OGDEN, Utah — Weber State led from start to finish while defeating the Sacramento State women’s basketball team, 87-45, in a Big Sky Conference game Saturday evening at the Dee Events Center.
With the victory, Weber State improved to 6-8 overall and 3-1 in the Big Sky. Sacramento State, which has now dropped 22-straight games on the road spanning the last three seasons, dropped to 1-12 and 0-4 in the conference.
Sacramento State senior Michelle St. Clair led all scorers with 18 points, including 3-of-6 from beyond the three-point line. Four Wildcats finished in double figures, led by Crystal Howe’s 17 points and 11 rebounds. Sarah Sonveau scored 15 points and Stephanie Stanger and Jamie Peterson each chipped in 14.
Weber State badly outrebounded the Hornets, 53-28, while shooting .500 (35-70) from the floor. Conversely, Sacramento State shot just .340 (17-50) from the field and were outscored in the paint, 44-14.
Weber State opened the contest scoring 16 of the game’s first 23 points and followed that up with a 14-5 run to go up, 30-12. After both teams exchanged baskets, Sacramento State went on a 10-0 run ? highlighted by eight-consecutive points by St. Clair ? to claw back to within eight at 32-24.
Weber State then scored four of the last six points of the half and entered the locker room with a 36-26 halftime lead. The Hornets shot ..440 (11-25) in the first half but were outrebounded, 24-14, and outscored in the paint, 20-12. St. Clair scored 13 of her 18 points in the first frame.
The Wildcats opened the second half on a 13-4 run and never looked back, outscoring the Hornets, 51-19, in the second half. Weber State’s 42-point victory also marked the team’s largest lead of the game.
Sacramento State junior Shannon Whent, who was promoted from team manager to student-athlete on Dec. 21, finished the game with six pointsin just five minutes of play. The six points marked the first of her Hornet career.
Sacramento State plays its final non-conference game of the season at UC Riverside on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 2 p.m. After the Riverside contest, the Hornets play three-consecutive games at home in a span of eight days against Eastern Washington, Portland State and Cal State Northridge, respectively.
