Pugh, who went 15-of-22 from the field and 8-of-13 from beyond the three-point arc, also set Sacramento State Div. I single-game records for field goals and tied the school record for three-pointers. The Hornets moved to Div. I status in 1991 as the previous record for points was 36, set by Damond Edwards on Feb. 8, 1997. Pugh’s 40 points were the third most in school history, trailing Lynn Livie’s 51 points (1965-66) and Alex Williams’ 41 points (1987-88).

Pugh’s number of points, field goals and three-pointers were also the most by any member of the Big Sky Conference this year while his eight three-pointers tied for the eighth-best mark in conference history. The senior had 24 points by halftime and scored 14 of the Hornets’ first 20 points of the game.

With the victory, the Hornets have now split their last 10 games while improving to 6-13 overall. Sacramento State won its fifth game in a row at home while improving to 6-2 at the Hornets Nest. William Jessup (formerly known as San Jose Christian), which is located in Rocklin, Calif., dropped to 5-15 with the loss.

The Hornets’ 29-point margin of victory was their largest this season as the team tallied season highs in points (88), field goals (37), field-goal percentage (.597), three-pointers (10) and assists (24). In fact, Sacramento State’s 24 assists were one shy of the school’s Div. I single-game record.

All 11 Sacramento State players who appeared in the game scored as the team went 37-of-62 from the field and 10-of-23 from beyond the three-point arc. Sophomore Alex Bausley finished with 10 points (including a pair or three-pointers), four assists and two steals, junior Chris Lange had nine points, three rebounds and a game-high two blocked shots, and freshman Randy Adams had a season-high eight points (4-of-5 shooting) despite playing just 11 minutes.

Sacramento State junior point guard DaShawn Freeman finished with four points, seven rebounds, eight assists and four steals in 18 active minutes. Senior center Aaron Perry led all Hornets with eight rebounds (including three on the offensive glass). Junior swingman Jason Harris (the team’s leading scorer this year) sat out the game because of the flu.

William Jessup was led by Kyle Hood’s 17 points while Cole Orick (16 points, eight rebounds) and Blake Allen (10 points and two steals) also finished in double figures for the Warriors.

After William Jessup jumped out to a 4-0 lead to open the game, Sacramento State responded with a 20-2 run to take a 20-6 lead with 13:13 remaining. Pugh buried four three-pointers during the run as the Hornets never led by anything less than 12 points the rest of the game.

Sacramento State will now embark upon its biggest stretch of the season as each of the Hornets’ next three Big Sky games will be played at home against Northern Arizona (Jan. 29), Eastern Washington (Feb. 3) and Portland State (Feb. 5). The Hornets are 2-4 against conference competition this season (2-0 at home, 0-4 on the road) with eight Big Sky games remaining before the conference tournament begins on March 5.