USF Holds Sacramento State To Tournament History Low With 70-35 Drumming
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)(December 4) -- Kenyon Jones scored 20 points as San Francisco defeated Sacramento State 70-35 in the championship game of the Northwestern Mutual Life Classic on Saturday night.

Ali Thomas added 12 points as the Dons (5-1) won their own tournament for the third consecutive time and eighth in 13 years. They've also won five consecutive games after an opening loss to Maryland in the Pre-Season NIT.

Ricky Glenn and Rame Batta each had 10 points to lead the Hornets (4-1), who had a four-game winning streak snapped.

Sacramento State's 35 points were the fewest in tournament history.

Thomas set a school record for career 3-pointers when he connected at 17:30 of the first half. He moved past Gerald Walker, who had 142 during his career at San Francisco before graduating in 1996. He was 4-of-5 from long range for the game.

San Francisco led by 31 points at 47-16 with 16:11 remaining to play in the game when Jones scored on a slam dunk and ensuing free throw. The Hornets never got closer than 28 points the rest of the way.

The Dons scored the first seven points of the game and never looked back, shooting a torrid 61 percent (17-of-28) from the field in the first half en route to a 40-14 lead. The Hornets entered the game allowing opponents to shoot at a 32.1 percent clip.

Jones, who was named tournament MVP, made all six shots he took in the half, and Thomas made all three 3-pointers he attempted.

Sacramento State, which came into the game shooting 21 percent as a team, managed just six baskets in 25 attempts (24 percent) in the first half.

San Francisco has allowed 74 first-half points in its last four games, an average of 18.5 per contest.

The Hornets, who had matched their win total of all of last year with four, were off to their best start in school history.

John Cox added 10 points for the Dons.