PREVIEW: Northern Colorado Women’s Basketball Prepares for Big Sky Road Trip at Sacramento State and Portland State

Thursday, February 12

Sacramento, Calif

7:30 p.m. MST | 6:30 p.m. PDT

University of Northern Colorado

Sacramento State

Ally McCutchen | UNC Athletics

2/10/2026 10:07:00 AM | Women's Basketball

By: Elian Soto, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

GREELEY, Colo. – Northern Colorado women's basketball returns to Big Sky Conference road action this week, opening a two-game trip at Sacramento State on Thursday, February 12, before heading north to take on Portland State on Saturday, February 14. Tip-off for Thursday's contest is set for 7:30 p.m. MT, while Saturday's match up is scheduled for a 2 p.m. MT start. Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+, with live score updates available throughout the games on the team's official social media channels.

LAST TIME OUT
The Bears closed a two-game home stand at Bank of Colorado Arena last week, splitting the stretch against Big Sky opponents. Northern Colorado opened the week with a convincing 55–41 victory over Weber State on Thursday, February 5, securing its eighth conference win of the season behind a strong defensive performance and balanced scoring effort.

UNC returned to the floor on Saturday, February 7, but came up just short against Idaho State in a tightly contested 73–69 setback. The loss marked the Bears fourth conference defeat of the season, as both teams traded momentum throughout the afternoon.

CAREER WEEKEND FOR ANIAH HALL
Senior Aniah Hall delivered a milestone-filled weekend that further cemented her place in the Northern Colorado record book. In Thursday's win over Weber State, Hall eclipsed the 1,000-career point mark as a Bear, reaching the milestone at the free-throw line in the fourth quarter.

Hall continued to build on her historic weekend in Saturday's contest against Idaho State, also surpassing 600 career rebounds. The senior's consistency and leadership on both ends of the floor continue to be a cornerstone of the Bears lineup.

BEARS ARE DEEP
Through 25 games this season, Northern Colorado's depth has drawn national attention. The Bears currently rank fourth among all Division I programs in bench points per game, totaling 781 points off the bench and averaging 31.2 points per contest from their reserves.

UNC's ability to maintain pressure and production with multiple lineup combinations has been a major factor in its success all season long.

TATUM WEST AMONG NATION'S BEST ON THE GLASS
Tatum West remains a key presence for the Bears, particularly on the offensive boards. West currently ranks 18th nationally in offensive rebounds per game, having collected 95 offensive rebounds this season while averaging 3.8 per contest.

Her energy and physicality around the rim continue to create second-chance opportunities for Northern Colorado.

SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Sacramento State enters Thursday's match up with an 11–13 overall record and a 5–6 mark in Big Sky play. The Hornets are coming off back-to-back road losses to Weber State and Portland State.

Offensively, Sacramento State is led by Rubi Gray, who averages 14.8 points per game while shooting 41.2 percent from the field. Natalie Picton adds 13.1 points per contest, and Benthe Versteeg contributes 11.2 points per game, giving the Hornets three double-digit scorers in their rotation.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. SACRAMENTO STATE
Overall Series: UNC leads 24–13 (since 2008)
Last Meeting: UNC 68, Sacramento State 46 (Jan. 17, 2026 – Greeley)
Current Trend: UNC has won four of the last five meetings (since 2024)

SCOUTING THE VIKINGS
Portland State comes into Saturday's match up after a narrow 64–62 victory over Sacramento State. The Vikings hold a 6–17 overall record and are 2–9 in Big Sky play. The Vikings will first head to Flasgstaff, Arizona to take on Northern Arizona on Thursday, February 12 before making their way to Greeley.

Portland State is led offensively by Kyleigh Brown and Hannah Chicken, who both average double figures on the season. The duo provides the primary scoring punch for the Vikings and will be a focal point for the Bears defensive game plan.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. PORTLAND STATE
Overall Series: UNC leads 27–10 (since 2008)
Last Meeting: UNC 80, Portland State 60 (Jan. 15, 2026 – Greeley)
Current Trend: UNC has won eight of the last 10 meetings (since 2022)

FOLLOW THE BEARS
Fans can follow and stay up to date on all the Bear action at uncbears.com and on social media. Follow the Bears on X (formerly Twitter) (@UNC_BearsWBB), Instagram (@UNC_BearsWBB), and Facebook (/UNCBearsWBB)