STANFORD, Calif. -- Four Hornets scored in double figures, but it was not enough in a 91-73 loss at Stanford on Friday evening at Maples Pavilion.
The Hornets (0-2) opened the season with back-to-back guarantee games, including Tuesday night's loss at Nevada. Sacramento State will play seven of its first eight games away from home, but will play its home opener on Tuesday night vs. Pacific Union.
Stanford shot 56% (39-70) from the field, and had 56 points in the paint on the way to a 47-point first half, and a 44-point second half. Sacramento State hung around for much of the contest, but the Cardinal (2-0) put on an offensive display that included 22 assists and just four turnovers.
Sacramento State outrebounded Stanford, 44-32, which included 19 offensive rebounds. The Hornets shot 38% (26-68) from the field, and 10 of the team's 26 made buckets came from distance. That included
Zee Hamoda, who scored a game-high 21 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the 3-point line. Sixteen of his points came in the first half, including a bucket that had the Hornets trailing, 38-37, with 2:35 left. However, Stanford closed the first half on a 9-2 run to go into the break leading, 47-39.
The Hornets would get no closer than within six points of that Stanford lead in the second half. Sacramento State scored 39 points in the first half, and 34 more in the second half. The Hornets went 11-for-16 from the free throw line while Stanford connected to all five of its freebie attempts.
Joining Hamoda in double figures for the Hornets were
Duncan Powell (14 points, 13 rebonds),
Brandon Betson (17 points) and
Bowyn Beatty (10 points, 3 rebounds).
Jacob Holt added eight points (4-5 FG) and eight rebounds. For Powell, four of those 13 boards came on the offensive glass, and he nearly had a double-double in the second half alone (10 points, 9 rebounds).
Alex Kovatchev had six rebounds, and
Austin Patterson had three points and a team-high five assists. For the second straight game, the Hornets used a starting five made entirely of newcomers to the program - Hamoda, Betson and Kovatchev at guard, Powell and Holt at forward.
Sacramento State will host Pacific Union on Tuesday in its home opener at 6:30 p.m. That game is the only time the Hornets play at home until a Dec. 9 contest vs. Long Beach State.
