SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento State women's basketball team closes out its first Big Sky Conference road trip of the season on Saturday (Jan. 13), traveling to Pocatello, Idaho, for a matinee meeting with Idaho State at Reed Gym. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. PT.
THIS WEEK…
GAME NOTES: Sacramento State | Idaho State | Big Sky Conference
GAME #15
WHAT: Sacramento State (1-13, 0-3 Big Sky) at Idaho State (5-9, 1-2 Big Sky)
WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024
TIME: 1 p.m. PT
WHERE: Pocatello, Idaho
ARENA: Reed Gym
WATCH: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: ISUBengals.com
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
• Tip-off for the Hornets' conference game against Northern Arizona on Jan. 20 at The Nest has been moved up to 11 a.m. due to a change in travel plans for the Lumberjacks
RUNNING A GAUNTLET
• Six of Sacramento State's 14 opponents have posted double-digit wins at this point of the regular season: Santa Clara (13-4), Eastern Washington (12-3), Oral Roberts (12-4), Washington (11-3), San Diego State (11-6), and St. Thomas (10-7)
• Of the 14 opponents, eight have records of .500 or better
• Entering Saturday, the Hornets' non-conference opponents are a combined 94-78 (.547)
THE COACHES
• Sacramento State's Aaron Kallhoff is in his first season at the helm of the Hornets. He has served five previous seasons as a head coach at the junior college level and spent 10 years as an assistant at five Division I programs: Arkansas State, TCU, LSU, Penn State, and BYU. He earned his first career Division I victory as a head coach on Dec. 2 against CSUN
• Idaho State head coach Seton Sobolewski is in his 16th season at the helm of the Bengals, winning three Big Sky Coach of the Year honors and helping ISU to six postseason berths.
ABOUT THE BENGALS
• Idaho State enters the week with a 5-9 overall record and a 1-2 mark in Big Sky Conference play
• The Bengals snapped a five-game skid with their first conference win of the year, downing Portland State, 79-43, on the road
• ISU has been a beast at home this year, posting a 4-1 mark at Reed Gym comparted to an 0-7 record in true road games
• Juniors Tasia Jordan and Maria Dias share the team lead in scoring at 10.6 ppg entering the weekend, with Jordan starting all 14 games and Dias doing all her damage off the bench
• Sophomore Kacey Spink leads the Bengals in both rebounding (7.6 rpg) and assists (41)
• As a team, Idaho State is averaging 59.4 ppg and giving up 62.3 ppg, while shooting .383 from the field to just .373 for the opponents
• The Bengals are fourth in the Big Sky in scoring defense and rebounding (38.5), while standing second in field goal percentage defense
SERIES NOTABLES
• Idaho State holds a commanding 45-10 lead in the series with Sacramento State dating back to the 1996-97 season
• The Hornets, however, have won three of the last four meetings between the two, sweeping last year's regular season series thanks to a 14-point win at home and a 13-point win in Pocatello
• Sacramento State is only 3-23 on the Bengals' home floor, but two of those wins have come in the last two years and all three coming since 2016
• Prior to that, the Hornets had lost the first 19 games in Pocatello
• Idaho State won the first 27 meetings in the series from 1997-2009, until Sacramento State picked up an 80-71 triumph in 2010
THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED
• Sacramento State is playing back-to-back road games for only the second time this season when it meets Idaho State on Saturday and the first since opening the year with contests at Washington and at Nevada
• Saturday marks only the sixth road game of the year for the Hornets compared to nine at home
• Sacramento State's last win on the road came during this same trip in Big Sky play last season when they swept the Wildcats and Idaho State on Feb. 16 and 18, respectively, as part of a nine-game winning streak that propelled Sacramento State to a share of the league's regular season title and the conference tournament crown
• After opening the regular season with a pair of road games, the Hornets have rarely left The Nest, playing nine of their last 11 within the friendly confines of their home court heading into this week
ALREADY MAKING A NAME FOR HERSELF
• In the program's Division I history, freshman Summah Hanson's 210 points this year are the most by a Hornet freshman since Tiara Scott finished with 221 in 2016-17
