WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HOSTS NORTHERN COLORADO ON SATURDAY
2/15/2011
Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game on Saturday as the Hornets join the Women's
Basketball Coaches Association Pink Zone for breast cancer research and awareness.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Sacramento State women's basketball team will host Northern Colorado at 2:05 p.m. on Saturday in a Big Sky Conference battle at The Nest. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game as the Hornets will be supporting breast cancer awareness and research as part of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Pink Zone.
The program will also host it's first alumni game immediately afterwards with more than 20 former Hornets expected to suit up once again in the Green and Gold.
The Hornets (3-21, 0-11 Big Sky) will meet the Bears (14-11, 9-3) for the second time this season. UNC won at home on Jan. 20 in the first meeting.
The alumni game will begin immediately after the Sacramento State vs. Northern Colorado match-up.
SACRAMENTO STATE BREAKDOWN
Last Game vs. UNC: The Hornets lost a road game, 91-59 to Northern Colorado on Jan. 20.
All-Time Series: Northern Colorado leads, 7-2
This Year: Sacramento State is led by Kylie Kuhns, the No. 10 rebounder in the NCAA at 11.2 rpg, and Tika Koshiyama-Diaz, who is No. 18 in the nation with 5.6 assists per game.
NORTHERN COLORADO BREAKDOWN
Last Game: Northern Colorado lost a home game to Montana, 59-57, last Saturday.
This Year: After winning eight of their first nine Big Sky games, the Bears have lost two of their last three in league play. UNC moved into first when it defeated Montana State on Friday, but dropped to second after losing to Montana.
THE HORNETS IN THE TOP 25
The Hornets entered the weekend ranked in the NCAA top-25 in two statistical categories. Sacramento State is No. 8 in 3-point field goals attempted per game (7.8) and No. 15 in assists per game (17.1).
THE BIG SKY’S BEST IN ONE BUILDING
In this weekend’s game at The Nest, some of the league’s best defensive players will be on display. Northern Colorado’s D’Shara Strange and Victoria Timm are Nos. 1 and 2 in the conference in steals while Natasha Torgerson and Kylie Kuhns are Nos. 2 and 3 in the Big Sky in blocks.
KUHNS NO. 10 REBOUNDER IN NCAA
After leading the nation in rebounding for three consecutive weeks, from 11/28 through 12/12, sophomore Kylie Kuhns now ranks No. 10 in the NCAA with 11.3 rebounds per game. The current leader is VCU’s Courtney Hurt at 12.9 rpg. Kuhns was tied with Hurt at No. 1 during one of her three weeks atop the rebound rankings. Kuhns is also No. 1 in the Big Sky Conference in offensive (5.0) and No. 2 in defensive (6.3) rebounding. Kuhns has 481 career boards after posting 211 as a freshman.
KUHNS GOES FOR 20+
Kylie Kuhns has the most 20+ point games in the Big Sky Conference this season with 10. NAU’s Amy Patton is second with nine. Kuhns has had four 20+ point games in the last six contests and had a stretch of four in five games from 12/1 to 12/17.
KUHNS BREAKS SCHOOL RECORD
Kylie Kuhns snapped the single-game school record with 23 rebounds in a 106-88 victory over San Francisco (12/1). The previous single-game rebound record of 22 was held by Kellie Kuelper, which she set at home versus Saint Mary’s on Dec. 6, 1996. Her 23 boards also tied the Big Sky Conference record, previously set by Northern Arizona’s Michelle Kirby on Nov. 28, 1989. She is the only play in the Big Sky to grab more than 20 rebounds in a game this season.
KUHNS’ 10 DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Kylie Kuhns leads the Big Sky Conference with 10 double-doubles this season. Montana’s Katie Baker has six for second. Kuhns opened up the 2010-11 season with double-doubles in three straight games against Pacific, Fresno State and Nevada. She then posted a double-double against Cal State Bakersfield before tallying 10+ points and 10+ boards in games at Oregon and at home versus San Francisco. Against USF she had a school-record 23 rebounds and 23 points for her first ever 20-20 game. She went seven games without a double-double after breaking the school record against USF before recording 15 points and 16 rebounds at home vs. Eastern Washington (1/13). Kuhns had her second double-double in conference play when she posted 20 points and 10 rebounds at Portland State (2/3). Most recently, she posted back-to-back double-doubles in home games against Montana (2/10) and Montana State (2/12).
TIKA MOVING UP THE CAREER LIST
Tika Koshiyama-Diaz is now third all-time in school history with 340 career assists. She sits 26 dimes behind Julie Watsell for second place and more than 100 behind Heather Baker in first place. She is second in the conference with 5.4 assists per game. Koshiyama-Diaz also ranks first in the Big Sky Conference this season, averaging 5.6 assists per game.
CANNADY, SMITH SET CAREER-HIGHS
Senior Jasmine Cannady set a new career best with 21 points at Idaho State on 1/27. She knocked down 9-of-20 shots from the floor, including 1-of-3 from 3-point range. She went 2-of-3 at the free throw line. Freshman Shanti Smith also set a career-high with 14 points against Montana State.
HORNETS ON THE BLOCKS
Sophomore center Natasha Torgerson is No. 2 in the Big Sky Conference with 34 total blocks and tied for first with 1.4 blocks per game. Kylie Kuhns is No. 3 with 30 total rejections, averaging 1.3 per game. Torgerson had a then single-game conference-best six rejections against Nevada (11/17) but bettered that with seven blocks against UC Davis (12/19). Torgerson had just four blocks all last season.
FIRST CAREER STARTS
Mallorie Franco made her first career-start in the season-opener at Pacific. The sophomore scored eight points and pulled down 10 rebounds.
Sophomore Natasha Torgerson replaced Emily Christensen in the lineup against Fresno State (11/14), making her first career start. In the game against the Bulldogs, Togerson sank her first career 3-point basket en route to five points and three rebounds. Freshman Sadie Clements made her first collegiate start against Nevada on (11/17), scoring 10 points. Se’nyce Parrish made her first career start on Jan. 8 against Montana.
INJURY UPDATE
In the first game of her senior season at Pacific on Nov. 12, Emily Christensen injured her knee and has not been in the line-up since. She plans to redshirt this season and return for 2011-12.
SCORING RECORD SUCCUMBS
Sacramento State and Fresno State combined to score 213 (L, 120-93) on Nov. 14, setting a new program record for total points in a game. The previous was 211 points in the Hornets’ 111-110 OT win over San Jose State on Dec. 10, 1993.
SLIPPING PAST THE SHOTS RECORD
Prior to the season, the school record for field goals attempted in a single game was 89 vs. San Jose State, set last year. Sacramento State eclipsed it with 90 FGs vs. Idaho (11/27).
KUHNS BIG SKY PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sophomore Kylie Kuhns earned her first ever Big Sky Player of the Week Award, the league announced on Monday, Dec. 6. Kuhns set a new school record with 23 rebounds in a Dec. 1 victory against San Francisco and was the No. 1 rebounder in the NCAA that week at 13.4 per game. She also helped the Hornets to a win at Santa Clara with 24 points and eight rebounds.
