MOSCOW, Idaho (Interstat) — The Idaho Vandals defeated the Sacramento State Hornets 75-60 in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Saturday at Idaho Central Credit Union Arena. Idaho improved to 23-5 overall and remained atop the Big Sky Conference standings. Sacramento State fell to 12-16. Hope Hassmann led the Vandals with 22 points. Kyra Gardner added 13 points and five assists. Benthe Versteeg paced the Hornets with 19 points. Idaho took control with a 26-point third quarter, turning a 37-23 halftime lead into an insurmountable advantage. Sacramento State never led before an announced crowd of 1,444.

CALDWELL, Idaho (Interstat) — The Idaho Vandals used a dominant third-quarter surge to pull away from the Sacramento State Hornets and secure a 75-60 victory in a Big Sky Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Idaho Central Credit Union Arena. The game, played before a crowd of 1,444, saw the Vandals improve to 23-5 overall and solidify their position near the top of the conference standings. Sacramento State fell to 12-16 with the loss. For much of the first half, the Hornets hung tough against a heavily favored Idaho squad. After a sluggish start that saw them trail 19-7 after the first quarter, Sacramento State found its rhythm in the second period. Led by guard Benthe Versteeg, who scored 10 of her team-high 19 points before halftime, the Hornets outscored Idaho 16-18 in the quarter to trim the deficit to 37-23 at the intermission. The most important part of the game arrived decisively in the third quarter. Idaho, which had been efficient but not overwhelming in the first half, exploded offensively. The Vandals scored 26 points in the period, their highest output of any quarter, while holding Sacramento State to 20. The run was fueled by a combination of stifling defense and sharp shooting. Idaho guard Hope Hassmann, who finished with a game-high 22 points, was instrumental during the stretch. She scored 10 points in the quarter, including a three-point play and a 3-pointer. Her backcourt mate, Kyra Gardner, orchestrated the offense with precision, dishing out three of her five assists in the period and adding a 3-pointer of her own. Gardner finished with 13 points. The Vandals’ defense also tightened, forcing several Sacramento State turnovers and converting them into easy baskets. Idaho scored 15 points off turnovers for the game, with many coming during the pivotal third-quarter run that extended their lead to 63-43 heading into the final period. Sacramento State never got closer than 15 points in the fourth quarter as Idaho managed the clock and secured the win. Beyond the scoring of Hassmann and Gardner, Idaho received significant contributions from its frontcourt. Forward Debora Dos Santos posted 14 points, while Ana Pinheiro added 13. The Vandals were exceptionally efficient from the field, shooting 43 percent overall and a blistering 54 percent from 3-point range, making 7 of 13 attempts. They also capitalized at the free-throw line, hitting 16 of 19. Sacramento State, conversely, struggled with its shooting throughout the contest. The Hornets shot just 32 percent from the field and 23 percent from beyond the arc, making 7 of 31 attempts. Versteeg’s 19 points came on 7-of-19 shooting. Rubi Gray added 13 points for the Hornets, and Fatoumata Jaiteh contributed nine points and three blocks off the bench. The statistical disparity told the story of Idaho’s control. The Vandals posted a perfect offensive rating of 100.0, scoring a point per possession, while Sacramento State managed a rating of just 78.8. Despite near-identical numbers in rebounds, assists, steals and blocks, Idaho’s superior shooting efficiency and the third-quarter explosion proved insurmountable. The victory completed a regular-season sweep for Idaho over Sacramento State, having also won 62-55 in Sacramento on Jan. 22. The Vandals will look to continue their momentum on the road next week with games at Northern Arizona and Northern Colorado. Sacramento State returns home to host Montana and Montana State as it seeks to improve its seeding for the upcoming Big Sky tournament.

Preview: Sacramento State at Idaho in Big Sky Women’s Basketball CALDWELL, Idaho (Interstat) — The Idaho Vandals, riding high atop the Big Sky Conference, will look to continue their dominant season when they host the Sacramento State Hornets on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, at Idaho Central Credit Union Arena. Idaho (21-5 overall) enters as one of the conference’s hottest teams, having won nine consecutive games. Their most recent outing was a 65-50 road victory over rival Idaho State on Feb. 14. The Vandals’ success has been fueled by balance and efficiency, with standout forward Debora Dos Santos providing consistent production. Over her last seven games, Dos Santos is averaging 13.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest, showcasing her scoring ability in limited minutes. Sacramento State (12-15) aims to play spoiler and build on a 69-60 road win at Eastern Washington on Feb. 19. The Hornets are led by guard Benthe Versteeg, who is coming off a near triple-double performance with 16 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in that victory. Versteeg has been a workhorse, averaging over 34 minutes per game in conference play. This matchup is a rematch of a Jan. 22 meeting in Sacramento, which Idaho won 62-55. In that game, the Vandals’ defense contained the Hornets’ attack, a formula they will likely try to replicate. The Vandals, with their potent offense averaging over 78 points per game during their win streak, are heavy favorites on their home floor. Sacramento State, which has struggled with consistency, will need another stellar all-around effort from Versteeg and must find secondary scoring to keep pace. A key battle will be inside, where Idaho’s depth, including Lorena Barbosa and Kyra Gardner, will test the Hornets’ frontcourt. Saturday’s contest continues a critical late-season stretch for both teams as they prepare for the upcoming Big Sky tournament.