SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento State women's basketball team hosts its final non-conference opponent of the year on Saturday (Jan. 6) at The Nest, welcoming Oral Roberts to California's capital for the first time in the final leg of the inaugural Big Sky-Summit League Challenge. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.
THIS WEEK…
GAME NOTES: Sacramento State | Oral Roberts | Big Sky Conference | Summit League
GAME #13
WHAT: Oral Roberts (10-4, 2-0 Summit League) at Sacramento State (1-11, 0-2 Big Sky)
WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024
TIME: 2 p.m. PT
WHERE: Sacramento, Calif.
ARENA: The Nest
WATCH: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: HornetStats.com
TICKETS: HornetSports.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
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
• Members of the Big Sky and Summit League on both the men's and women's sides will face one another on the court over the course of the week for a total of 36 games with each school getting a home game
• Victories in the challenge will be weighted differently, with the winners earning one point for a home win and 1.5 points for a victory on the road
• The conference with the most total points combined between the men's and women's results will be declared the winner
• Should there be a tie, the conference with the highest total margin of victory will earn the win
• Following Wednesday's first round of competition, the Summit League leads the women's challenge, 6.0-4.5, with the overall competition tied at 11-11 after the Big Sky's men's squad won the day, by a 6.5-5.0 count
IN THE RANKINGS
• Neither Sacramento State nor Oral Roberts are ranked nationally entering this week's games
• The Hornets finished 2022-23 ranked No. 22 in the final College Insider Mid-Major poll
RUNNING A GAUNTLET
• Entering Saturday's challenge finale, the Hornets' 12 previous opponents have posted an 94-68 (.580) record -- a mark that grows to 104-72 (.591) when you include Oral Roberts' results thus far
• Five of Sacramento State's 13 opponents (including Oral Roberts) have posted double-digit wins at the halfway point of the regular season: Santa Clara (12-3), Washington (11-1), Eastern Washington (11-3), San Diego State (10-5), and Oral Roberts (10-4)
• Of the 13 opponents, nine have records of .500 or better
• Entering Saturday, the Hornets' non-conference opponents are a combined 85-64 (.570)
• As of Jan. 2, Washington is among those receiving votes in this week's Associated Press and No. 24 in the coaches poll, while three more opponents (past or present) are listed in the latest College Insider Mid-Major poll's (Jan. 2): Santa Clara is ranked No. 20, Northern Arizona is receiving four votes, and Eastern Washington is receiving two votes.
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
• Oral Roberts head coach Kelsi Musick is in her second season at the helm of the Golden Eagles, entering Saturday at 22-23 overall in her two seasons. She won 259 games in 13 seasons at NCAA Division II Southwestern Oklahoma State University
ABOUT THE GOLDEN EAGLES
• Oral Roberts enters the weekend with a 10-4 overall record and a 2-0 mark in Summit League play, having won its last four straight
• The Golden Eagles won their first leg of the Big Sky-Summit League Challenge with a come-from-behind 81-80 overtime home win over Northern Colorado in a game that featured 10 ties and 14 lead changes
• Four of the team's five starters are in double figures: sophomore guard Taleyah Jones (16.3 ppg), senior guard Ruthie Udoumoh (12.6 ppg), graduate guard Hannah Cooper (12.4 ppg), and freshman forward Emily Robinson (10.9 ppg)
• A fifth, sophomore guard Jalei Oglesby, has come off the bench in all 14 games to average 14.7 ppg -- good for second on the team, while ranking second on the team on the glass (7.8 rpg) behind Udoumoh (9.4 rpg)
• Three Golden Eagles have better than 20 steals on the year, led by Udoumoh's 32
• ORU averages 82.57 ppg as a team (No. 19 in the NCAA) and shoots .418 from the field, while opponents average 75.43 ppg and shoot .431 from the floor
SERIES NOTABLES
• Saturday's contest marks the second-ever meeting between Sacramento State and Oral Roberts in women's basketball
