GAME PREVIEW

• Sacramento State (4-10, 0-2) plays the finale of a grueling seven game road trip on Saturday at Portland State (8-5, 2-0). Tip at Viking Pavilion is 2 p.m.
• The Hornets opened conference play last week with a pair of 13-point road losses to Idaho State (97-84) and Weber State (95-82). It was a one-possession game early in the second half against both opponents before Idaho State and Weber State pulled away.
• Expect plenty of fire power in this matchup as Portland State is third in the Big Sky averaging 82.3 points per game. In its last five games, Sacramento State is averaging 81.8 ppg while allowing a whopping 95.2 ppg.
• Saturday is the seventh and final leg of a season-long seven game road trip. Sacramento State is seeking its first road win of the season (0-9), and has lost 11 straight on the road dating back to last year. 
• The current road trip is part of a remarkable stretch of 49 straight days without a home game. The streak, which is the third longest in the nation among Div. I teams, began on Nov. 26, and concludes with the Big Sky home opener on Jan. 15 vs. Northern Arizona.
• Six Hornets have missed games to injury/illness this season, combining for 25 missed games. None bigger than 6-foot-11, 250-pound forward Jeremiah Cherry (15.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg) who has missed each of the last eight games with injury. The Hornets are 1-7 without Cherry in the lineup.
• Portland State opened Big Sky play with a pair of overtime road wins last week, including 95-90 at Weber State and 93-87 at Idaho State. That marked the Vikings' first road sweep since 2020. The Vikings are also 2-0 in Big Sky play for the first time since 2009-10.
• Saturday is the Vikings' Big Sky home opener. By the end of this week, the Hornets will be the only Big Sky team that hasn't played a league home game.
• In a series that dates back to 1969, Sacramento State is 24-36 all-time against Portland State. The Hornets have won four of the last six in the series. That includes the teams splitting the season series a year ago with each winning by three points at home.
• Sacramento State is 5-23 in Portland, and each of the last six matchups in the Rose City have been decided by eight points or less. The Hornets have dropped two straight in Portland with the last victory coming via 76-74 score on Feb. 27, 2023.
• The Vikings feature two of the top three leading scorers in the conference. That includes senior forward Terri Miller Jr. who leads the Big Sky at 19.3 ppg, and senior guard Jaylin Henderson who is third at 18.5 ppg. 
• Three of the top five scorers in the Big Sky will be in action in Saturday's game, including Hornet guard Mikey Williams, who is fifth in the league at 17.0 ppg.

MULTIMEDIA OPTIONS

• For the fifth 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.
• In fact, every game the remainder of the season will be streamed on ESPN+.
• 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..

WEBER STATE LOSS RECAP

• Four Hornets scored in double figures, led by Mikey Williams' game-high 26 points, but it was not enough in Sacramento State's 95-82 loss at Weber State on Saturday.
• After Jahni Summers opened the game's scoring with a 3-pointer, Weber State responded with a 14-2 run, and led for nearly 39 minutes of clock. Though the Wildcats never led by more than 16 points the entire way, Weber State kept its lead at eight points or more the majority of the way.
• Sacramento State, which trailed at the break, 50-39, continued to scratch and claw throughout the second half. That included a 9-0 run to get within six points (67-61) of the Wildcat lead with 9:51 to play. The Hornets would later cut the deficit again to six points at 70-64, but got no closer. 
• Mikey Williams continued his torrid play. After scoring a career-best 34 points on Thursday at Idaho State, he had a game-high 26 points to go with four rebounds and a steal.
• The big difference in tonight's game was the free throw line where Weber State converted on 11 more freebies. Sacramento State, uncharacteristically, shot just 63% (15-24) from the line while the Wildcats were at 77% (26-34). 

THE BIBBY ERA

• Head coach Mike Bibby, who spent half of his 14-year NBA career with the Sacramento Kings, returned to the city where he became a fan favorite while helping the Kings to multiple playoff appearances in the early 2000s.
• A first team All-American, Pac-10 Conference Player of the Year and the No. 2 overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft, Bibby helped Arizona to a 1997 NCAA national championship.
• Recently, Bibby had assistant coaching stops with the Puerto Rican National Team, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Memphis Grizzlies summer league teams, and G-League Ignite.
• During his six seasons at Shadow Mountain High School (five as head coach), he coached the team to five state championships, a 157-21 overall record, a 72-game winning streak, and a six-year home winning streak.

SHAQ ON BOARD AS GENERAL MANAGER

• Shaquille O'Neal is in his first season as general manager of the Hornets. He joined the program shortly after the appointment of Mike Bibby to head coach.
• O'Neal played 19 years in the NBA and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.
• He accepted the position in a volunteer capacity and will focus on recruitment, marketing, and holistic player development - both on and off the court.

FORMER KING BRAD MILLER ALSO ON STAFF

• Fourteen-year NBA veteran Brad Miller is also on staff as the team's Lead Advisor.
• Miller spent six years with the Kings where he and Bibby were teammates from 2003-07.
• A two-time All-Star, Miller finished his career with 11.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 48% from the field and 80% from the free throw line.

