Box Score SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Sacramento State led by 18 at the half, but stumbled in the second half as Eastern Washington came from behind to defeat the Hornets, 78-73, Thursday night in the Nest.
With the loss, Sacramento State falls to 8-17 overall and 6-10 in the Big Sky. Eastern Washington improves to 4-20 on the season and 3-12 in league.
Sacramento State used a dominant 34-point second quarter to run away from the Eagles. The Hornets shot 59%, including 54.5% (6-11) from three in the second quarter while holding the Eagles to just 15 points.
The quarter featured a 15-0 run by the Hornets, who ended the half leading by 18, 46-28.
While Sacramento State ran the first half, it was the Eagles who came out of the locker room in control in the second half. Eastern Washington chipped away at the lead in the third quarter before exploding for a 34-point quarter of its own in the fourth.
The Eagles shot an unbelievable 81.8% (9-11) in the fourth quarter, including 71.4% (5-7) from beyond the arc. Sacramento State managed just 14 points in the final 10 minutes as Eastern Washington rushed back to take the lead for good with two minutes remaining in the game.
The game felt very similar to the teams' last meeting, although with the opposite result. The Hornets overcame a 19-point deficit to defeat the Eagles, 74-67, on Feb. 1 in Cheney, Wash.
Tiana Johnson had a strong game for the Hornets, finishing just shy of her third career double-double with 20 points and nine rebounds. The sophomore was 10-for-18 overall from the floor.
Camariah King finished with a team-high seven assists, though Gabi Bade (five) and Summer Menke (four) weren't far behind.
Menke finished with 13 points, second most on the team. Bade also added three steals and six rebounds before leaving the game in the second quarter with an apparent injury.
There are just four games remaining in the regular season as Sacramento State is back in action Saturday against Idaho. Tip off against the Vandals on Feb. 22 is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. PT.
Saturday's game will stream live online on Pluto.TV and live stats can be found at HornetStats.com. All details – including specific links – can be found by visiting the Sacramento State women's basketball homepage online at HornetSports.com.