The Sacramento State men's basketball team returns home for the first

of its two final home games on Thursday, Feb. 22. The team will meet

the Vikings of Portland State at 7 p.m. in Hornet Gym.

The Hornets enter the game with a 4-19 overall record and an 1-11

mark in the Big Sky Conference. Portland State currently sits at 8-15

overall and 5-7 in Big Sky games. The Vikings have won three of their

last five games including a 73-62 decision over Eastern Washington

last Saturday.

The game will be broadcast on KTKZ 1380 AM with Steve McElroy calling

the action. The contest can also be heard via www.hornetsports.com.

After eight seasons as an assistant coach, including one with

Sacramento State, Jerome Jenkins takes over as head coach this year.

Jenkins became the 12th coach in the 52-year history of Hornet

basketball when he was named to the position on March 14, 2000.

The 33-year old coach served as the team's top assistant last season

and was credited with designing the squad's much improved defense.

Jenkins came to Sacramento State after serving two seasons as an

assistant at Eastern Washington. Prior to work at EWU, Jenkins spent

four seasons at Diablo Valley College.

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 C.C. He then transferred to Regis University

in Denver, Colo., where he played his final two seasons. While with

the Rangers, Jenkins led the team in assists and steals and was named

all-conference following both seasons.

Jenkins picked up his first career victory on Nov. 17 when the

Hornets topped Bethany College, 103-48. He currently has a 4-19

career record.

Portland State is coached by Joel Sobotka. In his third year with the

Vikings, Sobotka has posted a 40-40 overall record.

Weber State received 50 points off the bench and held on for a 98-88

victory over Sacramento State Saturday night at the Dee Events

Center. Chris Woods led the bench with 16 points. He was one of three

nonstarters to reach double-figures.

Sacramento State trailed by nine, 48-39, at halftime and saw WSU pull

ahead by as many as 19 midway through the second half. The Hornets

were able to trim the deficit to five points with five minutes

remaining but could never pull closer.

The 10-point loss was the closest defeat for Sacramento State at the

Dee Events Center in school history. The Hornets had lost the

previous four meetings in Ogden by an average of 31.85 points.

Adding to its road woes, Sacramento State was playing without the

services of Arinze Anoruo and Rene Jacques who were both under the

weather. In their absence, the Hornets turned to seniors Pablo

Gonzales and Rickie Glenn. Gonzales set a career high with 28 points

while Glenn was just one point shy of his career mark with 26.

The pair was joined in double figures by senior Jim Brewer, Jr. The

guard came off the bench to score 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting.

Brewer also set a career mark by draining three three-pointers.

As a team, Sacramento State shot 50.0 percent (30-60) from the field

and 46.2 percent (6-13) from long range. Weber State, however, was an

impressive 32-for-52 (.615) from the floor and dominated the glass,

34-27.

Individually, the Wildcats were paced by Ivan Gatto with 19 points.

Woods, Jermaine Boyette (14), Stevie Morrison (13) and Jake Shoff

(10) all crossed the 10-point plateau for WSU. Woods also paced the

team with 10 rebounds.

A Look at the Hornets

Entering the season, Pablo Gonzales had a career high of 23 points.

This year, the senior has scored over 23 in four games including 28

at Weber State on Saturday for a new career mark. The Folsom, Calif.,

native was 12-of-20 from the floor including one three pointer.

Gonzales also made 3-of-4 attempts from the line to account for his

points.

The guard/forward has now scored over 10 points in three straight

games and eight of the past nine.

Gonzales has scored 337 points this season and needs 60 points over

the next four games to crack the single-season top 10 at Sacramento

State.

Gonzales was not the only Hornet putting up big numbers on Saturday.

Rickie Glenn added 26 points - one off of his career high set earlier

this season at Portland State.

Glenn made 7-of-13 field goals and shot above his season average by

going 12-for-16 from the line. The forward also led the team with

eight rebounds.

Like Gonzales, Glenn is approaching the single-season top 10. The

Sacramento, Calif., native needs 50 points in the final four games to

tie for 10th.

The cold and flu season showed its affects on the Sacramento State

team on Saturday. Both starting forward Arinze Anoruo and key reserve

Rene Jacques missed the game due to illness. Their absence follows

Jim Brewer, Jr., being forced to miss a game last week due to

bronchitis. In all, six Hornets have missed at least one game this

season due to injury or illness.

While Gonzales and Glenn scored over 20, fellow senior Jim Brewer,

Jr., was also working on a career night. Brewer came off the bench to

tie a career high with 11 points and set a career mark with three

treys.

Brewer was 4-for-6 from the floor and 3-of-5 from long range during

his 25 minutes of action. His 11 points matched his performance at

Houston last season.

Four of Sacramento State's last eight losses have come by less than

five points. The Hornets lost to UC Riverside by one, at Portland

State by four, vs. Idaho State by four and against Montana by one.

The team has also led or been tied with less than 10 minutes to play

in 11 of its last 13 games including the matchup at Weber State on

Saturday.

Freshman Cedric Thompkins scored eight points against Weber State.

The forward has now scored in five of the last six games...the 88

points scored by Sacramento State is the most against a Div. I team

in regulation this season and matches the total against UC Riverside

(overtime)...the team has allowed 98 points in each of the last two

games...only Cal State Northridge (100) scored more against the

Hornets.

Seamus Boxley scored with 12 seconds left to lift Portland State to

an 81-77 victory over Sacramento State Jan. 26 at the Peter W. Stott

Center.

Trailing by one, 77-76, PSU's Dony Wilcher drove into the paint and

dished to Boxley on the block for an easy layup to put the Vikings

back on top. Boxley also drew a foul on the play and made the free

throw. Sacramento State had a chance to answer but Pablo Gonzales

forced a three-point attempt from the corner with 7.7 seconds left in

the game before PSU's Anthony Lackey corralled the rebound and was

fouled. Lackey made both free throws to seal the game for the Vikings.

Boxley's basket overshadowed two strong individual efforts from

Sacramento State. Seniors Rickie Glenn and Pablo Gonzales combined

for 51 of the team's 77 points in loss.

Portland State led by as many as nine points in the first half before

the Hornets stormed back to take a 43-39 halftime lead. Sacramento

State then stretched its lead to nine, 59-50, with 12:26 left in the

game. The Vikings then went on a 15-5 run to claim a one-point

advantage and the two teams traded leads for the next four minutes.

Portland State broke a 72-72 tie with a pair of free throws by Jabbar

Washington and extended its lead to three points with 2:53 left.

Gonzales scored on a jumper to pull the Hornets within one and made

another bucket to give Sacramento State a 76-77 advantage.

As a team, the Hornets suffered their first defeat of the year when

outrebounding their opponent (38-34). The team also shot well above

its season average by going 27-for-34 from the free throw line.

A Look at the Vikings

over the Hornets on Jan. 26 which started the streak.

rebounds per game. The Napa, Calif., native is also averaging 16.5

ppg and 6.4 rpg in Big Sky games. He paces the team with 46 three

pointers.

boards and at the free throw line. PSU is currently being

outrebounded by 5.3 boards per game and is shooting 69.7 percent from

the line.

Portland State leads the all-time series, 8-3, dating back to

1968-69. The Vikings have won the past three meetings against

Sacramento State.

Sacramento State will play its final home game of the year on

Saturday against Eastern Washington. Prior to the start, the team

will honor the four seniors who will be playing their final home game.

Idaho State's Jordie McTavish and Portland State's Anthony Lackey

were named co-Big Sky Players of the Week. McTavish averaged 21.5

points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists in the team's two wins. Lackey

scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in PSU's victory over

Eastern Washington.