GAME PREVIEW
• After completing a 3-1 homestand, Sacramento State (9-14, 5-6) will jump back on the road for a pair of games this week. That includes Thursday at Northern Colorado (15-10, 5-7). Tip-off at Bank of Colorado Arena is set for 5 p.m. PT.
• After winning the first three games of the homestand, Sacramento State fell by a point (74-73) on Saturday vs. first place Portland State. The Hornets held a 60-50 lead with 11 minutes left, but lost leading scorer
Prophet Johnson for the final 5:30 of the contest.
• The Hornets have been a completely different team at home (9-2) compared to the road (0-12). Sacramento State is seeking its first road win of the season, and 11 of those 12 road losses have come by seven points or more. The only close game was 77-73 at UC Davis.
• However, the Hornets may have found their stride during the recent homestand, and the combination of
Prophet Johnson (18.6 ppg; 20.7 ppg in league) and
Mikey Williams (17.1 ppg; 20.1 ppg in league) has become the most dynamic guard duo in the Big Sky.
• Sacramento State is 5-1 at home vs. the Big Sky, but 0-5 on the road.
• The team's nine overall wins and five conference victories are already more than last season's team that finished 7-25 and 3-15.
• Part of the reason for the home success is playing in front of big crowds. Sacramento State's average attendance of 2,728 per game is the third best mark in the Big Sky.
• Eight different Hornets have missed games to injuries this season. None bigger than forward
Jeremiah Cherry (15.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg) who has missed the last 17 games with injury. Fellow starter
Brandon Gardner has missed the last seven games with injury.
• Sacramento State defeated Northern Colorado at home on Jan. 17 by a 93-89 overtime score. In that game, the Hornets erased an 18-point second half deficit.
• After a rough start to the conference season (1-7), Northern Colorado owns the Big Sky's longest current winning streak at four games. That includes two impressive road wins last week at Weber State and Idaho State.
• The Bears are the Big Sky's defending regular season champions, and were selected third in the Big Sky preseason coaches poll. The Hornets were picked seventh.
• Northern Colorado is 7-3 at home, and 3-2 vs. Big Sky competition. Both losses have come by five points to Montana State and Weber State.
• Sacramento State is 10-26 in the all-time series vs. Northern Colorado, and this year's overtime victory snapped a streak of five straight losses to the Bears.
• The Hornets are 3-14 when playing the Bears on the road, and haven't won in Greeley since Jan. 8, 2022. Since then, the Hornets have lost three straight in Greeley.
MULTIMEDIA OPTIONS
• Like every game the remainder of the season, Thursday's game will feature a video stream 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.
