The loss dropped the Hornets to 14-10 and 5-5 in the Big Sky while Weber State improved to 10-13 and 4-6 in the conference. Sacramento State blew a game-high 15-point lead (37-22 with 2:14 to play) late in the first half and a six-point lead early in the overtime session (70-64 with 3:45 to play). After the Hornets took their 15-point lead, Weber State used a 24-8 run over parts of both the first and second halves to claw its way back in the game.

Sacramento State began the overtime session with a three-point play from Alex Bausley and a three-pointer from Clark Woods, but Weber State closed the gap scoring eight of the team’s 12 overtime points from the charity stripe. The Wildcats began the 12-3 run with a pair of free throws from both Terrell Stovall and David Patten, and a layup from Nick Covington. The Hornets’ Jason Harris answered with a jumper to put the Hornets back up two points, but Covington made two free throws and stole the ball from Chris Lange on Sacramento State’s ensuing possession.

Coric Riggs, who finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds, then scored on a layup to give Weber State its first lead of overtime at 74-72 with 58 seconds remaining. Harris answered by making 1-of-2 free throws and Riggs made 1-of-2 on WSU’s next possession, giving Sacramento State the ball with 27 seconds to play and trailing by two points (75-73). After using 16 seconds of the shot clock, Clark Woods had a good look at a three-pointer, but his shot hit the back iron and Riggs corralled the rebound. The Hornets had one more chance to tie after Riggs made 1-of-2 free throws with seven seconds remaining. DaShawn Freeman took the inbounds pass and dribbled the floor before his three-point attempt at the buzzer drew front iron and ended the game.

Sacramento State led for the first 26:41 of the contest until a jumper from Riggs gave Weber State its first lead of the night at 46-45 with 13:19 to play in the second half. The Wildcats had a chance to win with the final possession of the second half but Covington’s jumper at the buzzer fell off the mark.

The loss for Sacramento State was the team’s fifth in the last six games and the third-straight loss at home (by a combined 11 points). The Hornets had not suffered a three-game losing streak at home since the 2002-03 squad dropped five in a row. Sacramento State also now finds itself in fifth place in the league standings, behind Northern Arizona (9-1), Montana (6-3), Montana State (6-3) and Eastern Washington (5-4). Weber State (4-6) is a game back of Sacramento State and currently holds the sixth and final spot for the Big Sky Tournament, which begins on March 4.

With only four games remaining in the conference season, Sacramento State’s game against Idaho State on Saturday looms large as the Bengals (2-8) sit three games behind the Hornets in the conference standings. If the season ended today, both Idaho State and Portland State (1-8) would be out of the playoff hunt. With Idaho State’s loss tonight at Northern Arizona, Sacramento State would still clinch a Big Sky Tournament berth with a victory over the Bengals on Saturday. The Hornets are attempting to the reach the conference postseason for the fourth-straight year.

Riggs was one of four Wildcats in double figures as he was joined by Terrell Stovall (game-high 19 points), Nedim Pajevic (12 points, six rebounds) and Covington (10 points, five rebounds). Weber State went to the free-throw line 22 times, and converted 17 of those opportunities (77.3 percent) while the Hornets converted on just 13 of their 22 opportunities (59.1 percent). That includes a 2-of-6 performance from Harris, who entered the game as league’s fifth-best free throw shooter. In addition, the Wildcats outrebounded the Hornets, 45-36, and shot 44.4 percent (28-63) from the field. Conversely, the Hornets shot 41.5 percent (27-65) from the field, including 3-of-12 in the extra session. After knocking down their first two attempts from the floor in the extra session, Sacramento State closed the game by making just 1 of its final 10 attempts.

Woods finished with a team-high tying 14 points and five rebounds on 6-of-13 shooting. Bausley finished with 14 points and a team-best eight rebounds before fouling out of the contest with 2:54 remaining in overtime. Freshman Loren Leath rounded out the three Hornets in double figures with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including a pair of three-pointers.

Harris and sophomore Davon Roberts finished with eight points and senior Chris Lange had a season-high seven points. Freeman, who entered the game averaging 14.1 points per contest, finished with five points, seven rebounds, seven assists and a steal.

Setting up Saturday’s home game against Idaho State, Sacramento State will attempt to defeat the Bengals for the third-straight time at home and fourth time in the last five tries. In addition, the Hornets defeated the Bengals earlier this season in Pocatello, Idaho, by the score of 107-106 on a buzzer beating baseline jumper from Bausley.