San Jose State sent the game into overtime on a 26-foot bankshot from Marquin Chandler as the regulation buzzer sounded. The Hornets were leading by four points with seven seconds remaining in regulation. San Jose State’s Brett Lilly, however, hit a three-pointer that bounced on the rim three times before falling to cut Sacramento State''s lead to one point (65-64) with six seconds remaining. Joseth Dawson put the Hornets back up by three points with a pair of free throws before San Jose State drove the length of the floor resulting in Chandler’s desperation three-pointer which banked in.

Sacramento State’s Brandon Guyton opened the overtime session with a three-pointer, but the Hornets’ lead was short-lived as back-to-back field goals by McFadden put the Spartans on top, 71-70, with 3:50 to play. The two teams exchanged baskets until another jumper by McFadden put San Jose State on top, 78-75, with 1:27 to play. After a pair of free throws by the Hornets’ Jameel Pugh cut the San Jose State lead to one point (78-77), McFadden came through again, this time with a free throw and another jumper to put the Spartans up four points. Sacramento State missed its final three shots of the overtime period as San Jose State settled for the 85-77 victory.

With the loss, Sacramento State has now dropped four in a row while falling to a season-worst two games below the .500 mark (3-5). The Hornets have lost each of their last three road games, including defeats at the hands of Cal Poly and New Mexico. San Jose State improved to 3-3 overall and 3-1 at The Event Center. The Spartans have now defeated the Hornets 13 of the last 14 times the two teams have met.

Sacramento State, which shot a woeful 22.2 percent (6-27) in the first half, fell behind by a game-high 18 points (41-23) with 17:56 remaining in the contest. The Hornets, however, mounted a furious second-half comeback which included a 20-4 run over an eight-minute span, culminating in a 65-61 lead with 25 seconds to play.

Eric Walton’s 27 points led all players as San Jose State had four players score in double figures including Walton, McFadden, Lilly (12) and Phil Calvert (10). Walton shot 10-of-18 from the floor and grabbed a team-best eight rebounds. McFadden went 7-of-12 from the floor as San Jose State shot 48.4 percent (31-64) as a team. Conversely, Sacramento State shot 34.8 percent (24-69) from the field, including nine three-pointers.

For the second time this season, Sacramento state had five players finish with double figures, led by senior Brandon Guyton and junior Jameel Pugh, who each had 14 points. Senior Joseth Dawson (13), freshman Alex Bausley (career-high 10 points) and senior Joel Jones (10) also had double figures for the Hornets. Bausley (3-of-6), senior Tony Champion (3-of-4) and freshman DaShawn Freeman (2-for-4) were the only Hornets to shoot above 50.0 percent from the field.

The Hornets missed 12-consecutive field-goal attempts over a seven-minute span that included parts of the first and second halves. San Jose State took advantage, outscoring the Hornets, 14-2, during that time. Sacramento State responded by knocking down 16 of its final 30 shots of the game, including 6-of-7 in the final 6:13 of the contest.

The Hornets’ starting five of DaShawn Freeman, Guyton, Jones, Chris Lange and Cedric Thompkins was the first time head coach Jerome Jenkins had used that lineup this year. Guyton had yet to start a game this year and Lange started for just the second time.

Sacramento State returns home on Saturday, Dec. 20, to take on the Anteaters of UC Irvine at approximately 8 p.m. The game is part of a doubleheader with the Hornet women’s basketball team. The women play UC Irvine at 6 p.m., while the men’s game will begin one half hour after the women’s game ends.

The Hornets will play six of the next eight games inside the Hornets Nest, including the Big Sky Conference opener on Saturday, Jan. 10, against Northern Arizona.