The Hornets, who committed just nine turnovers and shot 47.0 percent (31-66) from the floor, improved to 11-5 overall and 2-0 in the Big Sky. Sacramento State has won its first two games of Big Sky play for the first time since joining the league in 1996-97 and the team’s overall record is the best mark after 16 games in the Div. I era (1991-pres.) and the best since the 1987-88 season. Including their 16-point victory over Portland State on Thursday night, the Hornets are now 7-0 at home this year and have won each of those games by at least nine points and by an average of 18.6 points per game.

Sacramento State has won three straight and 10 of the last 13 after beginning the season 1-2. Tonight’s game marked the final of a season-long three-game homestand as the Hornets return to the road next week to face Big Sky rivals Idaho State and Weber State.

Eastern Washington dropped to 5-10 and 0-2 in the conference. The Hornets tallied 16 steals and forced Eastern Washington into 23 turnovers. Conversely, Sacramento State did not commit its first turnover of the game until the 5:07 mark of the first half. The Hornets outscored Eastern Washington, 53-32, in the first half and led by at least 19 points for the entire second half.

In two games this week, Bausley averaged 18.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 4.0 steals per game while shooting 51.9 percent (14-27) from the field. The double-double for Bausley was his second of the season and sixth of his career. Leath, whose 22 points were one shy of his season high, finished the game 7-of-14 from the field (including three three-pointers) and also chipped in a season-high five rebounds. Freeman has now led the team in scoring a team-best six times this season. The 5-11, 175-pound point guard had six assists, three rebounds and four steals to go with his game-high 23 points. He shot 7-of-10 from the field and a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line.

The Hornets shot a blistering 58.8 percent (20-34) in the first half and never trailed by anything more than five points during the entire contest. Freshman Rodney Stuckey (21 points, four steals) led Eastern Washington in scoring for the 12th-consecutive game, but shot just 8-of-19 from the field and committed a game-high seven turnovers.

Eastern Washington jumped out to its largest lead of the contest at 17-12 (13:07 remaining in the first half) after converting a seven-point play. However, Sacramento State responded with a 22-3 run to take a commanding 34-20 lead with 6:44 remaining. Freeman (11) and Leath (seven) combined for 18 of the team’s 22 points during the run, and Eastern Washington was never able to recover the rest of the way.

The Hornets’ 16 steals were three shy of a season high as Bausley (six), Freeman (four), junior Haron Hargrave (three), sophomore Davon Roberts (two) and junior Clark Woods (one) each got in the steal column. Roberts finished with six points and three rebounds, and Woods had seven points and three rebounds. All 12 active Sacramento State players saw action in the game and nine broke into the scoring column.

Joining Stuckey in double figures for Eastern Washington were Paul Butorac (16 points) and Matt Penoncello (11 points). Derek Risper had a team-best 10 rebounds despite playing just 20 minutes. Sacramento State was whistled for 10 fouls in the first half and 15 more in the second as Eastern Washington went to the free-throw line 40 times during the game (converting 25, 62.5 percent).

The Hornets have now won 20 games in a row when scoring at least 75 points, and are 30-3 when hitting the magic number dating back to the beginning of the 2002-03 season.

Sacramento State opens the upcoming Big Sky road trip on Thursday, Jan. 12, against Idaho State. The Hornets defeated the Bengals, 99-97, in overtime last season in Pocatello, Idaho. The team will then play at Weber State on Saturday, Jan. 14. The Hornets have never defeated the Wildcats in Ogden, Utah (0-12), including a controversial 57-55 loss last season.