Game Notes (25 pages) - PDF
GAME PREVIEW
After a seven-day hiatus without a game, Sacramento State (1-2) returns to the hardwood on Tuesday when the team travels across the Causeway to take on rival UC Davis (3-3)…tip-off at The Pavilion is scheduled for 7:05 p.m…the tip could be pushed back slightly if the UC Davis women's game, which begins at 4:45 p.m. that day, goes long…in a series which dates back to the 1948-49 season, Sacramento State owns a 64-47 all-time record against the Aggies…after the teams went six years without playing each other (1998-04), they renewed their rivalry in 2004-05, and the Hornets are 5-4 in the nine meetings since…that includes two straight victories in Davis, and three in the teams' last four meetings at The Pavilion…Hornet sixth-year head coach Brian Katz has yet to lose to the Aggies in Davis (2-0)…the 111 meetings with UC Davis marks the longest standing rivalry for the Hornet basketball program against any team…Tuesday's game will be worth 10 points in the annual Causeway Cup presented by ScholarShare, the all-sports competition between the two schools that was started in 2004-05…although the Hornets have gone seven days without playing, Tuesday will mark the Aggies' fourth game in five days as the team just went 2-1 at a three-day tournament hosted by Portland State…the game will mark the end of a three-game road trip for Sacramento State that has seen the team lose at CSU Bakersfield (74-66) and 22nd-ranked UCLA (86-50)…Tuesday's game can be heard over the airwaves on KTKZ 1380 AM The Answer and on the internet at www.hornetsports.com with 17th year play-by-play announcer Steve McElroy calling all the action…a live video stream of the game is being offered at www.bigwest.org/tv…live stats for the game are available at www.ucdavisaggies.com…in last year's game, the Aggies overcame a nine-point deficit to win in Sacramento, and in 2011-12, the Hornets overcame a 17-point deficit to win in Davis.
MULTIMEDIA COVERAGE OF THE GAME
Like every game this season, Tuesday's contest will be broadcast live over the airwaves on KTKZ 1380 AM The Answer and online at www.hornetsports.com with 17th-year play-by-play man Steve McElroy calling all the action. A live video stream will be provided at www.bigwest.org/tv and live stats can be found by clicking here.
MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
Though last year's Big Sky Conference record isn't glaring, Sacramento State has improved its league record each of the last four years. The Hornets went 8-12 last season against Big Sky teams, improving upon a 5-11 record in 2011-12, 4-12 in 2010-11, 3-13 in 2009-10, and 1-15 in 2008-09. Last year's 8-12 conference record also included four heartbreaking one-point losses.
551 AND COUNTING
Sacramento State has converted at least one three-pointer in 551 straight games. It has been nearly 20 years since the Hornets failed to convert a three ball. The last time the program was blanked from beyond the arc came on Nov. 28, 1993, when the Hornets went 0-for-6 in a loss on the road at Montana State.
TEAM CAPTAINS CHOSEN
Junior point guard Dylan Garrity and junior shooting guard Mikh McKinney are sharing the team captain duties this season. Garrity and McKinney, if they remain healthy, will likely start every game of the season. This will mark the second straight year that Garrity has shared the team captain duties.
ATTEMPTING TO CRACK THE .500 MARK
Sacramento State's 14 victories last year were the most in seven years, and the second most during the program's Div. I era. The Hornets, who never lost more than two games in a row, were at or above the .500 mark the first 28 games of the season until dipping below the .500 mark for the first time in the regular season finale. Sacramento State has still never had a team finish with a record above the .500 mark since joining the Div. I ranks in 1991. The closest was the 2005-06 squad which posted a 15-15 record.
NEW CONTRACT FOR COACH KATZ
Head coach Brian Katz is currently in his sixth season with the program in 2013-14, received a new five-year contract in July, lengthening his tenure as the Hornets' head coach through at least the 2017-18 season.
GRADUATING PLAYERS
Academically, of the 18 Hornets that have expired their eligibility under head coach Brian Katz, 14 have graduated, and three more are on pace to graduate during the 2013-14 academic year.
WHERE DID THE CLOSE GAMES GO?
Though still very early in the season, Sacramento State has yet to play a game where the final two minutes mattered. While the loss to CSU Bakersfield wasn't a blowout, Sacramento State was trailing by at least eight points the final eight minutes of that contest. This comes in stark contrast to last season where 19 of the Hornets' games were decided by single digits, including six that were decided by a single point. Sacramento State went 2-4 in those one-point games with all four losses coming during conference play.