• Entering Saturday's contest, Hanson's point total ranks 11th on the school's single-season freshman scoring list in the Division I era, passing three former Hornets: Emily Christensen (182 points in 2007-08), Katie Peneueta (191 in 2021-22), and Tola Tallman (192 in 2000-01)
• Hanson is now just nine points shy of Kylie Kuhns (2019 in 2009-10) for a spot in the top 10, 11 back of Scott for ninth, and 16 behind Sarah Stapp (226 in 1992-93) for eighth
• Hanson is only the 11th Hornet freshman to score at least 200 points in her debut season
• If the season ended after 14 games, Hanson's 15.0 ppg would be the best by a freshman in the school's Division I history, passing Sarah Craig's 12.2 ppg in 2002-03, as would her 8.7 rpg, passing Huntington's 7.5 rpg
• Hanson also stands 52 makes behind Craig's record of 127 field goals and is 102 rebounds back of Huntington's record-setting total (224)
MOST SINGLE-SEASON POINTS AS A FRESHMAN (Division I era only)
1. Gigi Hascheff 344 2013-14
2. Hallie Gennett 336 2013-14
3. Sarah Craig 305 2002-03
t4. Fantasia Hilliard 274 2011-12
t4. Julie Wastell 274 1995-96
6. Maranne Johnson 268 2014-15
7. Sami Field-Polisso 230 2007-08
8. Sarah Stapp 226 1992-93
9. Tiara Scott 221 2016-17
10. Kylie Kuhns 219 2009-10
11. Summah Hanson 210 2023-24
12. Tola Tallman 192 2000-01
13. Katie Peneueta 191 2021-22
14. Emily Christensen 182 2007-08
15. Shanti Smith 169 2010-11
16. Margaret Huntington 154 2013-14
NOT BAD... FOR A FRESHMAN
• Hanson is the highest scoring freshman in the Big Sky entering the weekend, with the next closest first-year scorer being Northern Colorado's Tatum West at 7.38 ppg
• Hanson also ranks No. 15 in the NCAA in scoring (15.0 ppg) among qualifying freshmen entering the weekend, and 18th in total points (210)
HANSON GOES WILD AT WEBER
• Hanson had herself a career night in Ogden on Jan. 11, finishing with a career-high 28 points (on a career-best 10-for-17 from the field) to go with 10 rebounds and three blocks against the Wildcats
• It marked her sixth double-double of the season (more on that later), her third consecutive double-digit scoring performance, and the 10th time she has finished in double figures this year
• Thursday's performance also marked her third 20-point game of the season, surpassing her previous career-best of 22 at Nevada on Nov. 9
• Hanson's 28 points were the most since Kahlaijah Dean finished with 35 points against Montana State on Feb. 23 of last season and the most by a Hornet freshman since at least the 2004-05 season
• Over her last three contests, Hanson is averaging 19.0 ppg and 8.3 rpg, while shooting just over 52 percent (22-for-42) from the field and a perfect 8-for-8 from the line
HERE'S A QUARTER
• Hanson finished with 10 of her career-high 28 points against Weber State in the third quarter -- marking her third double-digit scoring period of the season
• Along with her 12-point quarter against CSUN and 10 at Nevada, all three of her double-digit quarters have come in the third period
• As a team, the Hornets' 21-point second quarter against the Wildcats was the highest-scoring quarter of the year for Sacramento State, besting the 20-point third quarter at home against Santa Clara
SHE'S FREEEEE... FREEEEE THROWIN'
• Thanks to her 5-for-5 performance at the line at Weber State, Hanson hasn't missed a free throw since a second-quarter misfire against Santa Clara on Nov. 29
• Since then, Hanson is a perfect 16-for-16 beginning with the game against CSUN on Dec. 2
• Her 5-for-5 showing marked Hanson's second-most makes at the line this year, trailing only the seven (in eight attempts) she had against Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 12
• With her latest performance, the freshman is now shooting .857 (36-for-42) at the line this year, ranking second in the Big Sky behind only Portland State's Esmeralda Morales' .889 (56-for-63) and No. 53 in the nation
SEEING DOUBLE-DOUBLE
• Hanson is one of 21 players in the Big Sky to post a double-double in a game this year and one of only 10 to have multiple double-doubles
• Following Thursday's performance at Weber State, Hanson's six double-doubles are now the most in the Big Sky entering the weekend and are tied for 40th in the NCAA
• Of Hanson's six double-doubles, three have included 20-point performances which are also the most in the league
• Hanson is one of only three freshmen (Iowa State's Addy Brown and Syracuse's Alyssa Latham the others) -- and one of 12 underclassmen overall -- in the nation with at least six double-doubles entering the weekend (as of Jan. 11)
