With the victory, Sacramento State snapped a 12-game winless streak against Weber State in Ogden, and improved to just 3-21 all-time against the Wildcats. The Hornets are now 13-5 overall this season and a perfect 4-0 in the Big Sky. Off to its best start since the 1987-88 season and its best conference start since joining the league in 1996-97, Sacramento State is currently tied for first place in the conference standings with Northern Arizona, which also improved to 4-0 with an 85-81 victory at Idaho State tonight.

Sacramento State has won five in a row (longest winning streak since 1987-88) and the team’s 13 victories already matches last year’s output. In addition, the Hornets have won eight-straight Big Sky regular season games (easily a school record) dating back to last season and have defeated each team in the conference during that span. Sacramento State also inched above the .500 mark away from home this year, including 5-4 on the road and 1-1 at neutral sites. What makes the Hornets’ perfect conference record even more impressive is the fact they have done it without the services of senior swingman Jason Harris, who could return to the lineup on Jan. 19 against Montana State at the very earliest.

With the loss, Weber State lost its fifth-consecutive game and dropped to 6-11 overall, and the team is now 0-4 in Big Sky play for the first time in school history.

Sacramento State shot 43.3 percent (26-60) from the field as nearly half the team’s shots came from beyond the three-point line (9-29, 31.0 percent). The Hornets finished with nine steals (including four from senior DaShawn Freeman) and forced Weber State into 22 turnovers. Conversely, Sacramento State had just nine miscues marking the seventh-straight game the team has finished with 12 turnovers or less.

Weber State’s only lead all night long came at 9-8 with 14:22 left in the first half. After the Hornets responded with a 9-3 run (including back-to-back three-pointers from Leath) to take a 17-12 lead, Sacramento State never trailed again the rest of the way. The Wildcats kept the game close throughout as the Hornets’ largest lead of the contest was just 10 points (49-39) with 10:56 remaining in the game.

The Wildcats cut Sacramento State’s lead to four points (64-60) with 2:44 remaining on a layup from Clint Burris, but Leath responded with his game-high fourth three-pointer of the night to put the Hornets comfortably in front, 67-60, with 1:58 remaining. The Wildcats would get no closer than within five points the rest of the way as the Hornets converted each of their final two field goal attempts and four of their last six free-throw opportunities.

Leath’s 22 points were one shy of his season high as the freshman has now scored in double figures in six of his last seven games, including three contests with at least 22 points. The Oakland, Calif., native finished 8-of-17 from the floor, 4-of-8 from beyond the arc and 2-of-2 from the stripe. Bausley, who hit the game winner as time expired on Thursday at Idaho State, finished with 11 points (4-of-9 shooting), five rebounds and a steal.

Williams matched his season high with 10 points, shooting a perfect 4-of-4 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line. Three of those four field goals were dunks, including a two-hand rip with 35 seconds remaining to put the game out of reach. Williams is now shooting a team-high 55.8 percent (29-52) from the field this year.

Freeman added nine points, five assists and a game-high four steals. The team co-captain is now just four steals shy of breaking the Big Sky Conference record for career steals (255), a mark which has stood since 1992. Freeman is sixth in the nation with 51 steals and now has at least three swipes in nine of his last 10 games. Junior Haron Hargrave added nine points and two assists, and junior Clark Woods had eight points, including 2-of-4 from beyond the arc.

Weber State, which shot 48.8 percent (21-43) from the field with just two three-pointers, outrebounded the Hornets, 38-23. In addition, the Wildcats went to the free throw line 27 times (converting 22) compared to the Hornets making 16 trips to the line, including zero attempts in the first half. Although Sacramento State had just 23 rebounds, 13 came on the offensive glass resulting in numerous second-chance points. WSU had four players finish in double figures, comprised of David Patten (15 points, five rebounds), Coric Riggs (12 points, game-high 11 rebounds), Terrell Stovall (12 points, six rebounds) and Burris (11 points, five rebounds).

The Hornets will now return home next week for conference games against Montana State (Thursday, Jan. 19, at 7:05 p.m.) and Montana (Saturday, Jan. 21, 7:05 p.m.). Sacramento State is a perfect 7-0 at home this season and has won those games by an average of 18.6 points. Last week’s home games were near sellouts and fans are encouraged to get their tickets in advance for this week’s games by calling the Sacramento State Box Office at (916) 278-4323.

NOTES: In the Hornets’ 12 losses at Weber State prior to tonight, Sacramento State had lost those games by an average of 19.3 points...Sacramento State is now 6-5 away from home this season, matching its highest win total away from home (six by the 2002-03 squad) in the team’s Div. I history (1991-pres.)...this year marks the latest in the season the Hornets have been in first place in the Big Sky standings...Sacramento State had been 0-19 in the state of Utah since joining the Div. I ranks until defeating Southern Utah (Dec. 17) and Weber State this year...coupled with the Hornets’ victory at Idaho State on Thursday, Sacramento State has now swept its first Big Sky two-game road trip since joining the league.