With the win, the Hornets (11-15, 7-6) clinched a berth in the Big Sky Tournament for the third-consecutive season while moving into a two-way tie for third place in the conference standings with Montana (6-5). The win marked the earliest in the season that Sacramento State has ever clinched a tournament berth as the Hornets had accomplished the feat on the last day of the regular season each of the last two years.

Sacramento State has now won a season-high tying three-straight games (each by three points or less) and has won eight of its last 12 games. The Hornets improved to 10-3 at home, including 6-1 against Big Sky competition. The Hornets finish the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 26, as the team travels to Northern Arizona. With a win against NAU, the Hornets would clinch a Big Sky Tournament quarterfinal home game for the second-straight year, which will be played on Saturday, March 5. The third and fourth seeds in the conference at the end of the regular season both host quarterfinal games against the No. 6 and No. 5 seeds, respectively. Depending on how the final week of the season shakes out, the Hornets could finish anywhere between third and fifth in the conference as the top six teams in the eight-member league advance to the Big Sky Tournament.

Montana State remains in second place in the conference standings with a 13-12 overall record and an 8-4 mark in the conference. The Bobcats have now lost to the Hornets in Sacramento each of the last six years. Montana State could still clinch first place in the league standings and the right to host the Big Sky Tournament semifinals and championship game should it win both its games next week, and Portland State (10-2) loses both its games. Portland State plays at Montana State on Thursday, Feb. 24.

Sacramento State held a one-point lead (69-68) when Dissly grabbed a rebound off Alex Bausley’s missed three-pointer (0:13) and dribbled up the floor. With four seconds left and Dissly dribbling towards the rim, Freeman stepped in front and stole the ball while narrowly staying inbounds. Freeman then passed to Jameel Pugh who was fouled with two seconds left. After making the first free throw, Pugh missed the second before Dissly grabbed the rebound and threw up a full-court shot that drew backboard as the buzzer sounded.

Freeman, who is first in the conference in steals and ninth in the nation, finished with seven points and two steals in 19 minutes. In their final regular-season home games in a Sacramento State uniform, seniors Pugh (game-high 26 points, six rebounds and one steal) and E.J. Harris (five points and a career-high tying nine assists) both played big. Pugh went 7-of-12 from the three-point line and is now averaging 5.0 three-pointers per game over his eight contests. Junior Jason Harris joined Pugh in double figures with 13 points, four rebounds and three steals while Bausley chipped in eight points, four rebounds and three steals. Freshman Randy Adams tied Pugh for the team lead in rebounds with six despite playing just 11 minutes.

The Hornets led for the final 17:15 of the second half, including a game-high 12-point lead (57-45) with 11:51 remaining in the contest. Montana State immediately responded with a 13-5 run to draw back within four points (62-58) with 7:46 left. The Hornets never led by anything more than six points the rest of the way as a three-point play by MSU’s Marvin Moss cut the Hornet lead to one point (69-68) with 1:27 to play. MSU had a chance to take the lead with 45 seconds remaining, but Ryan Holmes’ three-point attempt fell off the mark.

Sacramento State trailed at the half, 31-30, and has now overcome halftime deficits in each victory during the three-game winning streak after losing its first nine games when trailing at the half.

Montana State had five players score in double figures, comprised of Ja’Ron Jefferson (14 points, four rebounds), Dissly (12 points, seven rebounds), Moss (10 points, five rebounds), Branden Miller (10 points, seven rebounds) and Casey Durham (10 points). The Bobcats limited Sacramento State to a .354 field-goal percentage, but Sacramento State made up for the poor shooting by outrebounding MSU, 43-37, and knocking down 10 three-pointers in 22 attempts (45.5 percent).