The Hornets have already set numerous Div. I records (1991-pres.) including most wins (13), most Big Sky victories (seven), best winning percentage (.481), highest finish in the Big Sky (tied for second) and most home victories (10). Sacramento State, which advanced to the postseason last season after finishing sixth, had failed to reach the Big Sky Tournament during its first six years in the conference. The top six squads in the eight-team league advance to the tournament.

Sacramento State has been dominant inside the Hornets Nest this season, posting a 10-3 record, including a 64-61 win over Weber State on Feb. 19. The team has won four in a row at the Hornets Nest and posted its best Big Sky home record (5-2). The Hornets are winning by an average of 15.0 points at home, and have not lost in the friendly confines since falling to Eastern Washington (68-62) on Jan. 17.

Weber State (14-13, 7-7) enters Saturday''s game as one of the hottest teams in the league, winning four of its last five games. After beginning the season with a 3-6 conference record, the Wildcats avoided missing the Big Sky Tournament for the first time 1981. Weber State''s one loss during its recent five-game stretch came against the Hornets. The team is 4-7 on the road this year, including a 3-4 mark against Big Sky teams. Weber State defeated the Hornets (65-54) in Ogden, Utah, on Jan. 24. The Wildcats own a commanding 18-1 record in the all-time series between the two teams.

Meet the Coaches

Jerome Jenkins is currently in his fourth season at the helm of the Sacramento State basketball program. Since taking over a struggling team in 2000-01, the Hornets have improved their overall and conference records each year (5-22, 2-14 in 2000-01; 9-19, 3-11 in 2001-02; 12-17, 5-9 in 2002-03; and 13-14, 7-7 in 2003-04).

Jenkins, who has led the Hornets to the Big Sky Tournament each of the last two years, has a 39-72 record during his tenure as head coach.

Since Jenkins took over, the Hornets have increased their overall and conference wins each season . He has led this year''s team to numerous program Div. I records, including most wins, most conference wins, best winning percentage (.481) and most home victories (10).

The 36-year old coach came to Sacramento State prior to the 1999-2000 season and served as the team’s top assistant coach that year. Jenkins previously had worked two seasons as an assistant at Eastern Washington (1997-99). Prior to working at EWU, he spent four seasons at Diablo Valley College, where he was an assistant coach (1993-95) and associate head coach (1995-97).

A native of Los Angeles, Jenkins was an all-conference point guard at L.A. City College as a freshman before playing his sophomore season at Southwestern Oregon CC. He then transferred to Regis University in Denver, Colo., where he played his final two seasons.

Last season''s Big Sky and District 13 Coach of the Year, Joe Cravens currently owns a 91-54 record in his fifth season at Weber State. Cravens, who has led the Wildcats to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, also was the head coach at Idaho (1993-96) and Utah (interim in 1989-90), and has a 146-106 overall record.

A Look at the Latest Action

Jameel Pugh scored a career-high 24 points and the Hornets rode the heels of a 22-3 run to close the first half on the way to an 80-74 victory over Montana State in the final Big Sky Conference regular-season game of the season Sunday afternoon at Worthington Arena.

In arguably his best game of the season, Pugh finished 9-of-11 from the floor, including a career-high four three-pointers to go along with two rebounds and two steals. Sacramento State shot 48.3 percent (28-58) from the field and 50.0 percent (12-24) from the three-point line while committing just 10 turnovers.

The Hornets began the game ice cold from the field as Montana State jumped out to a game-high 14 point lead (31-17) with 6:48 remaining in the first half. Sacramento State, however, bounced back with the 22-3 run, which included three-pointers from E.J. Harris, Joseth Dawson and Pugh (two). Pugh had nine points during the run and Dawson had six, including a runner in the lane at the buzzer to give the Hornets a 39-34 halftime lead. Dawson finished the game with 15 points while Brandon Guyton added 13 points for Sacramento State.

The Hornets never trailed in the second half and opened up a team-best 13-point lead (68-55) with 8:05 remaining on a three-pointer from Guyton. Montana State, however, clawed its way back behind Jason Erickson’s 11 second-half points. Down 10 points (72-62) with 5:41 left in the game, the Bobcats went on a 10-0 run to tie the game at 72-72. Pugh responded with a jumper to put the Hornets back on top before Erickson''s field goal tied the game at 74-74 with 1:54 remaining.

