Sacramento State continued to dominate on its home floor, winning for the seventh-straight time at the Hornets Nest, the longest home winning streak since an eight-game run during parts of both the 1987-88 and 1988-89 season. In addition, the Hornets won their eighth-consecutive home game against a Big Sky opponent dating back to last season. That streak is a program record.

Sacramento State (8-13, 4-4 Big Sky) has now won five of its last seven games after opening the year with a 3-11 record. Eastern Washington dropped to 7-14 and 4-4 in the conference. Sacramento State moved into a two-way tie for fourth place with Eastern Washington as the Eagles defeated the Hornets earlier this season in Cheney (44-41). The Hornets are just one game back of third-place Montana (5-3) and two back of second-place Montana State (6-2). Sacramento State will host first-place Portland State (7-2) this Saturday, Feb. 5, at 7:05 p.m.

After missing four of their first five free throws of the game, the Hornets converted 30 of their final 33 free throw shots (including 11-of-12 during the final three minutes). Sacramento State had entered the game shooting just 64.4 percent as a team from the charity stripe this season. Sacramento State’s 30 free throws were the most in Div. I single-game history (1991-pres.) and the third-best mark in program history.

The Hornets, who also shot 40.0 percent (22-55) from the field and 47.1 percent (8-17) from beyond the three-point arc, led for the final 27 minutes of the contest. After Eastern Washington cut the lead to two points (44-42) with 18:20 left to play, Sacramento State went on a 10-4 run to lead by eight points with 12:39 remaining. Freshman Schuyler McKay’s three-point play capped the run as Eastern Washington would get no closer than within three points the rest of the way.

Harris has now scored at least 25 points in three-straight games and four of his last five. The transfer from Chaffey Junior College continued to establish himself as one of the top players in the Big Sky as he had four rebounds, four assists and five steals to go along with his 25 points. Harris knocked down 10-of-13 from the line and scored 18 of his 25 points in the first half as he is now averaging 21.9 points per game against conference competition.

Pugh continued his recent domination from the three-point line, knocking down 5-of-9 from beyond the arc and 7-of-7 from the free-throw line. He added a season-high tying nine rebounds while playing a career-high 39 minutes. The Sacramento native has knocked down 19 three-pointers in his last three games (19-36, 52.7 percent) after converting just 12 through his first 15 games of the year. Pugh also converted a four-point play with 7:57 remaining in the first half to stop a 10-0 Eastern Washington run. The Eagles had taken their largest lead of the game (three points) until Pugh’s four-point play quickly erased the advantage.

Junior DaShawn Freeman added 14 points (9-of-10 from the free-throw line) and three rebounds in just 17 minutes to round out the Hornets in double figures. Sophomore Alex Bausley added nine points, nine rebounds and three steals in 35 minutes. McKay had seven second-half points, three rebounds and one steal in 15 minutes. The Hornets outrebounded Eastern Washington, 39-33, and forced 14 Eagle turnovers.

Eastern Washington was led by Marc Axton’s 15 points while Matt Nelson added 13 points and team highs in both assists (five) and rebounds (nine).

Sacramento State, which is now 8-2 at home this season, concludes its season-long four-game homestand on Saturday against Portland State. The Hornets will then hit the road next week to take on Weber State (Feb. 10) and Idaho State (Feb. 12).