Bears Stay Hot, Defeat Sacramento State to Extend Win Streak to Five

Saturday, January 17

Greeley, Colo.

2 p.m. MST

University of Northern Colorado

14-5,5-1Big Sky

Sacramento State

9-9,3-2Big Sky

Sacramento St.

Northern Colo.

Ally McCutchen | UNC Athletics

1/17/2026 4:39:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Elian Soto, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

GREELEY, Colo. - Northern Colorado women's basketball continued its strong run on Saturday afternoon at Bank of Colorado Arena, securing its fifth straight victory with a win over Sacramento State.

The Bears improve to 14–5 overall and 5–1 in conference play, boasting an impressive 8–2 home record fueled by balanced offense and strong defense.

Heather Baymon led all scorers with 24 points on an efficient 8-of-16 shooting performance, while Tatum West added 15 points and Aniah Hall chipped in 14 to help Northern Colorado control the game from start to finish.

The game opened with a slow offensive start for both teams, as defensive pressure played a factor in the first quarter. Aniah Hall and Baymon helped spark the offense, while West made an immediate impact with four points and four rebounds early. UNC's defense limited Sacramento State's looks and held the Hornets to just seven points in the opening frame, allowing the Bears to take a 15–7 lead after one.

In the second quarter, Northern Colorado capitalized on transition opportunities and physical play in the paint, drawing fouls and converting from the free-throw line. Timely baskets and strong execution helped the Bears build a 24–14 advantage before extending it to a 27–19 lead at halftime. Baymon led all scorers with 10 first-half points, while Hall was perfect from the line, going 4-for-4.

Coming out of the break, Baymon continued to set the tone, scoring quickly by using off-ball screens to create open looks. The Bears maintained control throughout the third quarter, stretching their lead to 44–34 heading into the final period.

In the fourth, crisp ball movement and disciplined offense led to high-quality scoring chances, while defensive stops prevented Sacramento State from gaining momentum. Northern Colorado calmly managed the tempo down the stretch, knocked down key free throws, and closed out the game to secure another conference victory and extend its winning streak to five games.

UP NEXT: The Bears hit the road and travel to Bozeman, Montana to take on Montana State on Monday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. MST.

FOLLOW THE BEARS
Fans can stay up to date with Northern Colorado women's basketball by visiting uncbears.com and following the team on social media: X (formerly Twitter) @UNC_BearsWBB, Instagram @UNC_BearsWBB, and Facebook /UNCBearsWBB.