Both teams traded possessions without scoring until a Pugh jumper put the Hornets back on top, 76-74, with 59 seconds left. Montana State had a chance to tie, but Josh Barsh missed two free throws and Sacramento State iced the game on the free-throw line as both DaShawn Freeman and Guyton went 2-for-2 during the final 26 seconds.

Montana State, which was led by Calvin Ento (18 points, 10 rebounds) and Erickson (17 points), shot 51.9 percent (27-52) from the field, but committed 18 turnovers.

A Look at the Hornets

Bench Bomber

If there was a sixth-man award in the NCAA Div. I ranks, one would think that senior shooting guard Joseth Dawson would have a very good shot at winning the honor.

The Fontana, Calif., native has led or tied for the team lead in scoring in five of the last seven games and is averaging 21.0 points over that span. Dawson, who started his first game of the season vs. Idaho State because it was Senior Night, is leading the team in scoring (14.4 ppg overall and 16.4 ppg against Big Sky competition).

In addition, Dawson became the first Hornet to earn Big Sky Player of the Week honors twice in the same season (Feb. 9 and Feb. 23).

In his second season with the Hornets, the shooting guard has shown an incredible knack for getting to the free-throw line during his career. This season is no different as he leads the Big Sky and owns the Sacramento State Div. I single-season record with 136 free throws made. He is also second in the conference in free-throw percentage (.845). Earlier this season, he knocked down 22-straight free throws (spanning three games), including a 14-of-14 performance at Northern Arizona. Despite playing less than two years, his 236 career free throws rank third in program history.

Dawson tied his career high with 30 points in the Hornets'' win at Northern Arizona (Feb. 7), and topped that with a career-best 32 at home against Weber State (Feb. 19). The 32 points were exactly half of the Hornets'' output (64) in the game. The shooting guard''s 16.4 ppg average against Big Sky competition is the league''s fourth-best mark. Although Dawson''s season field-goal percentage of .356 is nothing to brag about, he has made up for it by getting to the free-throw line an average of 6.0 times per game.

Final Five Minutes Don''t Mean Much

So far this season, Sacramento State is a perfect 13-0 when leading a game with five minutes remaining in the second half. That includes the home win against Weber State in which Sacramento State held a 54-52 advantage with five minutes left. However, the Hornets are 0-14 when trailing with five minutes left in a game.

In the Hornets'' losses, the team has trailed by at least three points with five minutes to play in each of the 14 defeats. In the 13 victories, the Hornets have been leading by an average of 12.5 points while trailing by an average of 10.1 ppg in the losses. The Hornets are just 1-12 when trailing at the half and 12-2 when tied or leading at the break.

The Second Wave

Arguably the deepest squad in the Big Sky Conference, Sacramento State has done nothing to dispel that theory as the team''s bench (nonstarters) combined for 71 points in the Hornets'' 110-97 victory at Northern Arizona. The 71 bench points are the most by any team in the nation against a Div. I opponent this season. Only Boise State''s bench (75 points against NAIA opponent Eastern Oregon) has recorded more points in a game from its nonstarters.

Despite a season-low 18 points from the bench last Wednesday at Montana, the Hornets'' nonstarters are averaging 33.0 points per game.

Head coach Jerome Jenkins has used 11 different players this season to the tune of at least 9.9 minutes per game. Jenkins has used eight different starting lineups (see page 7) and all but three players (James Payne, Djibril Diop and Nick Gooding) have started at least one game.

However, it appears Jenkins has found his favorite starting five for the time being (Cedric Thompkins-c, Jameel Pugh-f, DaShawn Freeman-g, Joel Jones-g, Brandon Guyton-g). Jenkins has used that lineup three times in the last four games, and the team has responded with a 2-1 record during that span.

Pugh Becoming A Factor

When Sacramento native Jameel Pugh transferred to Sacramento State from UMass prior to last season, anticipation was high to see what type of impact the guard/forward could have on the program. A gifted athlete who had a reputation for his leaping ability, Pugh was ranked by Slam Magazine as the World''s Best Dunker in 2000.

Through the first 18 games of the season, Pugh was averaging 7.7 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting just .386 from the field. After starting the first seven games of the season, head coach Jerome Jenkins not only stripped Pugh of his starting role, he drastically reduced his minutes, including a season-low six against Long Beach State.

