NAU dominated on the glass, outrebounding the Hornets, 49-16, which resulted in numerous second-chance points. The Lumberjacks shot 56.7 percent (34-60) from the field and 50.0 percent (7-14) from beyond the arc. NAU, which is the league’s top shooting team, had five players score in double figures, including Tyrone Bazy’s 20 points.

With the loss, Sacramento State was eliminated from the Big Sky Tournament and closes its season with a 15-15 record, the team’s most victories since 1989-90. The Hornets were making their second appearance in the Big Sky Tournament semifinals (2002-03), and fourth-straight appearance at the Big Sky Tournament. With the victory, Northern Arizona advances to the Big Sky championship game tomorrow night (Wednesday, March 8) against No. 2 seed Montana at 6:30 p.m. PST on ESPN2.

In tonight’s other semifinal game, Montana defeated No. 3 seed Eastern Washington in overtime, 73-71, behind Kevin Criswell’s team-high 25 points. Eastern Washington had a chance to win at the end of regulation, but Rodney Stuckey’s running 10-footer fell in and out as the buzzer sounded.

Northern Arizona, which won the Big Sky’s regular-season championship and the right to host the postseason tournament, improved to 21-9 overall and 13-1 at home. The Lumberjacks have now won 11-straight games inside the Walkup Skydome, the 15th-longest home winning streak in the nation. The Lumberjacks posted a 12-2 regular-season mark against Big Sky opposition and defeated the Hornets in all three games the two teams faced each other this season.

Sacramento State jumped out to a quick start, taking its largest lead of the game at 15-7 with 14:33 left in the first half. However, the Lumberjacks closed the final 14:17 of the half on a 42-19 run to go into the break with a 49-34 lead. Sir scored all 12 of his first-half points during the run and the Lumberjacks ended the half by shooting 51.4 percent (18-35) from the field.

One big reason for NAU’s run was an abundance of foul calls on the Hornets, including junior Alex Bausley picking up his second foul with 14:56 remaining in the half. Bausley exited the game at that point and never re-entered until the second half as the Lumberjacks outscored the Hornets, 42-21, with Bausley out of the contest. Senior point guard DaShawn Freeman picked up his second foul with 8:15 remaining in the first half, and was pulled for the final eight minutes of the half. Sacramento State was whistled for 14 fouls in the half, and the Lumberjacks were already in the bonus at the 12:22 mark of the first stanza.

The big first-half run proved crucial for NAU as Sacramento State got as close as four points (80-76) of the Lumberjacks’ lead with 5:33 remaining in the game. Freshman Loren Leath scored 15 of Sacramento State’s first 33 points of the second stanza to help get the Hornets back in the game. However, after the Hornets cut the lead to 80-76 on a layup from DaShawn Freeman, NAU immediately responded with a three-pointer from Sir and a three-point play from Ruben Boykin, Jr. to extend the lead back to 10 points (86-76) with 4:25 to play. The Hornets closed to within seven points of NAU’s lead on a three-pointer from junior Clark Woods with 2:57 remaining, but Sir struck again from beyond the arc 24 seconds later to put the game out of reach.

Northern Arizona would score 18 of the game’s final 25 points to win the contest by the 15-point margin. The Lumberjacks took their largest lead of the game at 17 points (49-32) and the Hornets’ largest lead was eight points (15-7 and 17-9).

Leath led the Hornets with 20 points, including 15 second-half points. The freshman went 6-of-12 from the field, 3-for-7 from beyond the arc and 5-for-6 from the free throw line. Freeman had 18 points, four assists and three steals, and Woods (12 points) and senior Jason Harris (12 points) rounded out the four Hornets in double figures.

Sacramento State shot 49.1 percent (28-57) from the field, 42.1 percent (8-19) from beyond the arc and 70.4 percent (19-27) from the charity stripe. Leath (four boards) was the only Hornet with more than three rebounds.

Also scoring in double figures for NAU were Kyle Landry (14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds), Boykin Jr. (12 points, eight rebounds) and Kelly Golob (10 points)

With 20 points tonight, Leath became the school’s most prolific freshman in Sacramento State’s Div. I history (1991-pres.). Leath finished the season with 314 points, breaking the original freshman record of 295 points, set by Michael Boyd in 1993-94. In addition, the Hornets finished the season with four players recording at least 300 points (Freeman, Bausley, Harris and Leath) for the first time in the Div. I era and first time since 1989-90.

Sacramento State seniors Freeman, Harris, Zane Beekman, Chris Lange and Aaron Perry played their final games in a Sacramento State uniform. The Hornets will return 10 players next year, including redshirt point guard Kris Groce (transfer from Hawai’i) and redshirt center Stephen Colvin (seven-footer from Yucaipa High School). Despite the loss, Sacramento State recorded an assortment of records and accomplishments. Below is a quick recap.

- Sacramento State’s 15-15 record was the team’s best mark in the Div. I era (1991-pres.) and the best since 1988-89.

- The team’s 15 victories were the most in the Div. I era, and the most since 1989-90.

- Sacramento State’s appearance in the Big Sky Tournament semifinals marked the second time the team had reached the semifinal round (2002-03) since joining the league in 1996-97.

- Sacramento State earned its fourth-consecutive trip to the Big Sky Tournament after failing to reach the postseason event during its first six years in the league (the top six teams in the eight-member league advance to the postseason).

- The Hornets had three players receive all-Big Sky Conference honors (Freeman and Bausley named first team, and Leath named honorable mention), tying for the most selections since joining the conference.

- Sacramento State earned four Big Sky Player of the Week awards (Freeman twice, Bausley twice), setting a new school record.

- After the Hornets began the Big Sky season with a 4-0 record, the team had won eight-straight Big Sky games dating back to last season, easily a program best since joining the league.

- The Hornets’ five-game winning streak (Dec. 29-Jan. 14) set a new Div. I record, and was the longest since the 1987-88 season.

- The Hornets posted an 8-10 record away from home, setting a new Div. I record for the highest win total outside of Sacramento. Eight wins were also the most away from home since the 1987-88 squad won nine times.

- Sacramento State had been 0-10 against Portland State in Portland, Ore., until defeating the Vikings (68-65) on Feb. 4. Coupled with the Hornets’ 76-60 victory over PSU in Sacramento on Jan. 5, the Hornets also swept Portland State in a season series for the first time since joining the Big Sky.

- The Hornets had been 0-12 against Weber State in Ogden, Utah, until knocking off the Wildcats (73-66) on Jan. 14.

- The wins at Idaho State and Weber State gave the team its first-ever Big Sky road sweep.

- Sacramento State’s nine non-conference wins were the most in the Div. I era and the most since 1989-90.

- Sacramento State had been winless in the state of Utah (0-19) since joining the Div. I ranks until defeating Southern Utah (Dec. 17) and Weber State (Jan. 14).

- The Hornets defeated USF in San Francisco for the first time in school history (the team had been 0-5).

- Sacramento State scored at least 100 on points on three occasions, the most in any season since the 1989-90 squad posted four 100-point games.

- The team’s four non-conference wins away from home were the most in the Div. I era.