SACRAMENTO — It was a performance that sophomore guard Benthe Versteeg couldn't pass up on Saturday afternoon, setting the school Division I Era single-game record with 14 assists to go along with her career high-tying 26 points in helping the Sacramento State women's basketball team to a 75-44 win over Weber State at The Nest.
The win was the third in the last four games for the Hornets (4-19, 3-9), who shot just under 47 percent from the field while clamping down defensively on the Wildcats (7-18, 4-8), holding the visiting side to just 28 percent shooting — including 3-of-17 from three-point range — and forcing 24 turnovers en route to the victory.
Versteeg 14 assists surpassed the previous Division I Era mark of 13 set by Justyce Dawson at Southern Utah on Feb. 25, 2017, while falling just one assist shy of the all-time record held by Tina Gray during the 1985-86 season.
The sophomore finished 10-of-13 from the field en route to her final point total, adding five rebounds and a steal in 38 minutes, posting her second double-double of the season and the highest single-game assist total in the Big Sky Conference this season.
Freshman Summah Hanson collected her second consecutive double-double, her third in her last four games, and her conference-leading 10th of the year — with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Sophomore Irune Orio added 10 points and five rebounds while senior Solape Amusan was also active defensively, finishing with a career-high five steals (of the Hornets' 11 in the game) to go along with eight points and four rebounds.
For the first time this season, Sacramento State never trailed, leading wire-to-wire on its way to a season-high point total and its largest margin of victory this year.
After trading three-pointers to open the game, Versteeg hit a jumper to give the Hornets the lead they would not relinquish, sparking an 8-2 run while holding the Wildcats to just a pair of free throws over a four-minute span. Sacramento State scored seven of the final eight points in the quarter and led by 12 after the first 10 minutes.
The advantage grew to as many as 17 points in the second quarter before Sacramento State seized control and put the game away with a huge third period, outscoring Weber State by a 20-10 count and leading by 25 points heading to the fourth.
That lead grew to as many as 32 points in the final quarter where the Hornets shot 50 percent from the field while limiting the Wildcats to just 31 percent to stymie any comeback attempt.
Weber State held a 42-35 advantage on the glass, including 20 offensive rebounds, but the Wildcats could manage only six second-chance points. Meanwhile, Sacramento State turned those 24 Weber State turnovers into 25 points for the good, while not allowing the Wildcats to score on its own 11 miscues.
Daryn Hickok led Weber State with 18 points and eight rebounds, while Jadyn Matthews, who had 30 points in the first meeting between the two teams, managed only 16 this time around.
Sacramento State takes to the road for two games next week, traveling to Northern Arizona on Thursday (Feb. 15) for a 5 p.m. tip-off in Flagstaff, before heading to Northern Colorado on Saturday (Feb. 17) for a 1 p.m. battle with the Bears in Greeley.
