SACRAMENTO -- Trailing by nine points with under a minute to play, Sacramento State sliced the deficit to three points on a pair of occasions in the final stages, but ultimately fell to Portland State, 67-62, on Saturday afternoon at the Nest.

In a game that was a single digit contest for all but 30 seconds, Portland State went up nine points (63-54) with 59 seconds remaining. However, Sacramento State immediately got a 3-pointer from Zach Chappell (0:43), and a steal followed by a three-point play from Teiano Hardee at the 34-second mark.

However, Portland State broke a Hornet press and got an easy lay-in from Khalid Thomas to go back up five points with 17 seconds left. Hardee answered again with a bucket to put the Hornets within, 65-62, at the 11-second mark. The Vikings were able to get past halfcourt on the ensuing possession and Thomas was fouled with six seconds left. Needing just one free throw to ice the game, Thomas made both and Bryce Fowler's 3-point shot at the buzzer was off the mark as the Vikings settled for the five-point win.

The Hornets, who had won two of their last three, dropped to 5-7 overall and 1-4 in the Big Sky Conference. Sacramento State was coming off a 14-point road win at Northern Colorado, and had beaten Portland State four consecutive times at home dating back to 2017. However, it was not to be as the Hornets, uncharacteristically, dropped to 2-4 in the Nest.

The Vikings were playing their first game since Dec. 30, but the team's defensive rust did not show as they improved to 4-8 overall and 2-2 in league.

PSU limited the Hornets to 42% (21-50) shooting from the field and 28% (5-18) from the 3-point line. The Vikings did a great job on Hornet swingman Bryce Fowler, who entered the contest second in the Big Sky at 22.8 points per game in league play. Fowler scored a season-low six points (first time this year he didn't notch double figures), and Chappell, fresh off a 24-point game at Northern Colorado, was limited to nine points.

Portland State didn't shoot much better (43% FG, 20% 3FG), but made five more shots from the field than Sacramento State. The Vikings turned 12 offensive rebounds into 13 second chance points, and also scored 16 points off 14 Hornet turnovers. The Vikings used a 10-2 run to close the first half and entered the break with a 32-27 lead. They never trailed in the second half.

Sacramento State forward Cameron Wilbon played well again, notching his first collegiate double-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and a steal. Over his last three games, Wilbon is averaging 15.0 points and 8.3 boards per contest. Hardee finished with a season-best 13 points (10 in the second half) to go with five rebounds.

Chappell had nine points, four rebounds and four assists, Hugo Clarkin posted eight points (4-4 FG) and five rebounds, and Fowler registered six points, four rebounds, seven assists and two steals. William FitzPatrick had six points and three rebounds, and Marcus Greene added three points.

Clarkin started in place of Jonathan Komagum, who missed today's game along with Deshaun Highler, Elijah McCullough and Akili Evans.

Portland State had three players in double figures, comprised of Jacob Eyman (14 pts, 8 reb), Thomas (13 pts, 10 reb) and Ezekiel Alley (13 points off the bench).

Sacramento State will now embark upon a seven-day road trip (Jan. 19-25) that will see the team play three times over five days. That includes Jan. 20 at Eastern Washington, Jan. 22 at Idaho, and Jan. 24 at Northern Arizona. After that trip, the Hornets will enjoy a stretch that will see the team play five home games over a three-week span from Jan. 27-Feb. 12.