GAME PREVIEW

• Sacramento State (12-12, 5-6) travels to Flagstaff for a Thursday matchup with Northern Arizona (6-19, 2-10). Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. PST.
• The Hornets have hit a little rough patch, dropping five of their last six games after beginning the conference season at 4-1. However, of those five recent losses, four have come by seven points or less. That includes a home overtime loss (82-76) to Idaho on Saturday.
• Sacramento State just completed a season-long four-game homestand, and will play five of its final seven regular season games on the road.
• That seven-game stretch begins on Thursday against an NAU squad that seemingly keeps every game close despite its record. In fact, the Lumberjacks' last seven losses have come by a combined 19 points.
• Northern Arizona lost at home to Idaho State, 75-70, on Monday. Last week, the Lumberjacks lost on the road to both Montana schools by one point.
• The Lumberjacks have played 12 games this season decided by five points or less, and are 2-10 in those outcomes.
• That included a 59-56 loss to the Hornets on Jan. 14 at the Nest.
• Both teams play close games, as Sacramento State has played in 11 games decided by six points or less, and are 5-6 in those outcomes.
• Despite NAU's 42-18 all-time record against the Hornets (23-6 in Flagstaff), Thursday's game is setting up to be a close one. Each of the last three meetings between the schools have been decided by five points or less.
• Of the Hornets' six conference losses, five went down to the final minute.
• The Hornets' 12 overall victories have already surpassed their win total from a season ago when the team finished 11-18.
• The Hornets are one win shy of matching their Big Sky win total from last year (6-14).
• David Patrick owns the most wins (12) by a first-year Sacramento State head coach during the program's Div. I era (1991-pres.).
• NAU rarely turns the ball over (11.4 per game, 53rd in the nation), but the Lumberjacks have not been good defensively. Northern Arizona allows opponents to shoot 46% (309th in nation), and allows 74.6 points per contest (301st in the country).
• The Lumberjacks' back court of Xavier Fuller (15.9) and Jalen Cone (15.7) combine to average 31.6 points per contest in league play. It was Cone who nearly single-handedly beat the Hornets last season in Flagstaff (70-65) after he scored 36 of the Jacks' 70 points.

MULTIMEDIA OPTIONS

• Every game the rest of the season will stream on ESPN+.
• There will be no radio for Thursday's game.
• 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.