OFFENSE NOT CLICKING YET
Through three games, Sacramento State's offense has produced just 63.0 points per game, the second lowest mark among the Big Sky's 11 teams. After scoring 73 points against UC Santa Cruz in the season opener, the Hornets have posted 66 and 50 points, respectively, against CSU Bakersfield and UCLA. Sacramento State is shooting just .424 from the field, .286 from the 3-point line and .646 from the free throw line. The Hornets, who often extend possessions late into the shot clock, have just one player (Dylan Garrity) shooting better than .333 from beyond the arc.
GARRITY AVERAGING BIG NUMBERS THUS FAR
Entering the season, junior point guard Dylan Garrity was the most decorated player on the team, having earned honorable mention all-Big Sky honors each of his first two years with the program. Garrity, who already ranks fourth in school history with 344 assists, began to shed his pass-first mentality last season, and has taken that notion to new heights this year. One of the best point guards in the Big Sky, Garrity averaged 8.1 points as a freshman, and increased that to 11.6 ppg last season. Coaches have practically begged Garrity to shoot more often, and he has returned the favor thus far, ranking eighth in the Big Sky with 17.0 points per game. He is shooting .472 (17-36) from the field and .478 (11-23) from the 3-point line, and his 51 total points are 19 more than any other Hornet. He is the only Sacramento State player to score in double figures all three games, has led the team in scoring each of the last two contests, leads the Big Sky in 3-pointers made per game (3.7) and ranks third in minutes played (35.0 per game).
THE BACKCOURT
The Hornets possess one of the best backcourts in the Big Sky Conference in junior point guard Dylan Garrity and junior shooting guard Mikh McKinney. Garrity has led the conference in assists each of the last two seasons, and McKinney burst onto the scene last year by averaging better than 12 points. As expected, Garrity (17.0 ppg) and McKinney (10.7 ppg) are the team's top two scorers, and have accounted for 44 percent of the team's points. Unless foul trouble is involved, both players will usually play big minutes.
NO LONGER REDSHIRTING
True freshman point guard Trevis Jackson, who hails from Santa Monica High School, played in his first collegiate game Monday at UCLA when he received three minutes of playing time. While that may not seem like a big deal, that appearance was a surprise. Originally, Jackson was going to redshirt, but he has impressed in practice and the coaching staff will use him in spurts which will allow starting point guard Dylan Garrity to get more rest. Garrity has logged 35.0 per game thus far.
BACK IN DAVIS
If Tuesday's game wasn't big enough in the long standing rivalry between the two programs, the game may carry even more weight to 6-foot-9, 235-pound forward Alex Tiffin. It was Tiffin who played for UC Davis from 2010-12 before deciding to transfer to Sacramento State where he took a redshirt last season. So far, Tiffin has started each of his three games in the Green and Gold and has played well, averaging 8.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game while shooting .524 (11-21) from the field. In last Monday's loss to #22 UCLA, Tiffin finished with nine points, four rebounds and two steals in 24 minutes of play.
DEMPS PLAYING BIG MINUTES
After fouling out in just eight minutes in the season opener, true sophomore swingman Cody Demps has played 39 and 38 minutes, respectively, over the last two games. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Demps has led the team in rebounds each of the last two contests, including his first career double-double (10 pts., 12 reb.) at CSU Bakersfield.
DOES HE EVER MISS?
Over his last 19 games dating back to last season, senior forward Jordan Salley is shooting .789 (30-of-38) from the field. He finished last season by going 22-of-29 over his final 16 games, and is currently 8-for-9 from the floor this year.
NOTABLES
True freshman center Eric Stuteville, a 6-foot-11 local product from Casa Roble High School, received his first start last Monday at UCLA…Stuteville started in place of senior forward Joey Quigley, who missed the game with a groin injury…Dylan Garrity is shooting 11-for-23 (.478) from the 3-point line while the rest of the team is shooting just 7-for-40 (.175) from beyond the arc…Garrity has a true shooting percentage of .631, a high mark for a point guard…true shooting percentage takes into account field goals, 3-point field goals and free throws…Quigley (+23) and true freshman Nick Hornsby (+20) have the best two plus-minus ratios on the team…plus-minus ratio takes into account how many points were scored for and against when a certain player is on the floor.

