WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYS NO. 1 SEED IDAHO STATE TONIGHT IN BIG SKY SEMIFINALS

3/9/2012

The Hornets play No. 1 seed Idaho State tonight at 6:30 p.m.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - After defeating Eastern Washington, 71-61, in the quarterfinals of the Big Sky Conference Tournament yesterday, the No. 6 seed Sacramento State women's basketball team will battle No. 1 seed and host Idaho State in the semifinals at 6:30 p.m. PT tonight at Reed Gym.

The game will be broadcast live on BigSkyTV and live stats will also be offered. Both links are available HERE.

The Hornets (13-17) handed the Bengals (22-7) one of their two Big Sky losses this season, 73-65, on Feb. 23. The victory was the third in the Hornets' current five game winning streak. Alle Moreno had a game-high 25 points in that contest as the Hornets shot 43.3 percent from the field and went 14-of-17 at the free throw line.

Sacramento State's five-game winning streak is the second longest since the school joined the Big Sky Conference in 1996-07. Head coach Jamie Craighead guided the Hornets to a six-game winning streak in her first season (2009-10).

The Hornets are shooting 43.3 percent overall during the streak, including 30.7 percent on three pointers. Moreno is averaging a team-best 19.4 points over that stretch while Emily Christensen (14.2), Kylie Kuhns (13.6) and Fantasia Hilliard (12.2) are also averaging double figures. Moreno, Christensen ad Hilliard have also been strong at the line, with each shooting at least 79 percent from the charity stripe in the last five games.

ISU won its last two games of the regular season, both against Eastern Washington, to clinch the Big Sky regular season title and the right to host the league tournament.

Idaho State guards Kaela Oakes and Chelsea Pickering were both named first team all-conference following the season and the Bengals feature four players who average 10+ points per game.

Sacramento State set up tonight's game after knocking off No. 3 seed Eastern Washington in the quarterfinals. Hilliard and Moreno, an honorable mention all-league choice, each tallied 17 points and Kylie Kuhns posted her 21st double-double of the season in the wire-to-wire win. There were only two ties in the game as the Hornets jumped out to an early 12-2 lead after hitting four consecutive three-pointers and never looked back.

The win over Eastern Washington was the Hornets' first Big Sky Tournament victory in school history.