GAME PREVIEW

Coming off a 57-50 loss Thursday night at Northern Arizona, Sacramento State (6-5, 1-2) will host Southern Utah (5-7, 3-0) on Monday night…tip-off at the Nest is set for 7:05 p.m…the game will mark the first time all season the Hornets have played on a Monday…the Hornets hadn't played in 12 days before the NAU game on Thursday night, and the rust showed as the team put up season lows in numerous statistical categories…after beginning the season with a 5-1 record, Sacramento State has dropped four of its last five games…during that five-game stretch, the team is shooting just 36.9 percent from the field while averaging 59.8 points per game…the Hornets are 4-2 at home this year, which includes a 62-57 win against Montana State and a heartbreaking 61-60 loss to Montana in the team's last home contest on Dec. 21…the Hornets' John Dickson (15.5 ppg), Mikh McKinney (12.8), Dylan Garrity (12.6) and Konner Veteto (10.5) have combined to score nearly 73 percent of the team's points…Southern Utah captured its first road win of the season (1-4) on Saturday night when its defeated Northern Arizona, 90-77…Southern Utah, which played in the Summit League last season, is one of two newcomers (North Dakota) to the Big Sky this year…the Hornets and Thunderbirds have not played one another since a 76-51 Southern Utah victory on Dec. 27, 2008, in Cedar City, Utah…overall, the Thunderbirds own a 13-6 advantage against the Hornets in a series which dates back to 1987…the Hornets are 5-4 when playing the Thunderbirds at home, including wins in four of the last five meetings on the home floor…like every Big Sky game, Monday's contest can be seen live and free on Big Sky TV…the game can also be heard over the airwaves in the foothills on KAHI 950 AM and on the internet at www.hornetsports.com with 16th year play-by-play announcer Steve McElroy calling all the action...live stats for the game are available via www.hornetsports.com.

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