GAME PREVIEW
• Fresh off a thrilling overtime home win against Denver on Wednesday night, Sacramento State (4-5) is back in the Nest on Saturday afternoon to host Long Beach State (4-4). Tip-off is set for 3:30 p.m.
• The game is part of a doubleheader that will see the Hornet women host CSU Bakersfield in the Nest at 1 p.m.
• The Hornets play twice at home this week, after beginning the season by playing seven of their first nine games away from the Nest. Sacramento State is now a 2-0 at home.
• The Hornets have played three straight games that have gone to the final minutes. Two of those went to overtime, including a double overtime loss to Southern Utah in Oahu.
• In Wednesday night's victory over Denver,
Zach Chappell hit a shot with five seconds left to force overtime, and then hit the game winner with two seconds left in OT to win, 87-85.
• Long Beach State has not played since an 88-78 loss at Utah Valley last Saturday. The Beach is 1-2 on the road. LBSU has already played a member of the Big Sky Conference, losing to defending conference champion Montana State at home, 70-57, on Nov. 13.
• The 49ers will be playing their fifth straight game away from home, including three straight in The Bahamas (Nov. 25-27) prior to Saturday's loss to Utah Valley.
• Sacramento State is 6-5 all-time against Long Beach State in a series dominated by the home team. The teams have played 11 times since 1952, but this will be the first matchup since a 49ers win in Long Beach (76-55) on Dec. 9, 2006.
• The Hornets are 6-0 at home against Long Beach State, including wins in 1952, 1956, 1958, 1960, 2003 and 2005. The last trip for LBSU to the Nest came in a 106-94 Hornet win on Dec. 5, 2005. The 106 points are the fourth highest mark against a Div. I opponent.
• Sacramento State keeps inching closer to its Big Sky opener on New Year's Eve, as only four non-league games remain on the schedule.
• Aided by a pair of overtime games, Sacramento State is averaging 79.7 points over its last three games. Overall, the team is averaging 68.6 ppg which is seventh in the Big Sky.
• The Beach is averaging 8.6 steals per game, and forcing 16.0 turnovers per game, both marks rank among the top 60 teams in the nation. Long Beach State has struggled from the 3-point line where they shoot .297 from deep and convert just 4.4 treys per contest. The Beach is also shooting 61% (85-139) from the free throw line.
MULTIMEDIA OPTIONS
• For the second straight season, all Hornet home games, and games played at a Big Sky Conference venue, will be streamed on ESPN+.
• Every home game the rest of the way will be broadcast live on ESPN 1320 AM with 26th-year play-by-play man Steve McElroy calling the action.
• Links for all multimedia options, including live stats for every game, can be found next to each game on the men's basketball schedule at hornetsports.com.