• The Golden Eagles won the first-ever meeting, 71-50, in Tulsa, Okla., nearly 30 years ago on Jan. 13, 1995
CONFERENCE CALL
• Sacramento State is a combined 7-10 against the current Summit League alignment, having faced six of the league's nine current members
• The Hornets have previously faced Oral Roberts (0-1), South Dakota State (1-0), North Dakota State (0-1), Denver (0-3), and North Dakota (6-4), in addition to Wednesday's inaugural meeting with St. Thomas
• All 10 games against the Fighting Hawks came between 2023-18 when both the Hornets and UND were members of the Big Sky
• Before Wednesday's meeting with St. Thomas, the Hornets had never met any of the previous five Summit League members while they were members of the conference
• Prior to Wednesday, Sacramento State posted a 72-66 road win over North Dakota in 2018 in the last meeting with a current Summit League member, snapping a three-game skid against the Fighting Hawks after the Hornets had won five of the first six meetings between the two
HORNETS VS. THE SOONER STATE
• Sacramento State is a combined 0-3 against schools from the state of Oklahoma, but Saturday's game marks the first time facing one of those schools at home
• The Hornets have faced Cameron University (L, 68-65 in 1989-90) on a neutral floor at the West Texas State Tournament and both Oral Roberts (L, 71-50 in 1994-95) and No. 15 Oklahoma (L, 117-55 in 2011-12) on their respective home courts
ALREADY MAKING A NAME FOR HERSELF
• Freshman Summah Hanson's 168 points this year are the most by a Hornet freshman since Katie Peneueta finished with 191 in 2021-22
• Entering Saturday's contest, Hanson's point total ranks 15th on the school's single-season freshman scoring list in the Division I era, passing Margaret Huntington's 2013-14 total of 154 points on Wednesday at St. Thomas
• Hanson is now just one point shy of Shanti Smith (169 points in 2010-11 for 14th) and 14 points back of Emily Christensen's 182 points in 2007-08 for 13th
• If the season ended today after only 12 games, Hanson's 14.0 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 8.6 rpg, passing Huntington's 7.5 rpg
MOST SINGLE-SEASON POINTS AS A FRESHMAN (Division I 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. Tola Tallman 192 2000-01
12. Katie Peneueta 191 2021-22
13. Emily Christensen 182 2007-08
14. Shanti Smith 169 2010-11
15. Summah Hanson 168 2023-24
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 7.5 ppg
• Hanson also ranks tied for No. 18 in the NCAA in scoring (14.0 ppg) among qualifying freshmen alongside Wofford's Maddie Heiss, and tied for 17th in total points (168) along with Abilene Christian's Payton Hull
GUESS WHO'S BACK?
• Hanson's 15 points against St. Thomas marked the freshman's team-high eighth double-digit scoring performance of the year
• It was her first double-digit total since scoring 10 against Cal Poly on Dec. 21 and her highest single-game total since finishing with 15 at Fresno State five days earlier on Dec. 16
QUEEN OF THE BOARD ROOM
• Hanson enters the week leading the Big Sky in rebounding (8.58 rpg) and defensive rebounds (81), while standing second total rebounds (103)
• Among qualifying freshman across the country, Hanson is fifth among freshmen in rebounding behind Northern Kentucky's Carter McCray (9.7 rpg), Iowa State's Addy Brown (9.3 rpg), UCF's Achol Akot (9.2 rpg), and Syracuse's Alyssa Lathan (8.8 rpg)
• Hanson also ranks eighth in total rebounds (103) among the nation's freshmen, trailing Brown's 121 boards
• She ranks No. 30 in the NCAA in defensive rebounds (6.8 rpg) and No. 72 in rebounds per game
• Hanson has led or shared the team lead in rebounding in 10 of the team's 12 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)
SHE'S KIND OF A BIG (SKY) DEAL
• Hanson enters this week's competition ranked No. 5 in the Big Sky in scoring (14.0 ppg) and leads the league in rebounding (8.6 rpg)
• Hanson is one of only four players from around the league to rank in the top 10 in both categories, joining Northern Colorado's Delaynie Byrne (3rd & 4th), Montana State's Katelynn Limardo (6th and 8th), and Northern Arizona's Sophie Glancey (8th 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 this release)
OTHER BIG SKY BESTS
• Solape Amusan's six three-pointers against Santa Clara on Nov. 29 are tied for the most in a game this year with four other players in the league
