With the victory, the Hornets, who have now won a season-high four-straight games (all by three points or less), conclude the regular season with a 12-15 overall record and a program-best 8-6 mark in the Big Sky Conference. The victory also earned the Hornets the No. 4 seed in the Big Sky Tournament and a quarterfinal home game next Saturday, March 5, against Weber State at 7:05 p.m.

Sacramento State will make its third-consecutive trip to the Big Sky Tournament and will host a quarterfinal game for the second-straight year. The Hornets also hosted Weber State in last year’s quarterfinal. The semifinals and championship game of the tournament will be played in Portland, Ore., on March 8-9. Since head coach Jerome Jenkins took over the head coaching duties at Sacramento State prior to the 2000-01 season, the Hornets have improved their conference record each of the last five years.

The victory over Northern Arizona marked the Hornets’ second-straight road win after beginning the season winless in their first 12 road games. Northern Arizona (11-15, 4-9) will play Montana on Monday, Feb. 28, in the Big Sky’s final regular-season game of the season for the chance to lock down the No. 6 seed in the Big Sky Tournament. Should Northern Arizona lose on Monday, Eastern Washington would assume the No. 6 seed and travel to Montana for the Big Sky’s other quarterfinal game. Both Portland State (No. 1 seed) and Montana State (No. 2 seed) receive a bye in the first round of the tournament.

Freeman’s three-pointer gave the Hornets their seventh win in the last nine games, and marked the third-consecutive season in which the team has won in Flagstaff, Ariz.

A pair of free throws by DeJuan Stevens gave NAU an 84-81 lead with 1:36 left in the game. Sacramento State quickly responded as Jameel Pugh’s sixth three-pointer of the game knotted the score at 84-84 with 1:20 left. Both teams then traded possessions without scoring before Stevens struck again with a jumper to give NAU a two-point lead (86-84) with 13 seconds remaining. That set up Freeman who dribbled down the floor and pulled up for the three-pointer which fell in with 1.7 seconds left to deliver the Hornets a huge victory. Had Sacramento State lost, the Hornets would have been on the road for their Big Sky Tournament quarterfinal game.

Pugh led all players with 24 points as the senior shot 8-of-14 from the field, including 6-of-9 from long range. Pugh, who has quickly become one of the most deadly three-point shooters in the Big Sky, has knocked down at least four three-pointers in eight of his last nine games. Junior Jason Harris (22 points, two steals), Freeman (17 points, a career-high 11 assists and three steals) and sophomore Alex Bausley (11 points and a team-best three steals) joined Pugh in double figures for the Hornets. Sacramento State, which opened the game on a 10-0 run, shot 44.6 percent (29-65) from the field and a blazing 52.4 percent (11-21) from beyond the three-point arc, including a perfect 2-for-2 from Freeman. Freshman Randy Adams finished with a team-best seven rebounds (one shy of his career high) despite playing just 10 minutes.

Both teams went back and forth with large runs all night. After Sacramento State took a 10-0 lead, the Lumberjacks quickly responded with a 27-9 run to take its largest lead of the game (33-25) with 6:41 left in the first half. Sacramento State, however, bounced right back with a 24-7 run to close the half and enter the break with a nine-point lead (49-40). During that run, Pugh hit back-to-back-to-back three-pointers over a 48-second span to help the Hornets erase the eight-point deficit.

NAU then held the Hornets scoreless over the opening 5:25 of the second half to reclaim a three-point lead (52-49) with 14:51 left. Sacramento State then used a 13-3 run to take a seven-point lead (62-55) with 12:30 remaining. The Lumberjacks eventually tied the game at 75-75, as no team led by more than three points for the final 5:14 of the contest.

Northern Arizona, which had five players score in double figures, shot 41.3 percent (26-63) from the field, 37.0 percent (10-27) from the three-point line and 85.7 percent (24-28) from the free-throw line. The Lumberjacks outrebounded Sacramento State, 43-38, but were forced into 16 turnovers and had no answer for the Hornets’ three-point assault.

Stevens led all NAU players with 18 points while Ruben Boykin Jr. had 12 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.

Sacramento State will now set its eyes on the Big Sky Tournament with the winner receiving an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. The Hornets reached the semifinals in 2002-03, and lost in the quarterfinals last season to Weber State. Sacramento State is currently the hottest team in the conference with a league-best four-game winning streak.

Tickets for Saturday’s Big Sky quarterfinal game at the Hornets Nest will go on sale on Wednesday, March 2, by calling the Sacramento State box office at 916-278-4323.