Don't let it happen again.
That's the rallying cry as Sacramento State's men's basketball team opens practice tonight for the 2009-10 season.
The Hornets learned plenty from a 2-27 season that included a 14-game losing streak and nine losses by 20 points or more.
"We're using last year as a motivation to get a lot better this year," senior guard Antonio Flaggs said. "Last year was like a wake-up call to reality.
"We're just trying to take the positive out of the whole (last) season, make up for it this year, hopefully."
Tri-captains Flaggs, senior center Justin Eller and senior point guard Mike Marcial head a group of six returnees determined to make amends for a season highlighted by victories over archrival UC Davis (82-70) and Idaho State (72-69).
"We all went through it last year," Marcial said. "We need to come out and compete. We've just got to work harder, do whatever is possible to get better."
Second-year coach Brian Katz hopes seven new recruits improve the Hornets.
Five community college players arrive – 6-foot-7 forward Duro Bjegovic, 6-5 guard-forward Walter Jackson, 6-8 center Alpha N'Diaye, 6-6 guard-forward David Norris and 5-10 guard Sultan Toles-Bey.
Two prep standouts – 6-5 guard-forward John Dickson from Fairfield and 6-9 freshman center Dani Lopez from South Elgin, Ill. – also are expected to contribute.
A few likely will redshirt, with the others joining Flaggs, Eller, Marcial and the other returnees – senior guards Jonathan Malloy and Jared Stigall and senior forward Michael Selling, plus senior guard Domineek Daniel, who practiced with the team last season but was ineligible.
"We're real hungry to get in there and start building our team chemistry," Eller said.
Katz, who signed a five-year deal, is taking a long-range approach to rebuilding the program. But he knows another season like the last one won't cut it.
"We need to win more games, for sure," Katz said. "We need to be a very tough team to beat at home. It kind of starts there.
"Last year at home, we were pretty good for about a half. We didn't have great depth, got worn down a little bit.
"Hopefully this year we have more talent, more experience, a better schedule, and we'll win more games."
The Hornets open the season Nov. 13 at Rice, face Bethany in their home opener on Nov. 18, play at UC Davis on Dec. 2 and open Big Sky Conference play Dec. 5 against Weber State. Sac State also plays at Oregon State on Nov. 21, USC on Dec. 8 and Pacific on Dec. 12.
"You have to operate day to day," Katz said. "You have to try to get better every day."
Call The Bee's John Schumacher, (916) 326-5523.
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