Sacramento State fought all the way back from a 10-point deficit (66-56 with 5:35 remaining) to tie the score at 71-71 with 39 seconds left after a Jason Harris tip-in. Montana then took possession of the ball and whittled down the shot clock, before Criswell used a screen to drive the lane and convert what turned out to the be the game-winning layup. After a timeout, Sacramento State drove the length of the floor and Bausley had a contested, lean-in three-point attempt rim out as time expired.

With the victory, Montana improved to 14-3 overall and 4-1 in the Big Sky, and three of the team’s four conference victories have now come by six points or less. The Grizzlies moved into second place in the league standings behind Northern Arizona, which improved to a perfect 6-0 after knocking off Montana State, 78-72, in Flagstaff, Ariz. The Hornets, who have now lost back-to-back games for the first time all season, dropped to 13-7 overall and 4-2 in the conference. Sacramento State dropped to third place in the league standings (a half game ahead of Montana State) and travels to Northern Arizona next Saturday.

Coupled with Thursday’s 78-75 loss to Montana State, Sacramento State has now lost its last two games by a combined five points and four of the team’s seven losses this season have come by three points or less. Sacramento State’s 13-7 record is still the squad’s best mark after 20 games since the 1988-89 season. After missing the last five games, Harris returned to the lineup in impressive fashion, posting team highs in both points (21) and rebounds (nine). Harris scored seven of the Hornets’ final nine points, but Sacramento State could not overcome a Montana offense that converted on four lay-ups during the final 6:25 of the contest.

Both teams battled back and forth during the first 14 minutes of the contest as a three-pointer from Clark Woods gave Sacramento State what turned out to be its last lead of the night at 25-24 with 6:17 remaining. Montana closed the half on a 16-11 run and went into the break with a 40-36 lead. The Grizzlies, who never trailed during the entire second half, pushed their lead to as large as 12 points in the second frame (62-50 with 7:33 remaining) after Bryan Ellis converted on desperation three-pointer as the shot clock wound down. As was the case when the Hornets nearly won after trailing by 14 points in the second half on Thursday against Montana State, Sacramento State battled back in the game, but fell short.

Ellis scored all nine of his points in the second half while single-handedly breaking the Hornets’ press and driving for a layup on two occasions late in the second half. The Grizzlies shot 56.0 percent (28-50) from the floor, including a blistering 11-of-15 from Andrew Strait, who finished with a game-high 25 points and nine rebounds. In fact, every Montana player shot 44.0 percent or better from the field except for Matt Dlouhy. Criswell (14 points) and Virgil Matthews (12 points) joined Strait in double figures.

Sacramento State, which shot 38.3 percent (23-60) from the field, was able to stay in the game with its free-throw efficiency (80.8 percent, 21-of-26) and by forcing the Grizzlies into 19 turnovers. The Hornets finished with 12 steals, including four each from DaShawn Freeman and Bausley. Freeman’s first steal of the night (11:14 of the first half) set the Big Sky Conference record for career steals, a mark that had stood for 13 years. Freeman now has 259 steals during his four-year career in the Hornet green and gold.

Bausley was the only other Hornet to finish in double figures, as the junior scored 17 points, including 13 in the second half. In fact, Bausley and Harris combined for 38 of the team’s 71 points or 53.5 percent of Sacramento State’s offense. Freeman finished with eight points and six assists, but struggled from the floor (1-of-10) for the second-straight game. Freeman entered the week shooting 47.3 percent from the field, but combined to go 2-of-20 from the field against Montana State and Montana.

Sacramento State had 10 different players crack into the scoring column, but only one Hornet (Harris 7-of-13) with more than four field-goal attempts shot better than 50.0 percent from the field. The Hornets turned the ball over just nine times, marking the ninth-consecutive game the team has finished with 12 miscues or less.

Sacramento State’s game at Northern Arizona next Saturday is the first of a season-high tying three-game road trip as the Hornets will also play on the road at Eastern Washington (Thursday, Feb. 2) and Portland State (Saturday, Feb. 4). Sacramento State has won three of its last four road games and is 6-5 away from the Hornets Nest this season.