SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Montana State used a 24-9 run over the first 12

minutes of the second half to break open a close game as the Bobcats

defeated the Sacramento State women's basketball team, 73-64, in a

Big Sky Conference game Thursday evening in Hornet Gym.

The Hornets trailed, 33-32, at halftime but proceeded to miss 10 of

their first 14 shots while committing seven turnovers in the first

11:14 of the second half. Montana State took advantage, building its

lead to 57-41 with 8:46 remaining in the contest.

The Bobcats, who were led by Isabel Stubbs' and Jessica Blake's 19

points, pushed their lead to a game-high 17 points with 6:15

remaining before the Hornets closed the game on a 19-11 run to lose

by nine. Serena Merrill added 11 points to round out the Bobcats in

double figures. Stubbs finished 9-of-12 from the floor while grabbing

a team-high seven rebounds.

Torilynn Boyd led the Hornets with 18 points and a game-high 10

rebounds as the senior recorded her fifth double-double of the

season. Senior Michelle St. Clair (15 pts.) and sophomore Rexanne

Rodriguez (13 pts.) rounded out Sacramento State's top scorers.

With the win, second-place Montana State improved to 16-7 overall and

9-3 in the Big Sky. The loss dropped Sacramento State, which has now

lost five in a row, to 3-18 and 1-10 in the conference.

Both teams shot well from the floor as Montana State knocked down

47.2 percent (25-53) of its shots while Sacramento State shot 45.8

percent (27-59). The Bobcats, however, converted on 21-of-27 free

throws while the Hornets went just 5-of-6 from the charity stripe.

All five starters from both teams played at least 30 minutes as the

Hornets had four players with 40 minutes (St. Clair, Boyd, Rodriguez

and Sephora Scoubes).

Sacramento State returns to action Saturday, Feb. 17, as it welcomes

in Weber State for a 7:05 p.m. contest. The Hornets have just five

games left on the regular season schedule.