The game marked the season opener for both teams as the Hornets won their home opener for the eighth consecutive year. Sacramento State’s 107 points tied for the 20th highest output in school history, and the team’s 60.6 field goal percentage narrowly missed setting a new Div. I (1991-pres.) record. The current record is 61.4 percent, set at Montana State in 2003.

Leath, who was an honorable mention all-Big Sky selection last year as a freshman, shot 7-of-11 from the field, including 6-of-7 from beyond the three-point arc. Sacramento State finished the game shooting 70.0 percent (7-10) from long range.

Joining Leath in double figures for the Hornets were senior Alex Bausley (18 points, nine rebounds, eight assists), junior Angel Alamo (17 points, eight rebounds, game-high tying four steals), junior Justin Williams (career-high 14 points, nine rebounds, and three blocked shots) and junior Davon Roberts (career-high 10 points to go along four rebounds). Bausley was just one rebound and two assists shy of his first career triple-double.

The Hornets outrebounded Bethany, 38-26, and forced the Bruins into 25 turnovers. Bethany, an NAIA team from Scotts Valley, Calif., was led center Jon Bell’s 22 points and 12 rebounds.

Leaders of the Big Sky in steals each of the last six years, Sacramento State finished with 17, including four each from Alamo and junior point guard Roderick Adams. In addition, 18 of the team’s 38 rebounds came on the offensive glass resulting in numerous second-chance opportunities.

Sacramento State led from start to finish as Leath knocked down three-pointers in each of the Hornets’ first two possessions as the Hornets jumped out to a 6-0 lead. Sacramento State led by at least four points the rest of the way, as the team’s 34-point margin of victory was also the largest lead of the game.

After Bethany closed to within 13 points (79-66) with 10:03 remaining in the game, Alamo, Williams and Roberts had offensive rebound putbacks on consecutive Hornet possessions to push the lead back to 19 points with 8:32 remaining. Sacramento State led by at least 16 points the rest of the way.

All but one Sacramento State player cracked into the scoring column, and all but two players shot better than 50.0 percent from the field. Sophomore Donald Thomas (nine points, 4-of-4 shooting), Adams (eight points, seven assists, four steals) and junior Jason Davis (six points, three rebounds, two steals) also played key roles in Sacramento State’s victory.

The Hornets are in the midst of a five-day, three-game stretch that will see team play at New Mexico on Sunday, Nov. 12, at 12:05 p.m. PST. Sacramento State will then play two days later (Tuesday, Nov. 14) at home against San Francisco at 7:05 p.m.