Alldrin, who has now led the Hornets in scoring four times this season, shot 7-of-13 from the floor and was 7-of-9 from the free-throw line. Also scoring in double figures for the ninth time this season was sophomore guard Kim Sheehy, who added 15 points, scoring a career-high tying five three-pointers.

Sacramento State (7-17, 3-8) still holds on to the sixth spot in the Big Sky Conference and hosts its final three games of the regular season at the Hornets Nest. The top six teams in the Big Sky advance to the postseason conference tournament.

“Now it comes down to us taking care of business at home,” head coach Dan Muscatell said. “We are in control of our own destiny.”

Sacramento State had a lead as big as 14 points in the second half, 46-32, with 14:41 to go, but the Hornets were held to just five points in the next six minutes of the game, with Montana State rallying off a 14-5 run. During that stretch, Montana State’s Katie Burrows scored four of her game-high 26 points, while Alyssa Nelson scored five, finishing the game with 11.

Down only 51-46 after their run, the Bobcats were momentarily quieted by a jump shot and made free-throw from sophomore guard Stephanie Cherry, but Erin Goodman sank two of her three field goals, including a three-pointer to cut the Hornets lead to 55-53.

The Bobcats scored on their next three possessions to take their first lead of the game, 59-57, since the 16:04 mark of the first half. The Hornets tied the game at 61-61 with 2:48 remaining as junior forward Ashley Cadotte sank two free throws, but the Bobcats responded with two three-pointers in the final moments of the game to go ahead 69-65.

“They were hitting all kinds of shots,” Muscatell said about the end of the game. “At the beginning of the game we played at a pace where we were able to utilize the clock. Toward the end of the game, we were sloppy with the basketball and we were taking quick shots. Montana State was getting easy shots in transition and we couldn’t stop them.”

Also in double figures for the Bobcats was Brandie Buckless with 13 and Goodman with 10. Montana State remains in seventh place in the conference with an overall record of 8-15 and a 2-8 record in the Big Sky.

After shooting just 32.0 percent in the first half, the Bobcats shot 70.4 percent from the floor in the second half. Burrows also scored 18 of her 26 points in the second half.

In the first half, Sacramento State held the Bobcats to just 10 points with less than four minutes until halftime before Buckless hit a three pointer to make the score 24-13 in favor of the Hornets with 3:27 to go. Sacramento State extended its first half lead to 29-13 with a three-pointer from junior forward Lindsey Heard, but Montana State scored on its final three possessions of the half to narrow the Hornets’ halftime lead to 34-23.

“The first 17 minutes of the game was unquestionably the best basketball we have played all season at both ends of the floor,” Muscatell said.

The Hornets also played without starting guard and leading scorer, Tyeisha Brown, who left the game in the first minute with a knee injury.

Sacramento State will next host Northern Arizona on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 2:05 p.m. at the Hornets Nest.