However, over the last nine games, Pugh has shown glimpses of what made him a McDonald''s All-America candidate out of Sacramento''s Grant High School. Including a career-high 24 points at Montana State, Pugh is averaging 12.6 points, 5.9 rebounds (including 2.6 offensive rebounds), 1.8 steals and 4.0 free-throw attempts per game while shooting 54.7 percent (41-75) from the field.

In the Hornets'' biggest game of the season at Montana State, Pugh responded with 24 points, shooting 81.8 percent (9-11) from the field, including a career-high four three-pointers. In the Hornets'' 110-97 victory at Northern Arizona, Pugh had 22 points, tying the previous career high he established at UMass (against Fordham). Jenkins inserted Pugh back into the starting lineup against Weber State and he responded with nine points, 11 rebounds (five on the offensive glass) and two steals. Pugh has started three of the last four games, averaging 14.7 points and 6.7 rebounds over those three starts.

After being nonexistent among Big Sky leaders for much of the season, Pugh now ranks among the conference''s top 15 players in rebounding, field-goal percentage, steals and offensive rebounds.

Div. I Records Set By The Hornets This Year

Below are some of the Div. I single-season records (1991-pres.) the Hornets have surpassed this season.

• Most victories in a season (13)

• Most Big Sky wins in a season (7)

• Highest Big Sky finish (tied for second)

• Best winning percentage (13-14, .481)

• Most victories at home (10)

• Most Big Sky wins at home (5)

• Highest seed in the Big Sky Tournament (No. 4)

• First-ever win against Weber State

• School-record 17 three-pointers vs. Idaho State

• First-ever home sweep of Weber St. and Idaho St.

• Most three-pointers made (219) and attempted (594), and best three-point percentage (.369)

• Best record vs. the Big West Conference (4-1)

• Most bench points in a game (71 at NAU)

A Look At The First Meeting

John Hamilton scored a game-high 15 points and Lance Allred added 13 points and 11 rebounds to help lead Weber State to a 65-54 win in Ogden, Utah, on Jan. 24

The Hornets rallied from a three-point halftime deficit to take a 35-32 lead on a Cedric Thompkins layup with 16:51 left in the second half. From that point, WSU went on a 21-7 run to claim a 53-42 edge with just under eight minutes to play. During the run, Weber State hit three three-pointers and received 10 points from Hamilton.

Sacramento State closed its deficit to five points (59-54) with 1:47 remaining on a jumper from Alex Bausley but could not pull closer.

Weber State controlled the majority of the first half, leading for 16:53 of the possible 20 minutes. The Wildcats eventually built an 18-9 edge before Sacramento State began its comeback. Down by six (26-20) with 2:37 left in the period, Joel Jones made two of his team-high 14 points and Joseth Dawson followed with a three to pull the team within one. Weber State answered with a pair of free throws before Jones again knocked down a jumper at the 1:04 mark. The first half ended with a jumper from Troy Goodell to give WSU a 30-27 advantage.

Jones was the lone Hornet to score in double figures as the swingman connected on 6-of-12 field goals and made both of his free throw attempts. Brandon Guyton buried three three-pointers to account for his nine points and Dawson added nine. Thompkins led the squad with 10 rebounds.

As a team, Sacramento State shot 19-of-47 overall (.404), 4-of-13 (.308) from long range and 12-of-21 (.571) at the charity stripe.

The Wildcats made 22-of-57 attempts (.386), 4-of-11 threes and 17-of-25 free throws (.680). Weber State also outrebounded the Hornets, 42-32, which resulted in 10 more field goal attempts.

A Look At The Second Meeting

Joseth Dawson scored a career-high 32 points (including the Hornets’ final 12 points of the game) to lead Sacramento State to its first-ever victory over Weber State, 64-61, on Feb. 19.

Dawson went 9-of-18 from the floor, 5-of-9 from the three-point line and 9-of-12 from the free-throw line to surpass his previous career high of 30 points.

Sacramento State had been 0-18 all-time against Weber State. With the score tied at 52-52 with 7:08 remaining, Dawson took over as he was the only Hornet to score during the final seven minutes of the contest. He began his personal 12-point run with a jumper to put the Hornets up two points (54-52) with 6:52 remaining. Sacramento State led the rest of the way as Dawson and the Wildcats exchanged baskets until a Lance Allred layup drew Weber State within one point (62-61) with 25 seconds to play.

