MEN'S BASKETBALL BEGINS HUGE HOMESTAND THURSDAY AGAINST NORTHERN ARIZONA

2/22/2011

Junior swingman Walter Jackson has at least two blocked shots in five consecutive games

GAME PREVIEW

Winners of four of the last seven games, Sacramento State (7-18, 4-9) embarks upon its biggest week of the season which includes its final two home games…the first of those home games comes this Thursday when the Hornets welcome Northern Arizona (16-10, 7-6) to The Nest for a 7:05 p.m. tip…with just three games remaining on the regular season schedule, Sacramento State finds itself in a four-team race for the final two spots into the Big Sky Tournament…the top six teams in the nine-member Big Sky reach the league’s postseason event, and Montana State (5-8), Eastern Washington (5-8), Sacramento State (4-9) and Idaho State (4-9) are all within one game of each other…the Hornets will likely have to win two of their final three games to have a shot at qualifying (final game comes March 2 at Northern Colorado), making it imperative to protect the home floor this week…Sacramento State has established a bit of a home court advantage of late, winning three straight games inside the friendly confines against Eastern Washington, Idaho State and Portland State…the Hornets are 6-5 at home, and have not lost inside The Nest in more than a month…Sacramento State lost all eight of its meetings when facing a Big Sky opponent for the first time this season…however, the team 4-1 thus far when playing a league foe for the second time…the Hornets are coming off a 67-52 BracketBusters loss at Southeast Missouri on Saturday…Northern Arizona currently sits in fourth place in the league standings, and has won two straight, including a 59-56 BracketBusters victory at Cal Poly on Saturday…the Lumberjacks are 5-9 on the road, and 1-5 against Big Sky foes…that includes losing on a buzzer beater to Idaho State in overtime during their last Big Sky road contest on Feb. 12…NAU has won 12 straight meetings against Sacramento State with the Hornets’ last win coming in Flagstaff on Feb. 26, 2005…the Lumberjacks are 11-7 all-time in Sacramento, including five straight wins on the Hornets’ home floor…Thursday’s game can be seen live and free via webcast at www.bigskytv.org…the game can also be heard live locally on KRJY 1240 AM, and on the internet at www.hornetsports.com with play-by-play announcer Steve McElroy calling the action...live stats for the game are available at www.hornetsports.com.

For Sacramento State's complete set of game notes, click on the link above the story.