Sacramento State, which trailed by 17 points with 16:18 left in the contest, went on a 31-15 run to cut the deficit to one point (63-62) with 2:32 remaining. The Dons, however, responded with a consecutive jumpers from Cox and Alan Wiggins, and two free throws from Andre Hazel to push the lead back to seven points (69-62) with 1:03 left. The Hornets responded with points on three of their next four possessions to get back within, 72-69, with 18 seconds remaining.

Hazel was then immediately fouled and sunk both free throws as the guard went 6-of-6 from the charity stripe during the game and finished with nine points, eight assists and three steals. Sacramento State would get no closer than within four points of USF’s lead the rest of the way.

With the victory, the Dons have won two straight while improving to 3-3 this season. USF, which also beat the Hornets in San Francisco last year, shot 49.0 percent (25-51) from the field and 38.9 percent (7-18) from the three-point line. The Dons knocked down 8-of-11 free throws during the final 1:03 of the contest to help put the game away.

Sacramento State, which received 19 points from both junior Jason Harris and sophomore Alex Bausley, lost its fourth-straight game and dropped to 1-5. The Hornets’ record is their worst after six games since the 1998-99 squad began the year 0-6. The Hornets shot poorly from the field again (36.3 percent) as the team has now failed to shoot anything better than 37.0 percent in any of their five losses this season.

Bausley’s 19 points were a career high as the forward went 7-of-12 from the field (including 4-of-7 from the three-point line) to go along with five rebounds. Harris has now led or tied for Sacramento State’s team lead in points each of the last four contests, as the junior forward also had seven rebounds and two steals. Junior Aaron Perry tallied seven points and a team-high eight rebounds. Five Hornets had at least five rebounds as Sacramento State outrebounded San Francisco, 45-38.

The Hornets outscored USF in the second half, 42-39, but could not overcome the shooting woes, which included making just 10-of-18 free throws (55.6 percent). Sacramento State attempted 20 more shots from the field (71-51) than USF and forced the Dons into 17 turnovers. Freeman had five of the Hornets’ nine steals as the junior point guard is now averaging a Big Sky Conference-best 4.3 steals per game. Freeman also had 11 points, six rebounds and six assists to go along with his five steals.

Cox shot 8-of-14 from the field, including 3-of-7 from beyond the three-point line as the senior scored nine points in the final 10 minutes of the contest. Joining Cox in double figures for USF were Tyrone Wiley (14 points and 11 rebounds) and Wiggins (12 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots).

Sacramento State will now embark upon its longest road trip of the season as the team travels to Fresno State (Dec. 11), Saint Mar’s (Dec. 17) and UC Riverside (Dec. 20).