MOSCOW, Idaho – Sacramento State outscored the Vandals by nine in the second half Saturday night, but came up short in the second of two games in Idaho, falling on the road, 81-70.

With the loss, Sacramento State is now 0-2 to start the season, including 0-2 in Big Sky play. Idaho, meanwhile, is just the opposite, improving to 2-0 overall and 2-0 in league.

Saturday night's matchup was the second in as many days between the Hornets and Vandals. The teams opened the weekend series last night, Friday, Dec. 4, with a 7 p.m. game before tipping off the rematch just 24 hours later.

The Hornets had just eight players for both Friday and Saturday's games, making a tough road matchup at preseason Big Sky favorite Idaho that much more difficult. All eight players scored in both games, with three finishing in double-figures on Saturday.

Sacramento State never led in round two as Idaho scored the game's first basket and never looked back. The Hornets trailed by 13 at the end of the first quarter and by 20 at the half, 40-20.

After a slow start to Saturday's game, the Hornets offense found its footing in the final 20 minutes, scoring 50 second half points compared to the Vandal's 41.

Summer Menke led the second-half surge for the Hornets, scoring 14 of her 18 points in the final half. One night after finishing with a team-high 11 rebounds, Menke paced the Hornets offense on Saturday, finishing with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting. Menke added five rebounds and a team-high four steals in the effort. 

Emily Enochs (13 points, 7 rebounds) and Brooke Panfili (10 points, 2 assists) also finished with double-digit points. 

Sacramento State had good contributions from its freshman for the second straight night, with Jessica Rios and Neysa Munguia both seeing 15 or more minutes of action. Munguia finished her second career game with eight points and six rebounds.

Rebounds is where the game's biggest difference was felt. Idaho out-rebounded Sacramento State 59-38 overall and 22-6 on the offensive end. That rebound disparity turned into 20 second chance points for the Vandals and just five for the Hornets. 

Overall, Sacramento State outshot the Vandals, 42.2% to 39.8%, though Idaho was far better from beyond the arc, 28.1% to just 18.2%.

With the season's first road trip over, the Hornets are headed back to Sacramento. Sacramento State was scheduled to host UC Davis in the Nest on Tuesday, Dec. 8, but unfortunately, that game will have to wait as UC Davis Athletics has paused men's and women's basketball activity until further notice to remain compliant with updated Yolo County health orders. 

Instead, the Hornets will turn their attention to a Saturday, Dec. 12 game with the visiting Nevada Wolf Pack in the Nest. More information on that game, including links to watch live on Pluto TV, can be found by visiting the Sacramento State women's basketball homepage online at HornetSports.com.