MEN’S BASKETBALL BOUNCES BACK WITH AN 84-55 VICTORY OVER BETHANY

11/16/2010

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Four Hornets scored in double figures, led by senior Sultan Toles-Bey’s career-high 21 points, as Sacramento State cruised to an 84-55 victory over Bethany in a non-conference men’s basketball game Tuesday evening at the Nest.

All 10 Sacramento State players that appeared in the game scored at least three points, and seven dropped in at least six points. The Hornets shot a blazing 58.8 percent (30-51) from the field and 42.1 percent (8-19) from the three-point line. In addition, Sacramento State scored 23 points off Bethany turnovers and outrebounded the Bruins by a 39-23 margin.

After Bethany scored the first points of the game on a bucket from Evan Fletscher, the Hornets went on a 9-0 run that included a three-pointer from freshman Jackson Carbajal. Sacramento State would eventually extend its lead to 19-8 on a three-ball from junior Heath Hoffman with 10:17 remaining in the first half, and led by double figures the rest of the way. The Hornets opened up a lead as large as 32 points before settling for the 29-point victory.

It was a bounce-back win for the Hornets (1-1) after opening the season with a heartbreaking 80-78 overtime loss to Cal State Bakersfield on Sunday afternoon. In that game, the Hornets blew a five-point lead with 13 seconds remaining in regulation. Bethany, which is an NAIA team from Scotts Valley, Calif., dropped to 0-5 with the loss.

Toles-Bey eclipsed his previous career high of 20 points by shooting 6-of-8 from the field, 3-of-5 from the three-point line and 6-for-6 from the free throw line. He also added three rebounds, a pair of assists and two steals in a team-best 34 minutes.

Joining Toles-Bey in double figures for Sacramento State were a pair of true freshman in center Pete Rakocevic (12 points, four rebounds) and shooting guard Carbajal (11 points, six rebounds and two assists), as well as senior Duro Bjegovic (12 points and a team-high eight rebounds). Rakocevic, who was making his first appearance in a Hornet uniform, finished 4-for-4 from the field and 4-of-6 from the free throw line in 19 minutes of play.

Junior Antoine Proctor finished with six points, six assists, four rebounds and three steals, junior Heath Hoffman added six points, five rebounds and four assists, and sophomore John Dickson tallied six points and four rebounds. Four different Sacramento State players knocked down three-pointers, comprised of Toles-Bey (3-for-5), Bjegovic (2-for-3), Hoffman (2-for-5) and Carbajal (1-for-2). Freshman point guard Kendell Groom made his first appearance of the season and finished with three points and three steals in nine minutes.

Thirty of the Hornets’ 84 points came off the bench, led by Rakocevic’s 12 points. Center Alpha N’Diaye and swingman Walter Jackson both did not play while nursing minor injuries.

Bethany finished the game shooting 41.4 percent (24-58) from the field, but converted just two three-pointers and five free throws. The Bruins were led by Travis Derochowski’s 20 points and 10 rebounds as the 6-foot-9, 250-pound center shot 8-of-14 from the floor and 4-of-7 from the free throw line.

Sacramento State will play its first road game of the year this Friday at North Dakota (tip at 5:05 p.m. PST) before returning home for games next week against UC Davis (Nov. 23) and Cal Poly (Nov. 27). The game against North Dakota will mark the first game the two teams have ever played against one another.