May 23, 2014
HORNET HOOPS GOLF TOURNAMENT SET FOR MONDAY, JUNE 9

April 28, 2014
MEN’S HOOPS TO HOST SEASON WRAPUP/SIGNING PARTY ON MAY 8

March 10, 2014
TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR BIG SKY MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

February 28, 2014
MEN'S HOOPS PLAYS FINAL REGULAR SEASON ROAD GAME SATURDAY AT IDAHO ST.

February 27, 2014
WINNING STREAK SNAPPED, MEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS AT WEBER STATE, 79-67

February 26, 2014
MEN'S HOOPS TRAVELS TO WEBER STATE ON THURSDAY, SEEKS 4TH STRAIGHT WIN

February 24, 2014
VOTE GARRITY’S 75-FOOT SHOT FOR GEICO PLAY OF THE YEAR

February 24, 2014
McKINNEY NAMED BIG SKY PLAYER OF THE WEEK FOR A SECOND TIME

February 22, 2014
MEN’S BASKETBALL CONTINUES TO ROLL AFTER CRUSHING NORTHERN COLORADO

February 21, 2014
FREE WHITEOUT SHIRTS TO THE FIRST 500 FANS AT SATURDAY’S HOOPS GAME

February 21, 2014
MEN'S HOOPS SEEKS 7TH STRAIGHT HOME WIN SATURDAY VS. NORTHERN COLO.

February 19, 2014
MEN'S HOOPS SEEKS 6TH STRAIGHT HOME WIN THURSDAY VS. NORTH DAKOTA

February 14, 2014
MEN'S BASKETBALL TRAVELS TO PORTLAND STATE ON SATURDAY

February 13, 2014
MEN’S BASKETBALL HAS WINNING STREAK SNAPPED AT EASTERN WASHINGTON

February 12, 2014
WINNERS OF FOUR STRAIGHT, MEN'S HOOPS TRAVELS TO EASTERN WASHINGTON

February 10, 2014
MEN’S HOOPS BEATS SOUTHERN UTAH, COMPLETES HOMESTAND WITH 4-0 RECORD

February 9, 2014
MEN'S HOOPS SEEKS 4TH STRAIGHT WIN, HOSTS SOUTHERN UTAH ON MONDAY

February 6, 2014
WINNING STREAK AT THREE AFTER MEN’S HOOPS DISMANTLES NAU, 87-70

February 5, 2014
MEN'S HOOPS BACK AT HOME THURSDAY NIGHT VS. NORTHERN ARIZONA

February 3, 2014
McKINNEY NAMED BIG SKY MEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

