NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – Freshman Maranne Johnson scored a career-high 14 points but Sacramento State shot just 7-of-35 (20.0 %) from three-point range and had three players foul out by the middle of the second half as the Hornets were defeated by CSUN 81-66 on Sunday in northern Los Angeles.

CSUN led wire-to-wire and went up by 19 points early in the second half. Sacramento State put together a 22-4 run and got within one point with 13 minutes to play but could not establish a lead. The Matadors slowed the game offensively to prevent the Hornets from taking as many shots as they'd like, and the home team did a relatively good job holding on to the ball against the Hornet pressure defense.

Sacramento State (0-2) shot just 32.0 % overall from the field while CSUN (2-0) shot 71.4 % in the first half and 68.3 % for the game, including a 7-of-9 (77.8 %) mark from 3-point range. The defending Big West champion Matadors also had a 39-30 edge in rebounding and had five players score in double figures. CSUN totaled 23 turnovers but also forced 18 and were outscored just 24-18 in points off turnovers, a stat that the Hornets usually dominate by a wide margin.

With two Hornets fouling out early in the second half and another at the midway point the Sacramento State rotation had to be shortened and became less effective. The teams ended up earning the same number of free throws and the Hornets outscored the Matadors by one at the line but were matched in 3-pointers made and hit eight fewer two-point shots.

Johnson was the only Hornet to make more than one 3-pointer, hitting two and shooting 4-of-5 from the free throw line. Sophomore Kyhonta Doughty, another Hornet newcomer, was a perfect 4-of-4 from the field and totaled 10 points and a team-high four rebounds, while seniors Fantasia Hilliard and Takara Burse each scored eight points. Cinnamon Lister went 5-of-5 from 3-point range and led the Matadors with 20 points.

The Hornets missed their first six 3-point attempts on Sunday as CSUN took an early 8-0 lead. CSUN led 19-7 before Hilliard made a jumper and Burse hit a three and was fouled for a four-point play. Leading 26-20 CSUN used a 16-3 run to take a 19-point lead with 46 seconds left in the first half.

Sacramento State scored the last three points of the opening period but CSUN hit a three to start the second half and to go back up 19. The Hornets caught fire from there, with a pair of 3-pointers by Johnson highlighting a 22-4 run over seven minutes that brought the visitors to just a 49-48 deficit with 12:51 to play. The Matadors responded and got their lead back up to 10 points three minutes later and led by 17 with five minutes left to cruise to the victory.

After breaking the NCAA single season record in 3-pointers made last season the Hornets have struggled from beyond the arc in their two games thus far in 2014-15. Sacramento State is 20-of-93 (21.5 %) from 3-point range through two games, having been able to take a lot of long-range shots but struggling to connect.

The Hornets scored 57 points in the first half at San Diego State on Friday but just 26 first half points on Sunday. Unlike the Aztecs, who ran with the Hornets for the whole game, the Matadors spread the floor to kill time offensively, passing up shots in favor of running down the clock before finding open looks. CSUN scored just 38 points in the paint, 34 less than San Diego State totaled, but made outside shots after the Aztecs did not attempt a single 3-pointer.

Sacramento State opens its home schedule on Tuesday hosting Causeway rival UC Davis at 7 p.m. The Hornets went 13-2 at home last season and have won their last two meetings with the Aggies.