GRAND FORKS, N.D. - Sacramento State had a huge first half and led by as many as 19 points early in the second half and the Hornets were able to fend off a late push by North Dakota to finish a 64-62 win on Saturday in Grand Forks.

With the win Sacramento State (12-14, 10-5 Big Sky) clinched a berth in the Big Sky Tournament for the fourth consecutive year. The Hornets also moved ahead of North Dakota (17-10, 9-6 Big Sky) in the conference standings but remain two games behind league-leading Montana (12-3) and a half game behind Eastern Washington (10-4) with three games left in the regular season.

North Dakota had been 10-1 at home this season and 7-0 in Big Sky home games, winning each of its last four home games by at least 14 points, but the Hornets used a brilliant first half to build a big early lead. UND got its deficit down to one point in the final minutes of the game but was never able to pull even.

Sacramento State shot 42% in the first half and most impressively had a 22-16 rebounding edge against a North Dakota team that used three players above 6-0. Both teams started cold from the field as neither team reached double-digits until the Hornets took a 10-8 lead more than eight minutes into the contest.

Reaching double figures was part of an 18-4 run over a five-minute stretch that put the visitors ahead 23-12. North Dakota got back within seven with four minutes left in the half but the Hornets ended the first period on an 11-3 run to lead by 15, 42-27, at the intermission.

The Hornets stayed hot to open the second half, scoring the first four points to take a game-high 19 point lead at 46-27 with 19:11 to play. Sacramento State still led by 11 with nine minutes left before UND went on a 11-1 spurt to shrink the Hornet lead to one point with just under three minutes to play.

North Dakota had a possession to take the lead but misfired, and after a Hornet free throw miss freshman Maranne Johnson drained a three to put Sacramento State ahead 61-57. A free throw by Gretchen Harrigan gave the visitors a five-point lead with 53 seconds left, but UND's Siri Burck hit a three to make it a two-point game.

Senior Fantasia Hilliard answered on the other end with a layup with 11 seconds left but North Dakota's Makailah Dyer came back with a layup to bring the margin back to two points. With three seconds left UND fouled and got a rebound after a missed Hornet free throw, but Hilliard came up with a steal to finish the win.

Sacramento State shot just 28% in the second half and scored only 22 points but had enough to gut out the win. Senior Andrea Chenier led three Hornets in double figures with 12 points, shooting 5-of-11 from the field and making two 3-pointers. Hilliard had 11 with six assists and six steals and junior Adella Randle-El also scored 11 points. Sophomore Margaret Huntington had a game-high 10 rebounds and three steals.

The Hornets made just six 3-pointers while attempting only 25. North Dakota shot 47% for the game and finished with a 41-38 rebounding advantage, but the Hornets had 19 offensive rebounds and outscored UND 18-9 in second chance points. Sacramento State forced 20 turnovers with 12 of their own but had just a 19-14 edge in points off turnovers.

For North Dakota Mia Loyd led the way with 23 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 7-of-12 from the field and 9-of-12 from the free throw line. UND struggled from the free throw line as a team, however, making just 17-of-26 while the Hornets went 8-of-12 at the line. The late 3-pointer by Burck was the only 3-point make of the day for UND, which attempted just four total threes in the game.

Sacramento State plays its final three regular season games at home, starting next Saturday at noon against Portland State. The Hornets beat the Vikings 92-60 in Portland two weeks ago and Portland State has lost 11 consecutive games, including a 40-point loss to Northern Colorado on Saturday.