ENTIRE COACHING STAFF IS NEW

• Not only is Mike Bibby brand new to the program, so is his entire coaching staff. That includes his son, Michael Bibby, who is one of two associate head coaches.
• Joining the Bibbys on the staff are associate head coach Raymond Walcott, and assistant coaches Jason Fraser, Greg Moody II and Dr. August Mendes.
• The Hornets list two general managers, including Zach Chappell and Shaq. Chappell was an assistant coach on last year's coaching staff, and also played three highly successful seasons as player at Sacramento State (2020-23). An all-Big Sky Conference performer as a senior in 2022-23, he played one season of pro ball in Germany in 2024.
• Dr. Al Biancani, the new strength and conditioning coach, developed a relationship with Bibby when he served in the same role with the Sacramento Kings while Bibby was a player. Biancani was the second-ever strength coach hired by an NBA team.

THE MOVE TO HORNET PAVILION

• Sacramento State's 66-year run in the Nest has come to an end.
• The team moved its home games to The WELL on campus. The name of the facility is Hornet Pavilion. The project converted a portion of the The WELL, an on-campus fitness facility, into a venue for both the men's and women's basketball teams.
• Overall capacity is 3,000, and the project was completed in late October. The fixed seating portion of the facility has sold out four of the Hornets' first five home games. The only non-packed house came on a Sunday afternoon game vs. Presbyterian.
• The Hornets had played in the Nest every year since 1955, except four seasons (1996-00) when they spent their first four Big Sky years at downtown Memorial Auditorium.

BRAND NEW ROSTER

• All 15 players on the Hornets' roster are brand new to the program. Sacramento State is one of seven programs in the country with zero returning players from a year ago. 
• Of the 15 players on the roster, there are 11 Div. I transfers, two high school players, one junior college transfer, and one transfer from a Div. II school. 
• The 13 total transfers on the Hornets' roster are third most in the country, trailing only 14 by both Memphis and Southern Miss. There are seven teams that sit just below the Hornets with 12 transfers.
• Davis Ambuehl, who played for Hornet Football in the fall as a tight end, joined the Hornets on Nov. 25. He has yet to play for the basketball team while dealing with injury.

FINAL SEASON IN THE BIG SKY

• This season marks the Hornets' 30th in the Big Sky Conference (1996-pres.), but will also serve as the team's last.
• During the summer, Sacramento State announced that it will join the Big West Conference as a full member beginning in the 2026-27 academic year.
• In 2026, the Hornets will join a Big West lineup that includes California Baptist, Cal Poly, Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, CSUN, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, and Utah Valley.

MIKEY MAKING HIS MARK

• Sophomore guard Mikey Williams, who is a nationally popular player with over 3 million followers on Instagram, has been very good in his first season with the Hornets.
• Including his 34-point outburst at Idaho State and 26 at Weber State, he has scored in double figures in six straight games, and is averaging a team-high 22.0 ppg during that stretch. Over his last five games, he is averaging 23.6 ppg.
• The 34 points are tied for the sixth best mark in the Hornets' Div. I era (1991-pres.), and tied for most in the Big Sky this year. Among players who have played multiple conference games, Williams' average of 30.0 ppg in league play is the top mark in the Big Sky.
• Overall, he has 11 games in double figures (two 30-point games), including at least seven points in every game. He ranks 22nd in the country with 35.2 minutes per contest.
• Among conference leaders (overall), he is second in minutes, free throws made (69) and attempted (88), fourth in assists (4.9 apg) and fifth in scoring (17.0 ppg).
 
THE 3-POINT SNIPER

• Junior shooting guard Jahni Summers is on a heater. The sharp shooter has buried 14 of his last 19 from distance. That includes seven straight makes until he missed one at Idaho State.
• Over the last seven games, he is averaging 11.6 ppg while shooting 65% (22-34) from the 3-point stripe. He had scored in double figures in five straight games until Idaho State.
• The recent surge has propelled Summers to an impressive 51% (31-61) from the arc.
• However, Summers has combined for just three points in league play (1-for-2 from 3PT).

LAVRENOV FILLING IN WELL FOR INJURED BEAR

• Freshman forward Mark Lavrenov was thrust into action after Jeremiah Cherry went down with injury at UCLA. Cherry, off to a big start (15.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg), was injured at the 8:18 mark of the first half against the Bruins and has not played since.
• In stepped Lavrenov, who immediately posted a double-double (10 pts, 10 reb) in 29 minutes against the Bruins. He then followed that up at Cal where he had 14 points and eight rebounds while playing all 40 minutes. 
• Over the last nine games, he is averaging 9.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 27.0 minutes. That includes 79% (35-45) from the free throw line while also securing 28 offensive boards.
• There is no time table for Cherry's return. The 6-foot-11, 250-pound forward is third on the team in scoring (15.5 ppg) while ranking second in rebounding (8.2 rpg).
 
STAT SHEET STUFFING PROPHET

• A valuable all-around guard, the 6-foot-3, 195-pound Prophet Johnson is averaging 15.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 33.0 minutes.
• He already has six double-doubles, leads the Big Sky in rebounding and steals, and is the third best rebounding guard in the country.
• He has scored in double figures 10 times, and has a team-best five games with at least 20 points. That includes a season-high 26 points at CSUN, and 21 points at Baylor.
• Johnson is the Big Sky's eighth leading scorer, averages 5.2 FTA per game, shoots 38% from deep, and has scored 12+ points in 10 games. His six double-doubles are just four shy of the Hornet Div. I era season record of 10, set by center Callum McRae in 2022-23.
 
NOTABLES

Arman Madi is averaging 9.0 points and 6.5 rebounds in Big Sky play after averaging 1.2 points and 1.4 rebound in non-conference play…Jayden Teat's 12 points at Idaho State  were his fourth double-figure effort of the year…the Hornets rank first in the Big Sky in both free throws made (18.1) and attempted (24.1) per game.