The Hornets, now 5-10 overall and 1-2 in conference, finished with four players in double figures, led by junior forward Lindsey Heard, who scored a team and career-high 16 points. In the last five minutes of the game, the Roseburg, Ore., native was 6-of-6 from the free-throw line, a career best, to help seal the win for Sacramento State.

Sophomore guard Kim Sheehy and junior forward Katelyn Ciampi combined with Heard to shoot 9-of-10 from the line in overtime.

“It’s nice to get a win at home, where we did not win a Big Sky game last season,” second-year head coach Dan Muscatell said. “This was an exciting game for us and our fans.”

The win over the Bobcats (6-9, 0-2) at the Nest snaps a 26-home game Big Sky losing streak that dates back to the 2000-01 season. The Hornets'' 5-10 overall record is the best start for the team since the 1995-96 season. Sacramento State has also not won a Big Sky game this early on in the season, since the 1999-00 season, when the Hornets defeated Weber State in their first conference game of the year.

Playing a career-high 39 minutes, Ciampi finished the game with her second double-double of the season, scoring a season-high 14 points (5-of-10 from the floor) and collecting 12 rebounds (one short of her career high). Ciampi also tied a career high with three blocks, brining her season total to 16. Ciampi, who had not been to the free-throw line in the last three games, shot a career-high nine from the charity stripe and made a season-high four.

Junior guard Cindy Alldrin finished with 13 points and a team-high four assists, while Sheehy sank three three-pointers en route to her 12 points. Sheehy has now scored at least one three-pointer in the last eight games.

The Hornets are now undefeated and 2-0 in overtime this season, defeating UC Irvine 70-68 on Dec. 21. The team is also 4-3 at the Nest.

“We played well together and we struggled together,” Muscatell said. “It wasn’t just one person doing something right or one person doing something wrong. This is a great sign that we are coming together as a team.”

Sacramento State dished out 16 assists, while holding onto the ball and committing only 15 turnovers. The Hornets also combined to hit 15 three-pointers, one short of their season high. Sacramento State, who came into the game second in the Big Sky, averaging 11.07 steals per game, finished with 15, again just one short of their season high. The Hornets also forced the Bobcats into 28 turnovers.

For only the fifth time this season, Sacramento State took the initial lead on a layup from junior forward Ashley Cadotte. The Hornets held the Bobcats scoreless until the 14:45 mark, when Brandie Buckless hit a three-pointer to make the score 6-3. Sacramento State extended its lead to seven with the score 15-8, before Montana State started a 12-5 run in the last six minutes of the half. Four three-pointers from Buckless, Whitney Connolly, Katie Proietti and Alysssa Nelson evened the score at 20-20 at the break. It was the first time this season that Sacramento State has not trailed at halftime.

In the second half, Sacramento State built its lead with two Sheehy three-pointers and one from Alldrin in the first three minutes. The Hornets went on to score on four-straight possessions in the next two minutes on the way to their 10-point lead, (their largest lead over any opponent this season) 47-37, with 8:52 left in the game.

Montana State again used its shot from behind the arc to comeback, scoring three three-pointers before the end of regulation and also getting nine points from Katie Burrows in that time frame. Burrows finished with a game-high 26 points. The Bobcats were down 57-54 with six seconds left on the clock, when Hillary Scott nailed a three-pointer to send the game into overtime.

“Everybody came together,” said Muscatell of his team in the overtime period. “(After the three-pointer) they kind of let the air out of their balloon, but this is a great crew. They don’t get over excited or overly rattled.”

In overtime, Buckless, who hit four three-pointers in the game, again struck from behind the arc, but sophomore guard Stephanie Cheery sank a layup to give Sacramento State a 63-61 lead with 1:39 to go. Alldrin then scored a layup while Ciampi sank a free throw and Heard sank four from the line to end the game.

Sacramento State was outrebounded 43-36, but did grab a game-high 14 offensive rebounds, lead by Ciampi’s six.