As is the case with most, if not all, of the Big Sky Conference teams the Sacramento State Hornets would operate in virtual anonymity with gamblers and fans alike and play a wide open/entertaining style of basketball that was free wheeling and entertaining. For gamblers the Hornets would offer some bargains along with frustration at the wrong times.
Sacramento State Hornets Preseason values
Sacramento State began the 2005-06 season with a 67-64 unlined overtime win over Southern on a neutral court. Their next game was on the board and they rewarded their backers with a payoff in a 74-82 loss at Nevada as whopping 21-point dogs. This was followed by a 100-61 unlined home win over William Jessup.
Sacramento State would continue to provide preseason values in their next game at San Francisco, an 85-78 win as 8.5-point dogs. That was followed up with a 72-67 unlined win at UC-Davis, and then a tough 69-71 unlined overtime loss at Utah Valley State.
Back on the board at home against Long Beach State, Sacramento State prevailed 106-94 as 4.5-point chalks for their third straight cover against the spread. That was followed by a 64-55 unlined home win over San Diego Christian.
The Hornets next lost at Boise State 61-70 as 7-point dogs but got back on the winning track with a 76-68 win at Southern Utah in an unlined game. Sacramento State got back on the winning track against the sportsbooks in their next game, a strong 80-59 win over Cal Poly SLO as 14-point chalks for their fourth cover in five games.
Sacramento State proved to be no bargain against Pac-10 powerhouse UCLA in their next game, however, a 56-86 loss as 15-point dogs.
The Hornets got back on track against the spread, however, with a strong 79-65 bounceback win over Denver as 3-point home chalks. That was followed by a 76-60 win over Portland State as 4-point chalks and then an 88-69 win over Eastern Washington as 5.5-point home chalks.
After a 107-106 win at Idaho State as 1-point chalks in a push, the Hornets scored a 73-66 win at Weber State as 1-point chalks to max out at 8-3-1 against the spread in their first 12 game stretch of the season, which was to prove to be their best run against the sportsbooks all year.
Market correction Sacramento State Hornets
While Sacramento State never attracts a lot of attention with gamblers, their strong start certainly caught the eye of some of the college basketball betting “sharps” and would cause a market correction as the heart of Big Sky Conference play would heat up.
Sacramento State’s problems began with a 75-78 home loss to Montana State as 8-point chalks. Next was a 71-73 home loss to Montana as 1.5-point chalks for their second straight defeat both straight up and against the spread. Sacramento State then lost at Northern Arizona 83-89 as 4.5-point dogs and followed that up with a 75-87 loss at Eastern Washington as 3.5-point dogs.
The red ink stopped flowing, temporarily, with a 68-65 win at Portland State as 1-point dogs, but then resumed its gushing as Sacramento State lost a tough 73-76 overtime decision to Weber State as 9-point home overlays. That was followed by a 71-72 loss to Idaho State as the Hornets were 8-point chalks, proving to be overlays for the second straight game. It was Sacramento State’s sixth loss against the spread in seven games.
The Hornets problems were halted temporarily with a 79-84 loss at Montana as 9-point bargain dogs. Sacramento State went back to losing, however, with a 72-92 loss to Northern Arizona as 3.5-point home chalks, which was followed by a 70-75 loss at Montana State as 3-point dogs to finish a horrendous stretch of 2-8 against the spread. In the conference tourney Sacramento State beat Montana State 71-70 as 2-point dogs and then lost to Northern Arizona 83-98 as 6.5-point dogs.