MISSOULA, Mont. – Sacramento State stormed back from down 15 points to take an 86-84 lead with two minutes to play, but Montana made key shots and the Hornets missed their last five field goal attempts as the Lady Griz ended the game on a 10-0 run for a 94-86 win.

In a game with wild swings of momentum, Sacramento State (9-12, 7-3 Big Sky) led by as many as 13 points in a stellar first half, starting the game 9-of-14 from 3-point range. League-leading Montana (15-5, 8-1 Big Sky) got within a one-point deficit at halftime and led by as many as 15 points in the second half before the Hornets came storming back.

Down 14 points at 82-68 with 7:15 left in the game, Sacramento State went on an incredible 16-0 run over the next four minutes to take an 84-82 lead. Consecutive 3-pointers by senior Andrea Chenier and sophomore Hallie Gennett brought the Hornets even and a pair of free throws from sophomore Gretchen Harrigan put the visitors ahead.

Sacramento State still led by two at 86-84 with 2:05 left. Montana's Kellie Rubel hit a jumper with 1:32 to play to level the score, then after a Hornet miss the Griz took the lead with a short running jumper from Alycia Sims with 46 seconds left. With a chance to tie the game Harrigan then missed on a drive to the basket, and with just 26 seconds left the Hornets had to foul on the Montana rebound.

Rubel made both free throws to give the Griz a two-possession lead, and after another Hornet miss on the other end she made two more free throws to put Montana up six. Sacramento State tried two desperation three's before fouling again and Montana escaped with the win.

The loss was a bitter end to a career-best day from Hornet freshman Maranne Johnson, who scored a career-high 20 points while making four 3-pointers. Gennett also hit four threes and had 15 points while sophomore Margaret Huntington had 11 points and nine rebounds off the bench. Senior Fantasia Hilliard came one assist shy of her career high with 11 helpers along with eight points.

The Hornets shot 43.2% overall and 11-of-20 (55%) from 3-point range in the first half, making 10 of their first 16 3-point attempts but going 5-of-21 after that and making just 4-of-17 (23.5%) from three in the second half. Conversely, Montana was held to 40.9% shooting in the first half but was a blistering 16-of-26 (61.5%) in the second half and made 10 threes of their own in the game.

The Lady Griz were also clutch at the free throw line, shooting 16-of-21 overall and 6-of-6 from the line in the final minute to put the game away. Sacramento State forced 21 turnovers but had 15 of its own, below its Big Sky-leading turnover margin for the year, but did outscore the Griz 24-17 on points off turnovers.

The Hornets had 18 offensive rebounds and a 26-16 edge in second chance points but allowed 19 o-boards and were outrebounded 56-38 overall. Sacramento State used a shorter rotation on Saturday than in previous games, with only 10 players seeing action and just nine playing double-digit minutes.

In a building in which the Hornets are now 0-20 all-time, Sacramento State got off to a fantastic start, turning a one-point deficit into an 11-point lead with a 12-0 run early in the first half. A three by Gennett followed by a steal and three from Johnson, all within a 10-second span, gave the visitors a game-high 36-23 lead at the 6:23 mark of the first half.

Montana would close the half on a 23-11 run to trail just 47-46 at the intermission. Paired with its torrid start to the second half, Montana outscored the Hornets 47-19 over a span of roughly 15 minutes, taking its first 15-point lead at 70-55 with 11:47 to play. Sacramento State fought back valiantly but didn't quite have enough to complete a comeback win.

Despite the loss the Hornets remain in second place in the Big Sky with their 7-3 mark, sitting a half-game ahead of North Dakota, while Montana put itself in the driver's seat for a regular season conference championship with Saturday's win and the fact that the Griz and Hornets do not meet again in the regular season. The Hornets play just once next week, facing Portland State at 7 p.m. next Saturday in Portland.