GREELEY, Colo. -- Sacramento State hit five of its first seven shots of the game, but went cold thereafter in a 70-54 road loss at Northern Colorado on Saturday evening at Bank of Colorado Arena.
The Hornets started the game fast, burying five early shots to take a 13-9 lead at the 15:30 mark. Nine of those points came from point guard
Gianni Hunt who converted each of his first three 3-point attempts. However, after making five of the first seven, Sacramento State shot 15-for-60 from the field the rest of the way and Northern Colorado took advantage.
Trailing, 13-9, the Bears went on a 12-0 run and never looked back. Northern Colorado led by double figures the final 18:38 of the contest and finished the game 45% (27-60) from the field and 44% (11-25) from the 3-point line. Conversely, Sacramento State shot 30% (20-67) from the floor and 28% (5-18) from deep. The two teams combined for just 22 fouls and 14 turnovers. In fact, the Hornets turned the ball over a season-low five times.
Despite attempting seven less shots from the field, Northern Colorado converted on seven more buckets than the Hornets.
The loss dropped Sacramento State to 12-14 overall and 5-8 in the Big Sky Conference. The Bears, picked second in the Big Sky preseason polls, won their third straight while improving to 10-16 overall and 5-9 in league. The two teams split the season series as the Hornets beat the Bears, 72-64, at the Nest on Jan. 12.
Callum McRae led the Hornets with 14 points and 16 rebounds, his eighth double-double of the season. That ties the Hornet Div. I single-season record, originally set by Sean Houston during the 1998-99 season. McRae was joined in double figures by Hunt (11 points, three assists, one turnover) and
Cameron Wilbon (10 points).
Austin Patterson finished with six points, four rebounds and three steals, and both
Akol Mawein and
Zach Chappell had five points.
Kiir Kiir Chol Deng had two points and three rebounds (all offensive).
The Hornets have just five games left in the regular season before the Big Sky Tournament in Boise on March 4-8. That includes the final two home games next week against Weber State and Idaho State.
