SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Rame Batta scored 19 points to lead Sacramento
State to a 70-62 victory over Montana State Wednesday night at Hornet
Gym.
The win snapped the team's nine-game losing streak and gave the squad
its first Big Sky Conference win of the season (1-8, 4-16 overall).
The Bobcats fell to 14-9 overall and 6-4 in the Big Sky.
After MSU made the game's first basket, junior Jay Richardson buried
a three-pointer to give the squad a 3-2 lead. From that point,
Sacramento State was able to extend its lead to five before the
Bobcats went ahead, 13-12, at the 13:46 mark. The Hornets responded
with a 7-0 run sparked by a three-point play by Arinze Anoruo.
Montana State managed one last rally in the first half and went ahead
by four, 37-33, at the break when John Lazosky made a long-range
three with two seconds left.
After falling behind by five at the start of the second half went on
a 12-3 run to reclaim the lead for the final time in the game. During
the stretch, sophomore Derek Lambeth came off the bench to score nine
points on 4-of-4 shooting.
Montana State was able to pull within one as late as 4:30 but the
team missed eight of its final nine field goal attempts of the game.
As a team, Montana State just 42.4 percent from floor on 16-of-30
shooting. The Bobcats entered the game as the best shooting team in
the conference at 50.1 percent. The team also led the Big Sky by
shooting 46.0 percent from behind the line but struggled from long
range on Wednesday going 5-of-17 (.294).
Joining Batta in double-figures was Pablo Gonzales (16), Anoruo (13)
and Lambeth (12). Lambeth also led the squad with seven rebounds. The
team's leading scorer, Rickie Glenn, did not play in the game due to
a sprained ankle.
As a team, Sacramento State forced 23 MSU turnovers including 11
steals. The team also picked up its first victory of the season when
it was outrebounded (37-31).
MSU was paced by Justin Brown's 17 points. John Lazosky added 15
points and a team-best seven rebounds.
The Hornets will quickly return to action on Thursday when they
welcome Montana. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Hornet Gym.