January 31, 2014
MEN’S BASKETBALL’S SIXTH-ANNUAL ALUMNI GAMES TAKE PLACE SATURDAY

January 31, 2014
MEN'S HOOPS HOST BIG SKY-LEADING WEBER STATE ON SATURDAY NIGHT

January 29, 2014
MEN'S HOOPS OPENS LONG HOMESTAND THURSDAY VS. IDAHO STATE

January 25, 2014
BIG DISPARITIES HURT IN MEN’S HOOPS LOSS AT NORTHERN COLORADO

January 24, 2014
ROAD WEARY MEN'S HOOPS PLAYS AT NORTHERN COLORADO ON SATURDAY

January 23, 2014
NORTH DAKOTA USES LATE RUN TO BEAT MEN’S BASKETBALL

January 21, 2014
MEN'S BASKETBALL BACK ON THE ROAD THURSDAY AT NORTH DAKOTA

January 18, 2014
MEN’S BASKETBALL KNOCKS OFF EASTERN WASHINGTON AT HOME, 75-64

January 17, 2014
MEN'S BASKETBALL HOSTS EASTERN WASHINGTON ON SATURDAY NIGHT

January 15, 2014
MEN'S HOOPS FINALLY RETURNS HOME, HOSTS PORTLAND STATE ON THURSDAY

January 11, 2014
MEN’S HOOPS CRUSHES SOUTHERN UTAH, ENDS ROAD TRIP IN A BIG WAY

January 10, 2014
MEN'S HOOPS ROAD TRIP COMES TO AN END SATURDAY AT SOUTHERN UTAH

January 8, 2014
MEN'S HOOPS CONTINUES ROAD TRIP THURSDAY AT NORTHERN ARIZONA

January 2, 2014
MEN’S BASKETBALL DROPS BIG SKY OPENER AT MONTANA STATE

December 31, 2013
MEN'S BASKETBALL OPENS BIG SKY PLAY THURSDAY AT MONTANA STATE

December 29, 2013
LATE FREE THROWS HELP DELIVER 69-67 MEN’S HOOPS WIN OVER UC RIVERSIDE

December 27, 2013
AFTER LONG LAYOFF, MEN'S HOOPS HOSTS UC RIVERSIDE SUNDAY AFTERNOON

December 21, 2013
BIG SECOND HALF FUELS CAL STATE FULLERTON TO VICTORY OVER MEN’S HOOPS

December 19, 2013
MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYS AT CAL STATE FULLERTON ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON

December 14, 2013
MEN’S HOOPS CRUISES TO 85-54 WIN OVER WILLIAM JESSUP

December 12, 2013
MEN'S BASKETBALL HOSTS WILLIAM JESSUP ON SATURDAY AT 7 P.M.

December 7, 2013
UTEP USES HEALTHY FREE THROW ADVANTAGE TO BEAT MEN’S BASKETBALL

December 4, 2013
MEN'S HOOPS TRAVELS TO EL PASO FOR FIRST EVER MEETING WITH UTEP

November 30, 2013
UC IRVINE USES BIG SECOND HALF TO DEFEAT MEN’S BASKETBALL

November 29, 2013
MEN'S BASKETBALL HOSTS UC IRVINE SATURDAY NIGHT AT 7 P.M.

November 26, 2013
MEN'S BASKETBALL COMES THROUGH WITH CLUTCH WIN AT UC DAVIS, 73-67

November 25, 2013
MEN'S HOOPS AND UC DAVIS TO PLAY FOR THE 112TH TIME ON TUESDAY

November 18, 2013
MEN’S BASKETBALL FALLS TO #22 UCLA

November 15, 2013
MEN'S BASKETBALL TRAVELS TO #24 UCLA ON MONDAY

November 13, 2013
MEN’S BASKETBALL SIGNS MIRA COSTA HIGH SCHOOL FORWARD JUSTIN STRINGS

November 13, 2013
BAKERSFIELD HOT FROM DISTANCE IN 74-66 WIN OVER MEN’S BASKETBALL

November 12, 2013
MEN'S BASKETBALL BEGINS ROAD TRIP WEDNESDAY AT CSU BAKERSFIELD

November 8, 2013
MEN’S BASKETBALL BEATS UC SANTA CRUZ, 73-43, IN SEASON OPENER

November 6, 2013
MEN'S BASKETBALL GETS UNDERWAY FRIDAY NIGHT VS. UC SANTA CRUZ

November 5, 2013
2013-14 MEN’S BASKETBALL MEDIA GUIDE NOW AVAILABLE

October 28, 2013
2013-14 MEN'S BASKETBALL SEASON OUTLOOK

October 17, 2013
BIG SKY MEN’S BASKETBALL COACHES AND MEDIA PRESEASON POLLS RELEASED

September 24, 2013
MEN’S BASKETBALL SEASON COMING FAST, FIRST OFFICIAL PRACTICE ON FRIDAY

July 23, 2013
MEN’S BASKETBALL RELEASES ITS 2013-14 SCHEDULE