In a game that remained close throughout, Montana outlasted David Patrick’s Sacramento State, 68-61, at Dahlberg Arena.
Montana narrowly outscored Sacramento State in the first half (32-29) and second half (36-32) and never trailed after halftime. However, Sacramento State trailed by single digits for nearly the entire second half, slicing the deficit to three points (53-50) with 6:14 to play on an Akol Mawein layup. That capped a 9-0 Sacramento State run, highlighted by a pair of Bailey Nunn 3-pointers.
However, Montana immediately answered with a 7-0 run to go up 10 points, 60-50, at the four-minute mark. Sacramento State would get as close as five points on a 3-ball from Bowyn Beatty with 49 seconds left, but Montana answered with a pair of free throws on its next possession to put the game away. Sacramento State converted on five of their final eight 3-balls of the contest.
Sacramento State, which led for over 12 minutes of the first half, was outrebounded (32-27), but the Hornets converted 13 offensive rebounds to a 15-9 advantage in second-chance points. Sacramento State also turned the ball over just seven times and held a 14-4 advantage in points off miscues.
Montana (18-9, 9-5) improved to 11-3 at home and swept the season series from Sacramento State (6-22, 2-13). However, both of those games were close, including a 70-67 Hornet loss at the Nest on Jan. 27. Of Sacramento State’s 15 games in Big Sky Conference play, 12 have been decided by single digits.
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