After short break, Arizona Basketball returns against Sac State

After a short break, No. 17 Arizona Basketball (5-0, 0-0) returns to action in McKale Center as they take on Sacramento State (3-2, 0-0).

Arizona Basketball has been rolling as they are off to an impressive 5-0 start, and after a dominant and thrilling win over then No. 4 ranked Michigan last weekend, the Wildcats return to the friendly confines of McKale Center to take on Sacramento State.

Coming into this one, the Wildcats enter as heavy favorites over the Hornets and they should have the clear and definite advantage.

Arizona has the talent and skill to overpower Sacramento State, and despite being considered the heavy favorite, Arizona needs to remain focused if they are going to come away with the win.

Either way, we will see if head coach Tommy Lloyd and the Cats can continue their strong play as they look to go 6-0 and remain unbeaten.

Getting to Know the details of Arizona Basketball’s opponent, the Sacramento State Hornets.

Team: Sacramento State Hornets

Conference: Big Sky Conference

2020-21 Record: The Hornets ended last year with an 8-12 (5-9) record as they finished ninth in the conference behind Portland State, Northern Colorado, and Montana, and ahead of Northern Arizona.

Head Coach: Brandon Laird entering his 11th year with the Hornets, Brandon serves as the current, interim head coach for Sacramento State after previous head coach Brian Katz retired on Nov. 5. He is currently 3-2 on the year after taking over for Katz.

Keys to the Game:

Win the Glass – Arizona has tremendous length and so far, they are showing that they are one of the best rebounding teams in the country. Against Michigan, they dominated the glass, which in all honesty was a big part of why the Wildcats came away with the big win.

As Arizona prepares for Sacramento State, the Wildcats will once again need to use their size and length to their advantage and dominate the glass if they are going to remain unbeaten.

Take Care of the Basketball – Problematic of playing in faster style offenses, there are going to be times where the Wildcats have a higher propensity to turn the ball over. Luckily, this group does fairly well in taking care of the basketball, averaging 12.8 turnovers per game.

Against Sac State, the Wildcats need to continue to protect and take care of the basketball if they are going to come away with the win. No need to be careless and give the Hornets unnecessary opportunities to stay in this one.

Stay Focused – All eyes are on the Wildcats now as there are fewer and fewer unbeaten teams remaining, and especially more so after Arizona manhandled then No. 4 ranked Michigan last week.

Media and others are beginning to take notice of the Cats, and with Arizona entering the week as the No. 17 team, the target on their back gets bigger as the pressure also gets stronger. Against Sacramento State, Arizona is the clear favorite and the Cats need to stay focused here if they are going to win.

Arizona Basketball versus Sacramento State Hornets game information and details:

Date: Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021

Time: 5:30 P.M. MST / 4:30 P.M. PST

Location: McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz. (14,545)

Spread: -28.5 Arizona (Also, don’t forget to use WynnBet to enhance your betting experience)

Television: Pac-12

Radio: 107.5 FM (Tucson) / 1290AM (Tucson) | Arizona IMG Sports Network

Team Records:

Arizona Wildcats (5-0, 0-0): Dominating No. 4 Michigan en route to the Roman Main Event title, No. 17 Arizona Basketball looks to remain undefeated as they return home against Sacramento State.

Sacramento State Hornets (3-2, 0-0): After defeating UC Davis 75-63, the Hornets return to action as they hope to take down No. 17 and undefeated Arizona in McKale.

All-Time Record (since 1949-50): Since 1949-50, surprisingly, these two programs have never faced off, and this Saturday will be their first time doing so.

Last Meeting vs. Arizona: N/A

My Prediction: Arizona 88 Sacramento State 59 – After dominating Michigan last weekend, I see the Wildcats taking care of business against the Hornets as they return to action as the No. 17 team in the country.