WOMEN'S BASKETBALL DROPS SEASON FINALE AT NORTHERN COLORADO

3/8/2008

GREELEY, Colo. - The Sacramento State women's basketball team fell in their season finale to the Northern Colorado Bears by a score of 75-48 on Saturday, March 8 at the Butler-Hancock Center.

With the loss, the Hornets finish the season at 6-22, 4-12 in the Big Sky, while the Bears, the No. 5 seed in the Big Sky Conference Tournament, improves to 14-15, 8-8 in Big Sky play.

Both teams struggled offensively out of the gates, with the Bears holding a narrow 7-5 lead over the Hornets with 14:04 remaining in the half. But Sacramento State found itself with the proverbial lid on the basket the remainder of the half, scoring just three more field goals, allowing the Bears to close the half on a 32-7 run to take their largest lead of the game, 27 points at 39-12, into the locker room. The Hornets shot just 4-of-31 from the field in the half (12.9 percent), while being outscored 26-2 in the paint.

The second half saw the Hornets show early signs of getting back on track from the field, as sophomore Erika Edwards (Redmond, Wash.) connected on back-to-back three-pointers early in the half. But even with a 40.0 percent shooting effort from the field and behind the arc in the second half, the hole was dug too deep, as the Bears went on to lead by as many as 37 before taking home the 75-48 victory.

The Hornets were led by Edwards, who scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the losing effort. Freshman Emily Christensen (El Dorado Hills, Calif.) scored nine points and grabbed four boards off the bench, while sophomore Kelli Davis (Pullman, Wash.) scored five points off the bench.

Northern Colorado, who shot 57.1 percent for the game from the field (32-of-56), were led by Kate Kevorken, who scored 16 points off the bench. Danielle Hagen added a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Jamie Schroeder (14) and Courtney Stoermer (10) rounded out Bears in double-figures.

Sacramento State fans will see familiar faces when the team hits the hardwood again next season, as with no graduating seniors, the entire team will be back on the floor for the 2008-2009 season.