Dawson, who was a perfect 6-of-6 from the line during the final 4:29 of the game, was then fouled immediately and converted his free throws to put the Hornets back on top, 64-61, with 23 seconds left. Weber State’s Josh Hamilton missed an off-balance jumper from the baseline with 13 seconds left and Sacramento State’s Jameel Pugh grabbed his game-high 11th rebound. Pugh was immediately fouled and missed the front end of the 1-and-1 situation. Weber State grabbed the rebound and drove the length of the floor, before Nic Sparrow missed a three-point opportunity as time expired.

Sacramento State recovered from a dreadful first half in which the team shot just 34.8 percent from the floor (8-23) while missing 14 of its first 18 field-goal attempts. Weber State took advantage, building a game-high 10-point lead (23-13) with 6:36 remaining in the first half. The Hornets, however, responded with an 11-0 run (sparked by eight points from Dawson).

Sacramento State Player Notes

0 James Payne

Played in just seven of the team''s first 18 games (averaging 7.4 minutes)...sparked the team''s 18-3 run in a comeback win against Montana State in Sacramento...scored five points in that game in just eight minutes...has played in nine-straight contests, averaging 11.8 minutes per game...had five points, four assists and a rebound in a career-high 21 minutes vs. Idaho State...shooting 40.0 percent (4-10) from beyond the three-point arc...scored a career-high six points in the Hornets'' loss at San Francisco.

1 E.J. Harris

One of nine Hornets to appear in every game, averaging 11.3 minutes per contest...started six-consecutive games from Jan. 24-Feb. 14...scored a career-high 10 points in victory over UC Riverside...after averaging 3.3 points during the first 18 games of the season, he is averaging just 1.0 point over his last nine games...since being taken out of the starting lineup on Feb. 19 against Weber State, he is averaging 4.0 minutes per game (four-game stretch)...has led or shared the team lead in assists seven times.

2 Jameel Pugh

After averaging 7.7 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting just .386 from the field during the first 18 games of the season, Pugh has averaged 12.6 points and 5.9 rebounds on .547 shooting (41-75) over his last nine games...the Hornets are 6-3 during that span...scored a career-high 24 points (9-of-11 shooting) in the team''s do-or-die game at Montana State...fourth on the team in scoring (9.3 ppg) and third in scoring against Big Sky competition (10.2 ppg)...sixth in the Big Sky in offensive rebounding (2.11 per game) and tied for ninth in steals (1.19 per game)...has started three of the last four games and is averaging 1.7 steals over his last 11 games.

10 Brandon Guyton

Ranks first in the Big Sky in three-pointers (2.85 per game) and 12th in three-point percentage (.383)...his 77 three-pointers ranks second in the school''s Div. I single-season history, 11 threes behind Charlo Davis (88 in 1991-92)...141 career threes ranks third in Div. I history...has started each of the last 20 games after coming off the bench during the first seven games of the season...second on the team in minutes per game (26.3)...third on the team in scoring (10.1 ppg)...has knocked down at least four three-pointers in nine games, including a season-high five on three occasions.

14 Cedric Thompkins

Ranks first on the Hornets and ninth in the Big Sky in rebounding (5.4 per game)...also tied for third in the conference in offensive rebounding (2.26 per game)...leads the team with three double-doubles (points, rebounds)...scored a career-high 22 points (10-of-11 shooting) in team''s home win against Montana State...has recorded seven games with double figures in rebounds...Hornets are 4-0 when he scores in double figures and 5-2 when he tallies double figure in rebounds...has started 13-consecutive games and 20 contests overall.

20 DaShawn Freeman

Among Big Sky leaders, Freeman ranks tied for fifth in steals (1.74), sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.45) and seventh in assists (3.44)...has led or tied for the team lead in assists on 17 occasions...shooting 82.1 percent (32-39) from the charity stripe...four games in double figures, including a season-high 14 at No. Arizona...career-high seven steals at Cal Poly...tied for second on the team with 20 starts...averaging 19.7 minutes per game.

24 Joseth Dawson

Became the first Hornet to earn two Big Sky Player of the Week awards...the team''s sixth man, Dawson has started just one game all season, but leads the Hornets in scoring (14.4 ppg)...averaging 16.4 ppg against conference competition, the Big Sky''s fourth-best mark...leads the Big Sky with 136 free throws made and ranks second in free-throw percentage (.845)...started only game of the season on Senior Night...leads the team with 22 games in double figures and 40 over his two-year career...the Div. I career record holder in free throws (236), a mark which also ranks fourth in program history...scored a career-high 32 points vs. Weber State...went 14-of-14 from the charity stripe at Northern Arizona.

