WOMEN'S HOOPS RETURNS HOME FOR IDAHO STATE ON SATURDAY

2/1/2007

BACK AT HOME
    After seven conference games, Sacramento State (3-18) - currently on a six-game losing streak - finds itself in the cellar of the Big Sky standings with a 1-6 record. With Northern Colorado''s 70-45 victory over the Hornets in Greeley on Wednesday, the Bears jumped ahead of Sacramento State in the standings, leaving the Hornets in the ninth spot.
    After a five-game road swing, its second longest of the year, Sacramento State will play its first game at the Nest in nearly four weeks, hosting Idaho State (7-11, 3-3) at 1:05 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3.

DOWN BUT NOT OUT
  With nine conference games remaining on the schedule, the team is not out of the postseason race yet. The top six teams in the standings move onto the Big Sky tournament, and currently Montana State (8-11, 3-4) holds the  sixth and final spot, while the Hornets and Eastern Washington are on the outside looking in.
  Northern Colorado, competing in the conference for the first year, is not eligible for postseason play no matter their finish. The good news for the Hornets, they have two games remaining on the schedule against the Bobcats and will also host the Eagles and Portland State (fifth place) down the stretch.

ALL-CONFERENCE CONSISTENCY
  Two-time all conference guard Kim Sheehy has been all but a quiet leader for Sacramento State this season. One of two returning starters along with senior point guard Stephanie Cherry, Sheehy has led the team in scoring 10 times this year. She leads the team in points (231), assists (70) and three-pointers (42), and in her last six games, the Santa Fe, N.M., native is averaging 13.2 points and 2.5 assists per game. During that time frame, Sheehy has either led or shared the team lead in scoring four times.
    Missing only one start in her last three seasons, Sheehy is also cementing her name in the record books. Her 157 career three-pointers rank second all-time, and she needs to drain 19 more by the end of the year to overtake the top spot from Michelle St. Clair (175). If Sheehy scores 80 more points by the end of the year, she would also break into the top 10 of all-time scoring leaders. Another top 10, Sheehy is bearing down on, a single-season assist total. Currently at 70, Sheehy would need 17 more in her last nine games to earn one more notch on her belt.

STREAK ENDED
    Sophomore forward Becca Reams entered last Sunday’s game at Eastern Washington on a three-game double-digit scoring streak. The 2004 Placer High School graduate had that feat ended by the Eagles, scoring six points in her ninth start of the season. Her 3-of-5 performance didn’t hurt her team-leading 53.8 shooting percentage. Reams is averaging 6.9 points per game against conference competition, and her .529 shooting percentage would rank fifth in the conference if Reams met the minimum requirements of 3.0 made field goals per game.

SPEAKING OF ACCURACY
    Freshman forward Kelly Vega was fairly accurate in her 11 minutes against Eastern Washington last Sunday. She went 3-for-3 from the floor and 2-for-3 from the free-throw line, scoring a career-high eight points. The Beaverton, Ore., native is averaging 4.1 points per game and shooting 56.3 percent against Big Sky competition.
    
A FIRST
    The 2006-07 season has established several firsts for senior forward Ashley Storms. The two-year small forward was a reserve player last season, but has earned a starting role in her final year.         At Portland State last Thursday, Storms scored 13 points (just one point shy of matching her career high), shooting 5-of-8 from the floor and also pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds, earning the first double-double of her career. Also in that game, she established a second career high with seven steals.

GOTTA SNAP IT
    Sacramento has not won on the road in its last 17 tries. In fact, the Hornets last road win came in Bozeman, Mont., a little over a year ago. The Hornets recorded a 66-57 victory over Montana State on Jan. 19, 2006.
    If the Hornets were to go winless on the road this season, it could be the first time the team has not won at least one road game since head coach Dan Muscatell took over the program four years ago. His first road win with the Hornets was also his first victory as a head coach, coming on Jan. 15, 2004 at Portland State (56-50).                 In his second season (2004-05) Sacramento State won three games away from the Nest, and last year the team produced one road victory.

A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
    Senior guard Kim Sheehy''s fifth three-pointer at Louisville elevated her to second all-time in the Hornets'' record book...she now has 157 career treys, trailing Michelle St. Clair (175)...Sheehy is one of five players in the Big Sky this year to record at least 10 assists in a single game, a mark accomplished against Saint Mary''s on Dec. 28...senior point guard Stephanie Cherry has 27 steals this season...her career total of 146 steals ranks ninth in program history...she needs six more steals to break into the top five...Atty Boyer''s 23-point performance against 19th-ranked UCLA was the most any Hornet has scored since Ashley Cadotte recorded 23 against Montana State on Feb. 18, 2006...Sacramento State did not shoot a single free throw in its game against the UC Davis, it was the first time in the Hornets'' Division I history that they were not called to the foul line...sophomore Becca Reams broke two career highs at Pacific, scoring 20 points and adding seven rebounds...her 7-of-10 shooting performance was the best of any Hornet this year...sophomore Jourdan Willard''s three blocks against Northern Colorado were the most of any player this year as well...Ashley Storms set two new career highs with 10 rebounds and seven steals at Portland State...Sacramento State has traveled 19,650 miles this year, with its longest trip to Hawaii in November.

IDAHO STATE
    Idaho State (7-11, 3-3) is currently fourth in the conference standings, led by Natalie Doma''s 21.8 points per game. Andrea Lightfoot (17.4 ppg) and Jeni Boesel (12.4 ppg) are also averaging double figures.  In the teams'' last meeting at the Nest, the Bengals edged the Hornets, 79-76. In the second game of the series, Idaho State produced a 75-60 victory in Pocatello.