac State’s last game against Weber State, while averaging 22.5 points and 9.5 rebounds for the series.
6’10 C Jacob Holt WENT OFF today in a tough loss to Idaho:
• 34 PTS
• 10 REB
• 2 STL
• 8/14 FG
• 2/2 3PT
• 17/21 FTHuge game from the senior big man, who has quietly been one of the best bigs in the Big Sky this season – averaging 15.9 PPG & 6.6 RPG on 53.4% FG +… pic.twitter.com/XwJRBcvcs9
— Workin It Hoops (@workinithoops) January 10, 2025
Neal has been the definition of versatility for the Hornets this season.
Along with a team-high two steals, Neal had a defensive rating of 134 in the Hornets’ last game against the Wildcats.
Neal’s 3-point shooting has been streaky for most of the season, only shooting 33% from long range, but Weber State’s late rotations from the last two games should open up plenty of looks for the senior guard.
“We always fight to get the best shot possible,” Neal said. “We already beat Weber State once this season and if we can get one shot through, we can get them rolling.”
The Hornets have one last shot at coming together and using their experiences from this season to play a complete game against the Wildcats.
If Sac State’s senior duo can take the game over, there will be no doubt a trip to the second round is on the horizon.
Prediction:
Mateo Davis, men’s basketball beat writer: The Hornets have dropped nine of their last 10 games, with the lone win of that stretch coming against Weber State. The road team has come out victorious in these schools’ earlier games this season, setting the stage for a first round matchup that could end in either team’s favor. Sac State will look to hang their hat on the defense and the hot shooting they displayed in their last win, edging out a close one and beating Weber State to move onto the next round.
Sac State: 79, Weber State: 75