30 Joel Jones

Ranks among the Big Sky''s top 16 players in three-pointers per game (T8th, 1.78 per game), blocked shots (T13th, 0.56), three-point field-goal percentage (T14th, .372), steals (T12th, 1.07 spg), offensive rebounds (15th, 1.48) and scoring (T16th, 12.1 ppg)...tied his career high with 25 points at New Mexico...second on the team in scoring (12.1 ppg) and double-figure scoring games (17)...tallied 18 points and a career-high 11 rebounds at Montana...12 pts., 8 reb., 8 ast. vs. Idaho State...only player to start all 27 games and leads the Hornets with 29.1 minutes per game...ranks eighth in Div. I career history with 649 points.

32 Djibril Diop

Has played in nine games, averaging 3.6 minutes...scored all eight of his points this season against San Jose Christian on Dec. 2...has played in four of the last seven games after appearing in five of the first 20 games.

33  Alex Bausley

Has appeared in all 27 games during his freshman campaign while getting the start in three contests...averaging 3.0 points and 3.2 rebounds...also averaging one rebound every 3.7 minutes...including a career-high nine rebounds in 18 minutes at Montana...scored a career-high 11 points at Oregon State...shooting 40.9 percent (9-22) from the three-point line...averaging one foul every 4.8 minutes...averaged just 5.8 minutes during the first five games of the season...tallying 13.2 minutes per game since.

44 Chris Lange

Leads the team and is ninth in the Big Sky in blocked shots (0.78 per game)...also fifth on the Hornets in rebounding (3.7 per game)...has tallied at least six rebounds in eight games...including his first career double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds) in the Hornets'' win vs. UC Riverside...scored a season-high 13 points vs. Eastern Washington...has appeared in all 27 games, including 11 starts...averaging 19.7 minutes per game.

50 Nick Gooding

Has appeared in just five games, averaging 3.4 minutes per game...has yet to score this season...recorded his only rebound and blocked shot against San Jose Christian...has appeared in two games over the team''s last 20 contests.

55 Tony Champion

Started 16 of the team''s first 20 games of the season...sat out the game at Northern Arizona with a wrist injury...since that NAU contest, Champion is averaging just 5.2 minutes per game (six-game span)...averaging one rebound every 3.4 minutes, tied for the team lead with Cedric Thompkins...averaging 4.0 rebounds per game and ranks 12th in the Big Sky in offensive rebounds (1.58 per game)...the team''s worst free-throw shooter (.432, 19-for-44)...had a career-high tying nine rebounds vs. Long Beach State...tallied a season-high 12 points at Cal Poly.

Hornets In The Rankings

Sacramento State was selected to finish fifth in the Big Sky media poll, and sixth in the coaches poll this year. The predictions marked the highest preseason rankings the men''s basketball program has received since joining the league in 1996-97. Sacramento State, which ended the season in a four-way tie for second place, had been picked last in both polls every year prior to this season. The Hornets currently have the Big Sky''s fourth-best Sagarin ranking (No. 201). The team was ranked as high as 77th earlier this season after winning three of its first four games. Eastern Washington has the Big Sky''s best Sagarin rating (133) while Idaho State has the conference''s worst mark (243). A total of 326 Div. I teams are ranked in the Sagarins.

A Look At Weber State

• Weber State has four players averaging double figures in points comprising Slobodan Ocokoljic (14.7), John Hamilton (12.8), Nic Sparrow (12.4) and Lance Allred (12.1). Those four players combine to average 52 of the team''s 68.9 points (75.5 percent) per game.

• After being in danger of missing the Big Sky Tournament for the first time since 1981, Weber State won four of its final five conference games to grab the No. 5 seed in the tournament.

• Weber State ranks last in the Big Sky in field-goal percentage defense (.467), blocked shots (0.85 per game) and steals (4.78). However, the team leads the Big Sky in points allowed (66.4 ppg), three-point field goal percentage (.389), scoring margin (+2.4), and ranks second in rebounding margin (+3.3).

• The Wildcats have advanced to at least the semifinal round of the Big Sky Tournament each of the last three years.