• She is one of only 25 non-Power 5 student-athletes (out of 52 as of Jan. 11) to post at least six double-doubles
SHE'S KIND OF A BIG (SKY) DEAL
• Hanson is one of only four players from around the league to rank in the top 10 in both scoring and rebounding (tied for fourth and tied for first, respectively) categories, joining Northern Colorado's Delaynie Byrne (t4th & 3rd), Montana State's Katelynn Limardo (8th and 6th), Northern Arizona's Sophie Glancey (9th and 9th)
• Among that group, Hanson is the only freshman as the others are in, at least, their sophomore seasons
• She also ranks in the top five in the league in nine other categories (see chart on page 4 of the PDF of this release above)
OTHER BIG SKY BESTS
• Hanson's four blocks against Eastern Washington on Dec. 30 are tied for the most in a game in the league along with Montana's Carmen Gfeller (vs. South Dakota), Northern Arizona's Saniyah Neverson (vs. UNLV), and Portland State's Lana Wenger (vs. St. Thomas)
• Solape Amusan's six three-pointers against Santa Clara on Nov. 29 are tied for the second most in a game this year behind Northern Arizona's Emily Rodabaugh and her seven makes
• Versteeg's five steals against Cal Poly on Dec. 21 are tied for the second-most in the league behind EWU's Jamie Loera and her seven swipes against Portland State on Dec. 28
• Hanson's six double-digit rebounding performances are tied with Montana's Dani Bartsch for the most in the Big Sky (as of Jan. 11)
• Sacramento State's 12-for-16 (.750) performance from beyond the arc against Santa Clara on Nov. 19 is the highest single-game percentage from three thus far this season
QUEEN OF THE BOARD ROOM
• Hanson enters the weekend after returning to the top of the Big Sky rebounding list at 8.71 rpg, tying for the top spot with Montana's Dani Bartsch
• Hanson also ranks first in total rebounds (122) and defensive rebounds (95)
• Among qualifying freshman across the country, Hanson is fourth among freshmen in rebounding behind Northern Kentucky's Carter McCray (9.5 rpg), Iowa State's Addy Brown (9.1 rpg), and UCF's Achol Akot (8.9 rpg)
• Hanson also ranks sixth in total rebounds (122) among the nation's freshmen, trailing Brown's 136 boards
• She ranks No. 67 in the nation overall in rebounds per game and is just outside the top 30 in the NCAA in defensive rebounds (6.8 rpg)
• Hanson has led or shared the team lead in rebounding in 12 of the team's 14 games
• Her 16 rebounds at Fresno State (Dec. 16) were the most since Isnelle Natabou grabbed 18 against Weber State on Jan. 21 last season
• They are also tied for the most in a game by a Big Sky player along with Idaho's Hope Butera (vs. Texas A&M-Commerce on Dec. 1)
BLOCK YOU VERY MUCH
• Sacramento State enters the week ranked third in the Big Sky in both overall blocks (45) and blocks per game (3.21)
• The Hornets' five blocks against Oral Roberts on Jan. 6 are tied for the second-highest single-game total of the year, matching the five swats against Idaho on Dec. 28 and trailing only the six blocks against Eastern Washington
• Sacramento State has had at least one block in all but one game (UC Davis) this year
• The Hornets' three blocks in the first quarter at Weber State on Thursday tied a season high for a single quarter along with Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 12 and Oral Roberts on Jan. 6
STILL SUMMAH FROM THE BLOCK
• Hanson leads the Big Sky in both blocks (21) and blocks per game (1.50)
• The freshman has posted at least one swat in eight of her last nine games and in all but three contests overall
• Hanson's 21 blocks are the most by a Hornet freshman since Katie Peneueta finished the 2021-22 season with 21
• Kristine Knowlton holds the school freshman record with 57 during the 2001-02 season
VERSTEEG IS VER-SCORING
• In addition to her passing prowess, Versteeg has done well to provide the offense some punch in other ways, ranking second on the team in scoring at 9.2 ppg
• The sophomore scored 15 points at Weber State on Thursday night, marking her fourth double-digit scoring performance in her last six games and her sixth overall this year
• Her 15 points were the most since she scored a career-high 17 against Idaho on Dec. 28
• Over her last six, Versteeg is averaging 12.2 ppg -- three points per game better than her season average -- while shooting just under 40 percent from the field.
