Currently on a four-game losing streak, things don''t look as if they will be getting any easier for Sacramento State. With three games remaining on the regular season schedule, the Hornets hold seventh place in the Big Sky Conference. Attempting to make its second consecutive postseason appearance, Sacramento State will have to finish in the top six to receive a Big Sky tournament bid.

The Hornets (8-15, 3-8) trail Portland State and Eastern Washington, with each team posting identical 4-6 conference records. After playing league-leading Northern Arizona at 1:05 p.m. this Saturday at the Hornets Nest, Sacramento State will visit the Vikings and Eagles in the final weekend of conference play on Thursday, Mar. 2 and Saturday, Mar. 4.

While the Hornets will be busy with the Lumberjacks (18-8, 8-3) – who have already clinched a tournament spot – Portland State and Eastern Washington will travel to play Montana State and Montana this weekend.

Earlier this season at the Nest, the Hornets completed their only Big Sky weekend sweep of the season, defeating Eastern Washington, 69-61, and Portland State, 70-65.

The Eagles have won just one of their last five in an attempt to make their seventh straight tournament appearance. The Vikings are fighting for their first tourney berth since 2003 under second-year head coach Charity Elliot. Winners of two of their last three, Portland State is coming off a 78-59 victory over Weber State.

THE LATEST

Sacramento State started the season winning five of its first nine games, but since then has dropped 11 of its last 14. During that span the Hornets had a five-game losing streak, their longest of the year. The Hornets'' saving grace has been their play at the Nest this year. Despite losing its last two on its homecourt, Sacramento State is 7-4 at home. The mark is the program''s best since the 1992-93 season, when Sacramento State finished 8-2 at the Nest.

SENIOR DAY

Saturday''s game is senior day for five current seniors; Cindy Alldrin, Ashley Cadotte, Lindsay Calmettes, Katelyn Ciampi and Lindsey Heard. Ciampi is the only four-year senior in the group after beginning her career at Sacramento State during the 2002-03 season. In her four seasons, Ciampi has played in 90 games, starting 87. She has scored 607 points, pulled down 477 rebounds, with 91 steals, 52 blocks and four double-doubles. A nutrition major, Ciampi has been named to the Big Sky all-academic team for the past two years.

Alldrin has played in 51 games starting 44 and scoring 482 career points. She has led the team in scoring nine times this year (12 career) and also led the team in assists on nine occasions and 18 times over the last two years.

For the past two seasons, Cadotte has been the Hornets'' workhorse underneath the basket. The Oregon City, Ore., native has five career double-doubles and has led the team in rebounding 30 times during her career, totaling 354 boards. She has started 49 of 51 games and has posted double figures in rebounding eight times including setting career highs with 23 points and 16 rebounds this year.

Calmettes, one of the team''s most aggressive defenders the past two years, posted a career-high 12 points on 4-of-4 shooting from beyond the three-point line at Montana this season. The Gresham, Ore., native has palyed in 55 career games.

Heard has been a consistent performer off the bench for Sacramento State, playing in 51 career games. A post player with the ability to shoot from long distance, the Roseburg, Ore., native has knocked 40 three-pointers the past two seasons. She recorded her first double-double earlier this season and has led the team in scoring five times in her career. Her career highs include 18 points at Montana State and 15 rebounds vs. the Bobcats this season.

NOTEWORTHY MILESTONES

With three games remaining in the regular season, Sacramento State''s eight wins this year matches last year''s victory total. The 2004-05 squad finished with an 8-20 record, the best for the program since the 1995-96 season (10-18).

Senior Katelyn Ciampi is the only fourth-year senior on this year''s roster and the Martinez, Calif., native has made her way into the record books. Ciampi''s 477 career rebounds place her seventh in all-time history and her 52 blocks tie her for fifth in program history.

Junior guard Kim Sheehy leads the Big Sky with a 29-game three-point streak that dates back to last season. Her 55 three-pointers this year match her total from 2004-05 and in her second season, Sheehy now has a career total 110 buckets from long distance, ranking her third in all-time program history.

Speaking of three-pointers, junior guard Stephanie Cherry has knocked down 28 from behind the arc this year. The Suisun, Calif., native''s 73 career treys currently rank her eighth in all-time program history. With 52 steals this year, Cherry is just seven short of cracking the single season top 10.

Senior guard Cindy Alldrin has been exceptional from the free-throw line this year, shooting 71-of-81 from the stripe. The Vancouver, Wash., native''s 87.7 percent mark from the line currently ranks first in single season program history. As a team, the Hornets have knocked down 147 three-pointers, just three shy of eclipsing the program''s all-time single season mark set in 2004-05 with 149. The squad''s free-throw percentage, currently .742, would also eclipse the single season record of .713 set 10 years ago during the 1995-96 season. Sacramento State also has a chance of bettering a record set last year. The 2004-05 team set a program record with 500 turnovers, the fewest in program history. Currently the team has 454 turnovers.

THE OPPONENTS

Northern Arizona is currently in a tight race for the Big Sky Conference crown with Idaho State. Both team''s are 8-3 in conference play and split their series with one another. Both teams also went 1-1 against the current third place team, Montana (7-3).

The Lumberjacks come to the Nest after a tough 57-55 loss to the Grizzlies last Saturday in Flagstaff, Ariz. The defeat snapped Northern Arizona''s 12-game winning streak on its home floor.

The Lumberjacks are led by Alyssa Wahl''s 13.9 points and 6.4 rebounds pre game. Junior forward Megan Porter is also averaging double figures, scoring 12.2 points per game. Junior guard Kim Winkfield is scoring 7.2 points per game and leads the team averaging 4.5 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.2 blocks per game.

As a team, Northern Arizona is averaging 65.9 points per game while shooting 43.1 percent from the floor.