Sacramento State improves to 5-4 and maintains its five-game undefeated streak at home, while the Tigers fall to 2-8 on the year.

For the second consecutive game, senior guard Cindy Alldrin topped her season high, scoring a game-high 21 points, including knocking down 9-of-10 from the free-throw line. Also scoring in double figures, was junior guard Stephanie Cherry. The Suisun, Calif., native added 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor, while also dishing out a career-high six assists.

Pacific, led by Tina Sanerivi’s team-high 16 points, jumped to an early 11-7 lead at the 16:22 mark of the first half, but an 18-6 run spurred by consecutive three-pointers from junior guard Kim Sheehy and Alldrin, gave the Hornets a 25-17 lead with 7:28 remaining.

Additional three-pointers from Sheehy and senior forward Lindsey Heard, extended Sacramento State’s halftime lead to 40-27, as Cherry led the team into the break with 10 first-half points. The Hornets also shot 55.6 percent from the floor in the first half.

In the second half, Pacific took an early edge, cutting the Hornets lead to 40-32 with 17:31 remaining after quick baskets from Kelsey Lavender and Sanerivi. But Pacific would cut its deficit no closer than six points during the second half, as the Hornets went to the line 16 times in the final 20 minutes. Alldrin also added 13 of her 21 points in the second half, while senior forward Ashley Cadotte picked up seven of her 12 points.

Sacramento State’s defense forced Pacific into 23 turnovers as the Hornets picked up 10 steals, led by Cherry’s four. Sacramento State finished the game shooting 48.2 percent (27-of-56) from the floor and went 16-of-22 from the free-throw line.

Under third-year head coach Dan Muscatell, the Hornets are off to their best start since the 1995-96 and are also posting their first winning record in 10 years.

Sacramento State now heads out on a three-game roadtrip, visiting New Mexico State on Wednesday, Dec. 28.