THE GIVING SEASON
• The holiday season is behind us, but that hasn't stopped sophomore Benthe Versteeg from being in a giving mood, ranking a close second in the Big Sky in both assists per game (5.64) and total assists (79)
• She is one of only two players in the Big Sky (as of Jan. 11) to average better than 5.0 apg, joining Eastern Washington's Jamie Loera (5.71)
• Versteeg's 10 assists against Santa Clara (Nov. 29) is one of three double-digit assist totals in the Big Sky thus far (as of Jan. 3): Loera had 12 at Utah State on Nov. 10, and Montana's Gina Marxen had 10 against South Dakota on Jan. 3
• Versteeg owns five of the top eight single-game assist totals in the Big Sky entering this weekend's contests
• She has eight games with at least six assists, including nine helpers for a third time this year at Weber State on Thursday, joining her performances against CSUN on Dec. 2 and Oral Roberts on Jan. 6
• The 10 helpers against the Broncos were just one shy of the school's single-game top 10 (seven players are tied for ninth with 11 assists, the last being Fantasia Hilliard at Montana in 2015)
• She also ranks fourth in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4) and is among the NCAA's top 100 in assists (46th) and assists per game (28th)
LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT COMBINATION
• Through the first 14 games this season, Sacramento State has put 10 different starting lineups on the floor thus far, with the latest coming on Jan. 6 against Oral Roberts
• The Hornets used the same lineup for the first time this season in three straight games against Fresno State, Cal Poly, and Idaho: Benthe Versteeg, Irune Orio, Lina Falk, Solape Amusan, and Summah Hanson
• Sacramento State also used the lineup of Versteeg, Lee, Orio, Amusan, and Hanson in back-to-back games against Eastern Washington (Dec. 30) and St. Thomas (Jan. 3) and, again at Weber State on Jan. 11
• All told, 11 of the 13 Hornets who have seen time on the court have earned a start, with Hanson and Versteeg the only two to start all 14 games
HOLD UP, WAIT A MINUTE
• Versteeg enters the weekend ranked No. 3 in the NCAA in minutes per game (37.71), standing behind only Duquesne's Megan McConnell (38.35) and Lafayette's Abby Antognoli (37.81)
• The sophomore has played all 40 minutes three times this year: UC Davis on Nov. 21, CSUN on Dec. 2, and Oral Roberts on Jan. 6
• Versteeg has played at least 38 minutes in six other games and has played 37-or-more minutes in all but three games this year
• Hanson, meanwhile, is third in the Big Sky at 34.43 mpg -- including a season-high 39:22 against Nevada
• After playing in only 20 minutes at Washington in the opener, Hanson has played 35-or-more minutes nine times
BREATH OF FRESH AIR
• Sacramento State has started at least one true freshman in all 14 games this season and has listed at least two true freshman in the starting five in nine of the first 14 games
• The Hornets have started three true freshmen twice at Washington in the season opener on Nov. 6 and, again, against Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 12
• Sacramento State listed a starting five comprised completely of underclassmen in each of the first four games
• Junior Seilala Lautaimi became the first upperclassman to crack the starting lineup against UC Davis on Nov. 21 and earned the start against Santa Clara on Nov. 29, before senior Solape Amusan made her first start against CSUN on Dec. 2
WANNA BE STARTING SOMETHING
• The Hornets' starting five has produced at least half of the team's points in all but one game this season after the bench held a 33-32 advantage against Santa Clara on Nov. 29
• Twenty-two of the the team's 26 double-digit scoring performances have come from starters; Freshman Ayanna Jackson had 12 as a reserve against Cal State Fullerton, Solape Amusan has been the spark off the bench twice with 11 against UC Davis and 18 more against Santa Clara, while J'yana Salton added 10 points against Idaho
• Hornet starters finished with a season-high 58 points against Weber State on Thursday, marking the seventh time that the starting five has accounted for at least 40 points
• Overall, Hornet starters have accounted for just under 75 percent of the team's points this year, scoring 527 of the 707 total points thus far
SUMMAH TIME!
• With her career-high 22-point outburst at Nevada on Nov. 9, Hanson became the first Hornet freshman to score 20 points in a game since Katie Peneueta had 20 at Northern Arizona on Feb. 3, 2022
• The 22 points were the most by a Sacramento State freshman since Tiara Scott scored 25 against Montana State on Feb. 18, 2017. Scott was 9-of-14 from the floor, including seven three-pointers
• Hanson's double-double against the Wolf Pack was the first by a Hornet freshman since Margaret Huntington had 10 points and 13 rebounds against UC Irvine on Dec. 14, 2013
