Snow’s 18 points led a group of five Eastern Washington players in double figures as Brendon Merritt (15), Matt Nelson (13), Marc Axton (11) and Danny Pariseau (11) also tallied double digits. The Eagles, who led, 38-35, at halftime, outscored the Hornets 25-9 over the first 12 minutes of the second half to take a commanding 19-point lead (63-44) with 8:16 remaining in the game. The Eagles’ 26-point margin of victory was also its largest lead of the night.

Sacramento State was outscored in the second half, 45-22, a far cry from the program-record 67 second-half points the team scored in last Saturday’s win at Northern Arizona. The Hornets shot just 21.4 percent (6-28) from the field in the second half and missed nine of their first 10 field-goal attempts in the opening stages of the second frame.

Eastern Washington improved to 15-5 all-time against the Hornets and has won each of the last eight meetings between the two teams in Cheney, Wash. The Eagles (13-10, 9-1) strengthened their hold atop the Big Sky standings as the team has now won a Div. I-era record nine-straight games.

With the loss, Sacramento State had its season-high tying three-game winning streak snapped while falling to 10-12 overall and 4-5 in the Big Sky. The second place and last place teams in the Big Sky are now separated by just 2.5 games as Northern Arizona and Idaho State are tied for second in the conference with 5-4 records, followed by Montana State (5-5), Sacramento State and Portland State (4-6). Weber State (3-6) and Montana (3-7) take up the last two spots in the Big Sky.

Sacramento State was led by senior Joseth Dawson and junior Jameel Pugh, who each scored 14 points. Dawson, who was named the Big Sky Player of the Week on Monday, went just 3-of-15 from the field, but also knocked down 7-of-8 attempts from the free-throw line. Pugh, who is averaging 15.7 points over his last three games, also led the team in rebounds with seven. Sophomore DaShawn Freeman and junior James Payne each finished with a team-best three steals.

Only two Hornets with at least three field-goal attempts shot .500 for the game (senior Cedric Thompkins, 3-of-6, six points, and Pugh, 5-of-9). Sacramento State was also forced into 20 turnovers, its most since committing 24 at Oregon State on Dec. 22. The Hornets finished the game with a season-low 30.9 field-goal percentage (17-55) and seven assists.

Besides scoring 15 points for Eastern Washington, Merritt also finished with a team-best eight assists and five steals. Nelson led all players with 10 rebounds as the Eagles outrebounded the Hornets, 40-29. Eastern Washington, which converted 28-of-36 free throws, shot 54.2 percent (13-24) from the field in both the first and second halves.

Sacramento State concludes the week with a game at Portland State on Saturday, Feb. 14, at 7:05 p.m. The Hornets have never beaten the Vikings in Portland, Ore., in eight tries. The Hornets conclude their home portion of the regular-season schedule next week as the team takes on Weber State (Thursday, Feb. 19, 7:05 p.m.) and Idaho State (Saturday, Feb. 21, 7:05 p.m.).