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PORTLAND, Ore. -- Despite a late comeback that saw the Hornets cut their deficit to a single possession game three times in the final 78 seconds, Portland State was able to beat Sacramento State, 76-72, on Saturday evening at Viking Pavilion. The game marked the regular season finale for both teams.

The Hornets (15-14, 8-12) will now turn their attention to the Big Sky Conference Tournament, which runs Wednesday-Saturday in Boise, Idaho. Sacramento State will be the No. 9 seed and take on No. 8 Weber State (12-19, 8-12) in the first round on Wednesday morning at 8:30 a.m. PDT.

The loser of that game is eliminated from the single elimination event while the winner will take on No. 1 seed Eastern Washington on Thursday in the quarterfinals at 11 a.m. PDT. The semifinals take place on Friday and the championship game is Saturday at 5 p.m. PDT. The winner of the championship receives an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament, a place the Hornets have not been since the 1978-88 Div. II team accomplished the feat. Sacramento State made the jump to the Div. I ranks in 1991.

All 11 teams qualify for the Big Sky Tournament and the top five seeds earn a first round bye. The seedings for the tournament are as follows: No. 1 Eastern Washington, No. 2 Northern Colorado, No. 3 Montana, No. 4 Portland State, No. 5 Montana State, No. 6 Northern Arizona, No. 7 Southern Utah, No. 8 Weber State, No. 9 Sacramento State, No. 10 Idaho and No. 11 Idaho State.

Portland State won its sixth straight game while improving to 18-14 overall and 12-8 in league. The Vikings and Hornets split the season series as the Hornets won at the Nest by a 66-55 score on Jan. 23.

Sacramento State will enter the tournament having split its final eight games of the regular season. All four of the losses during that stretch came by eight points or less, and three of them by four points or fewer. The Hornets have played just one neutral site game this year and that resulted in a 61-51 win over UC Davis at the Golden 1 Center on Nov. 20.

The Vikings led for over 33 minutes of game clock, including the final 23:39 of the contest. However, Sacramento State kept things close throughout as Portland State never led by more than 11 points. The Hornets used an 11-3 run over a 3:24 stretch late in the second half to trail by just three points (70-67) with 1:18 to play. Sacramento State also had the game at a single possession contest at the 0:17 and 0:03 marks but could not get over the hump. Portland State's Holland Woods went 6-for-6 from the free throw line over the game's final 27 seconds to help seal the victory.

The Hornets shot 44% (24-55) from the field, 38% (6-16) from the 3-point line and 75% (18-24) from the free throw line, but committed 17 costly turnovers which turned into 24 Portland State points. The Vikings converted the same amount of field goals as the Hornets (42%, 24-58), but made one more 3-pointer (7-21) and three more free throws (21-31). Sacramento State had 37 rebounds, including 14 on the offensive glass and 15 second chance points.

Five Hornets scored in double figures and seven finished with seven points or better. Leading the way was Joshua Patton who had 14 points, nine rebounds, two steals and three blocks in 32 minutes. Bryce Fowler had 12 points and four assists, and Izayah Mauriohooho-Le'afa posted 12 points, four rebounds and three steals before fouling out for the first time all season with 1:47 remaining.

Chibueze Jacobs filled the stat sheet with 10 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, a block and a +5 in plus/minus. Rounding out the five Sacramento State players in double figures was Brandon Davis who had 10 points. Ethan Esposito added seven points and five rebounds, and Osi Nwachukwu had seven points, three boards and a steal.

Woods finished with 22 points for Portland State, including 13-of-16 from the free throw line.

NOTES -- Sacramento State and Weber State split the season series with both teams winning at home. The Hornets won in the Nest on Jan. 11 by a 71-57 score. The Wildcats won in Ogden, 70-66, on Feb. 6. In that game, Wildcat senior guard Jerrick Harding set the Dee Events Center record with 44 points on 14-for-21 shooting from the field, 5-of-10 from the 3-point line and 11-for-11 from the free throw line.