Sacramento State enters its two final regular season games with playoff implications on the line. The Hornets control their own destiny as they head to Portland State and Eastern Washington. Sacramento State (9-15, 4-8) trails the Vikings and Eagles by a game, with both teams posting identical 5-7 Big Sky records.

Montana, Idaho State, Northern Arizona and Weber State have already clinched postseason tournament berths, with the Hornets, Portland State and Eastern Washington fighting for the fifth and sixth spots. If Sacramento State finishes 2-0 this weekend, the team is assured its second consecutive postseason tournament berth.

In addition to playing the Hornets this weekend, Eastern Washington and Portland State will also play Northern Arizona. If the Eagles or Vikings end their season on an 0-2 note, Sacramento State would also advance to the Big Sky Tournament.

WHEN IT COUNTS

With their postseason hopes in jeopardy, the Hornets defeated Northern Arizona, 61-59, last Saturday at the Hornets Nest.

The win kept Sacramento State''s hopes for a conference tournament bid alive and set up this weekend''s critical games at Portland State and Eastern Washington.

Senior guard Cindy Alldrin and center Katelyn Ciampi led the Hornets with 10 points apiece, but it was junior guard Kim Sheehy who hit the game-winner with 9.3 seconds left on the clock. Sheehy''s layup gave the Hornets a 60-59 advantage and on the Lumberjacks'' next possession, the Hornets forced a turnover. With Northern Arizona forced to foul, Sacramento State junior point guard Stephanie Cherry went to the free-throw line and hit 1-of-2 to give the Hornets the final 61-59 edge. A last second three-pointer from Northern Arizona''s Kim Winkfield fell off the mark.

IT''S IN THE NUMBERS

Sacramento State''s win over Northern Arizona snapped a four-game losing streak and also marked the first time since the 1996-97 season that the Hornets have registered a victory over the Lumberjacks.

The team''s 9-15 overall record is also the program''s best record since the 1995-96 season, when the team finished 10-18.

The Hornets are also just one Big Sky victory away from finishing the season with their best conference record since joining the league in 1996.

The 2005-06 squad is also on pace to break some single-season program records. The Hornets 151 three-pointers this season are a new program record and if the team''s .744 free-throw percentage is maintained, it would also set a new single-season record.

THE YEAR IT''S BEEN

Sacramento State entered the 2005-06 season, with enhanced expectations after the team''s finish in 2005. The Hornets produced an 8-20 record, its best finish since 1996 and also made the postseason conference tournament for the first time since 1997. With Kim Sheehy, last season''s co-Big Sky Newcomer of the Year returning, along with four of last year''s starters, the Hornets anticipated starting right where they left off. Just one win short of reaching double figures this season and with postseason hopes hanging on this weekend''s results, Sacramento State has continued to develop its program under third-year head coach Dan Muscatell.

Sheehy leads the team averaging 11.1 points per game along with a team-leading 55 three-pointers. In her two seasons as Hornet, Sheehy has 110 career three-pointers.

Stephanie Cherry now has her first full season of point guard duties under her belt. In conference games, the Suisun, Calif., native is averaging 11.5 points, 2.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game.

Senior forward Ashley Cadotte has posted career highs in points (23) and rebounds (16) with three double-doubles this year, while Cindy Alldrin has shown the ability to create her own shot – leading the team in scoring 10 times and shooting 88.0 percent from the free-throw line.

Fourth-year senior center Katelyn Ciampi continues to rise in the record books. Her 479 rebounds rank her seventh in program history and her 52 blocks tie her for fifth.

THE OPPONENTS

Portland State (11-14, 5-7) was on a two-game winning streak before suffering an 89-77 loss at Montana last Saturday. The Vikings are looking for their first playoff berth since 2003, led by freshman Kelsey Kahle''s 17.0 points and Big Sky-leading 8.4 rebounds per game. Kahle''s scoring average, which ranks third in the conference, is backed by fellow underclassmen, Brianna Thompson. Ranked fifth in league, Thompson is averaging 14.9 poitns and 7.4 rebound per game. Earlier this season, the Hornets earned a 70-65 victory over Portland State at the Nest. Three players recorded double-doubles for Sacramento State, led by Cindy Alldrin''s 19 points and 13 rebounds. Katelyn Ciampi added 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Ashley Cadotte contributed 12 points and a career-high tying 16 rebounds. Heather Arns did most of the damage for Portland State, scoring a game-high 22 points, while Sharon Wahinekapu added 16.

The Vikings lead the Big Sky, averaging 11.5 steals per game, backed by Jenni Ritter''s league-leading 2.4 steals per game.

Sacramento State has gone 3-0 against Eastern Washington in its last three meetings. The teams'' last game resulted in a 69-61 win for the Hornets on their home court. Five Hornets recorded double figures, led by 20 points from Stephanie Cherry. Senior forward Lindsey Heard also recorded her first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The Eagles'' defense is holding its opponents to a .385 field goal percentage (second in the Big Sky), while offensively, Eastern Washington is shooting 38.9 percent from the floor and averaging 60.5 points per game.

Not one player for the Eagles is averaging double figures in scoring, with Julie Page''s 9.1 points per game leading the team. Felice Moore leads the team with 6.1 rebounds per game.

HEAD COACH DAN MUSCATELL

Dan Muscatell became the sixth Sacramento State women''s basketball head coach in the program''s 40-year history in March of 2003, after spending four seasons as an assistant at Oregon (1999-03). He earned his first win with the Hornets on Jan. 14, 2004, with a 56-50 win at Portland State.

Muscatell (18-61) posted an 8-20 record last season, the team''s best mark since the 1995-96 season and advanced the team to the Big Sky postseason tournament for just the second time since the Hornets joined the Big Sky in 1996. The team also led the Big Sky with 10.5 steals per game.

While at Oregon, Muscatell was involved in all aspects of the program, including the coordination of recruiting efforts and the coaching of offense and defense. He also worked with both the perimeter and post players.

While at Oregon, the Everett, Wash., native was responsible for bringing in one of the nation''s top recruiting classes in 2001, a six-member class that was ranked 17th in the nation by All-Star Girls Report. Muscatell also coached or recruited current and former WNBA players Andrea Bills, Edneisha Curry, Cathrine Kraayeveld, Jenny Mowe, Angelina Wolvert and Shaquala Williams.

During his four years at Oregon, the Ducks were ranked in the top 25 during three of those seasons, including two top-10 finishes in 2000 and 2001. The program also combined to post a record of 74-49 while capturing two NCAA Tournament berths (2000 and 2001), a National Invitational Tournament (NIT) title (2002) and a Pac-10 crown (2000).