SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Montana outscored Sacramento State, 12-4, in

overtime to secure a 72-64 victory over the Hornets in a Big Sky

Conference women's basketball game Thursday evening in Hornet Gym.

The Grizzlies' Linda Cummings scored six of her game-high 24 points

and Lauren Cooper chipped in five of her 12 points in overtime to

lead Montana. The Hornets had a 60-57 lead with 27 seconds left in

regulation before Cheryl Keller buried a three-pointer to tie the

score, 60-60, with 12 seconds to play. The Hornets had a chance to

win at the end of regulation but Tola Tallman's wide open 10-footer

bounced off the rim as time expired.

With the victory, Montana finished the regular season with a 19-8

overall record and an 11-5 mark in the Big Sky. Sacramento State,

which plays its final game Saturday night against Idaho State,

dropped to 3-22 overall and 1-14 in the conference. The Hornets have

now lost nine in a row.

Sacramento State was led in the game by senior Torilynn Boyd's 16

points while Tallman finished with her third double-double of the

season (15 points and a game-high 15 rebounds).

Montana, which led 31-23 at halftime, bumped its lead to a game-high

12 points at 35-23 with 18:09 left in the game. After exchanging two

baskets, Sacramento State went on a 15-4 run over the next eight

minutes to cut the deficit to one point at 43-42 with 8:18 left in

regulation.

After the Grizzlies increased their lead to 52-48 with 5:30 to play,

the Hornets went on a 8-0 run highlighted by Michelle St. Clair's

third three-pointer of the game to go up, 56-52, with 3:34 left.

Cummings followed with a three-pointer at the 3:28 mark before the

Hornets' Sephora Scoubes answered with a jumper to give the Hornets a

58-55 advantage with 2:39 left. Keller responded with a lay-up before

Tallman knocked down a pair of free throws to put the Hornets up

three with 27 seconds left in regulation.

In the extra session, the Hornets went just 2-of-9 from the field

while Montana shot 2-of-5 from the floor (including a pair of

three-pointers by Cummings) and 6-of-8 from the free throw line.

The Hornets lost the game despite controlling the boards, 48-36, and

holding the Grizzlies to 39.4 percent (26-66) shooting from the

field. However, Sacramento State committed 24 turnovers and went

7-of-12 from the free throw line while Montana knocked down 14-of-18

from the charity stripe. The Grizzles also held St. Clair, the Big

Sky's leading scorer, to nine points.

Sacramento State closes out its season this Saturday, March 3, as it

hosts Idaho State at 7:05 p.m. Seniors Boyd and St. Clair will be

honored prior to the contest.