• Benthe 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 four blocks against Eastern Washington on Dec. 28 are tied for the most in a game in the league along with Montana's Carmen Gfeller (vs. South Dakota) and Northern Arizona's Saniyah Neverson (vs. UNLV)
• Hanson's five double-digit rebounding performances are tied with Dani Bartsch (Montana) and Hope Butera (Idaho) for the most in the Big Sky (as of Jan. 3)
• 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
SEEING DOUBLE-DOUBLE
• Following her 15-point, 16-rebound effort at Fresno State, Hanson is one of 20 players in the Big Sky to post a double-double in a game this year and one of only nine to have multiple double-doubles
• Hanson's five double-doubles are the most in the Big Sky (Northern Colorado's Delaynie Byrne has four) and is tied for 42nd in the NCAA as of Jan. 3
• Hanson is one of only four freshmen (Iowa State's Addy Brown, Syracuse's Alyssa Latham, and St. Peter's Fatmata Janneh the others) -- and one of 15 underclassmen overall -- in the nation with at least five double-doubles entering the weekend (as of Jan. 3)
• She is one of only 31 non-Power 5 student-athletes (out of 64 as of Jan. 3) to post at least five double-doubles
THE GIVING SEASON
• The holiday season is behind us, but that hasn't stopped sophomore Benthe Versteeg from being in a giving mood, ranking second in the Big Sky in both assists per game (5.08) and total assists (61)
• She is one of only two players in the Big Sky (as of Jan. 2) to average better than 5.0 apg, joining Eastern Washington's Jamie Loera (5.69)
• 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 four of the top nine single-game assist totals in the Big Sky entering this week's contests
• She has six games with at least six assists
• 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 fifth in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.27) and is among the NCAA's top 100 in assists (71st) and assists per game (46th)
HOLD UP, WAIT A MINUTE
• Versteeg enters the weekend ranked No. 3 in the NCAA in minutes per game (37.43), standing behind only Duquesne's Megan McConnell (38.31) and Lafayette's Abby Antognoli (37.56)
• The sophomore has played all 40 minutes in a game twice this year: against UC Davis on Nov. 21 and against CSUN on Dec. 2
• Versteeg has played at least 38 minutes in five 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 34.17 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 eight times
SHOOTIN' THAT SHOT LIKE 2K
• Sacramento State finished the game against St. Thomas shooting 44 percent from the field -- the second-best total of the year behind only the 57 percent from the floor against Santa Clara on Nov. 29
• The Hornets also finished 13-of-14 (.929) from the line -- the third-highest makes this year and the best single-game percentage since hitting 14-of-15 (.933) against Idaho State on Jan. 19 of last season
• Of those makes on Wednesday, Sacramento State set season high's for free throws made in a quarter (nine) and single-quarter free throw percentage (9-for-9)
LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT COMBINATION
• Through the first 12 games this season, Sacramento State has put nine different starting lineups on the floor thus far, with the ninth coming on Dec. 30 against Eastern Washington
• 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)
• All told, 11 of the 13 Hornets who have seen time on the court this season have earned a start, with Hanson and Versteeg the only two players to start all 12 games
BREATH OF FRESH AIR
• Sacramento State has started at least one true freshman in all 12 games this season and has listed at least two true freshman in the starting five in nine of the first 12 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
• Seventeen of the the team's 21 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 45 points against St. Thomas on Wednesday, marking the sixth time that the starting five has accounted for at least 40 points and matching the 45 points against CSUN on Dec. 2 for the most in a game this season
• Overall, Hornet starters have accounted for just over 72 percent of the team's points this year, scoring 430 of the 595 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
