Sheehy finished with 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting, while point guard Stephanie Cherry led all scorers with 22 points. The junior out of Suisun, Calif., shot 9-for-20 from the floor, knocked down two three-pointers, dished out a career-high tying four assists and also picked up a game-high five steals.

The Hornets (1-2) were active on defense, forcing the Thunderbirds (2-1) into 24 turnovers and collecting 14 steals, including four from Sheehy, setting a new career high for the Santa Fe, N.M., native.

Southern Utah took an early lead in the game with Sacramento State struggling from the floor. The Hornets trailed 11-2 with 12:14 remaining in the first half, but went on a 9-1 run and took their first lead, 12-11, on Cherry’s layup with 9:01 remaining.

Before the first half ended there were five ties and lead changes, but Southern Utah’s Amy Young hit a jumper with less than two minutes remaining to give the Thunderbirds a 24-21 halftime lead.

In the second half, Sacramento State took its largest lead of the game, 53-48, on Katelyn Ciampi’s jumper with 6:21 remaining, but two three-pointers from Young, who finished the game with 13 points, gave the Thunderbirds a 54-53 lead.

The Hornets again pulled away late in the second half, taking a 59-54 lead, but a bucket from Anne Westwood and Young’s third three-pointer of the game with 35 seconds remaining, evened things up at 59-59 and sent the game into overtime.

Southern Utah took a three-point lead, 65-62, with 2:24 remaining in overtime, but a three-pointer from Sheehy on Sacramento State’s next possession tied the game at 65-65.

During the last minute, the Hornets’ Ashley Cadotte - who posted a game-high 13 rebounds, including 10 offensive - sank a free throw to give Sacramento State a one-point lead. Southern Utah’s Julie Stradling responded to regain the lead with 25 seconds left, before Sheehy sank the game winner with two seconds remaining.

Cadotte’s 13 boards were just one short of her career high. The senior out of Oregon City, Ore., finished with six points, three steals and two assists. Freshman Atty Boyer, a 2005 graduate of El Camino High School, saw her most action of the season and posted a career-high seven points, five rebounds, one steal and one block.

In addition to Young, four other Thunderbirds finished in double figures, led by Stradling’s 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Charmaine Piula also finished with 13 points while dishing out three assists.

Sacramento State now hits the road to play 16th-ranked Texas Tech on Thursday, Dec. 1.