GAME PREVIEW

• Sacramento State (4-11, 0-2) jumps back into Big Sky Conference play this week for a pair of home games. The Hornets begin the week with a Thursday matchup vs. Weber State (11-4, 2-0). Tip at the Nest is set for 6 p.m.
• The Hornets went 1-1 at last week's Big Sky-Summit League Challenge. The team beat Kansas City at home, while falling on the road at St. Thomas. The inaugural event, which featured each Big Sky team playing a home game and a road game against an opponent from the Summit, saw the Big Sky post an 11-7 record vs. the Summit.
• Of the Hornets' 15 games thus far, only five have come at home. The Hornets are 3-2 at the Nest, including last week's 67-64 victory over Kansas City.
• Of Sacramento State's 11 losses, four have come by four points or less. That includes a desperation buzzer beating 3-pointer in the 61-58 loss at Idaho two weeks ago.
• The Hornets are 0-2 in the Big Sky with both defeats coming on the road. That includes a loss at Eastern Washington. Thursday's game vs. Weber State will mark Sacramento State's Big Sky home opener. The team will play five of it next eight games at home.
• The Hornets have 16 games left on the regular season schedule, and all will come against Big Sky opposition.
• Weber State, unanimously selected first in the Big Sky preseason poll, has won six straight. The Wildcats are 2-0 in conference, with both wins coming at home in blowout fashion over Montana (93-63) and Montana State (86-64). At last week's Big Sky-Summit Challenge, both Weber wins came by five points or less.
• In a series that dates back to 1969, the Hornets are 10-49 all-time against Weber State. That includes a 7-22 record at home.
• The Wildcats have won seven straight in the series, with the Hornets' last win coming in the first round of 2020 Big Sky Tournament in Boise (62-54). The next day (March 12, 2020), the country shut down because of the covid pandemic. The Hornets' quarterfinal game vs. Eastern Washington that day was canceled, as was the rest of the tournament.
• The Hornets have dropped four straight at home to the Wildcats with the last win coming on Jan. 11, 2020. Of course, when it comes to the Nest and Weber State, no Sacramento State fan will forget the Hail Garrity 75-footer to beat the Wildcats on Feb. 1, 2014.
• The Hornets are in the second season of the David Patrick era. Last year's squad finished 14-18 overall and 7-11 in the Big Sky Conference. The 14 wins were the most by a first-year head coach during the Hornets' Div. I era (1991-pres.), and third most in program history.
• Despite fielding a roster that consists of just four returners and 11 newcomers, Sacramento State was selected to finish fourth in this year's Big Sky preseason coaches poll.

MULTIMEDIA OPTIONS

• Every game the remainder of the year will stream on ESPN+.
• This marks the third straight season all Hornet home games, and games played at a Big Sky Conference venue, will stream on ESPN+. The subscription-based service will stream on watchespn.com and the ESPN App.
• 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.

Full set of game notes can be found above.