GAME PREVIEW

• Fresh off an 83-77 road loss at Cal on Sunday, Sacramento State (1-4) returns to action on Wednesday to take on Air Force (2-4). Tip at Clune Arena is set for 1 p.m. PT.
• This will mark the end of a stretch that sees Sacramento State play four of its first six games on the road. After Wednesday, the Hornets will play eight of their next 10 at home.
• All four of the Hornets' losses have come between six and 10 points, as the team has been in every game.
• Sacramento State is seeking its first road win (0-3), and its first victory against a Div. I opponent (0-4). The Hornets opened the year with a 106-44 home win over Cal Maritime.
• Air Force is coming off an 82-48 home win over Mercyhurst on Sunday. That victory snapped a three-game losing streak.
• The Falcons have played a home-dominated schedule as Wednesday will mark the team's sixth home contest through the first seven games.
• Sacramento State and Air Force have a common opponent as both played Cal last week. The Falcons lost, 78-69, while the Hornets were defeated by an 83-77 margin.
• The Hornets have never played Air Force, one of three opponents on this year's schedule Sacramento State has never faced - Mercyhurst and Omaha are the others.
• Three of the next four opponents are teams Sacramento State has never faced.
• The Hornets have seen an uptick in scoring vs. its Div. I opponents. After averaging just 55.5 points at Fresno State and UC San Diego, the team averaged 73.0 points against CSUN and California.
• Sacramento State's defense has been solid, holding opponents to just 37% shooting, the 35th best mark in the nation. That includes 25% from long range, the 16th best mark in the country.
• Sacramento State finished 10-24 a year ago, and is under the guidance of first-year head coach Michael Czepil (pronounced Zep-pull). It was Czepil who picked up his first collegiate win as a head coach in the win over Maritime.
• That win kicked off the Czepil era, who was named interim head coach on May 22. David Patrick had been the head coach each of the last two years, but resigned to become the associate head coach at LSU.
• Czepil had been on Patrick's staff at Sacramento State both seasons as the associate head coach, and is a native of Melbourne, Australia.
• Sacramento State returns nine players from last season's team. However, the squad lost its top four, and five of the top six scorers from a year ago. The team's highest returning scorer is forward Jacob Holt who averaged 6.7 points per contest.

MULTIMEDIA OPTIONS

• For the fourth 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.
• Wednesday's game at Air Force will stream on the Mountain West Network.
• 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 accessed in the link above the story.