SACRAMENTO -- Senior Zach Chappell scored with five seconds left in regulation to force overtime, and then added the game winner with two seconds left in the extra session, to lift Sacramento State to an 87-85 win over Denver on Wednesday evening at the Nest.

Chappell scored all his points after halftime, including 21 of the team's 38 points in the second half, and four more points in overtime. None were bigger than his buckets at the end of regulation and OT. Both were contested drives to the basket that resulted in layups as Denver could not stop Chappell's quick first step and speed in each clutch moment.

In a game that went back and forth the entire way, there were nine ties, nine lead changes, and both teams led for slightly more than 20 minutes of game clock. Chappell scored the Hornets' final four points of regulation to overcome a 71-67 deficit with under 30 seconds to play. He knocked down a pair of clutch free throws with 21 seconds left, and then hit a contested four-foot runner to force OT. Denver's Tommy Bruner had a contested 3-point attempt at the buzzer rim out, and Sacramento State found itself playing overtime for the second time in the last three games.

Overtime featured four ties, a pair of lead changes, and neither team led by more than four points. A Hunter Marks four-point play gave the Hornets their first lead of the extra session at 83-79 with 1:23 remaining. Denver would score six of the game's next eight points, capped by a Touko Tainamo corner 3-ball to tie things at 85-85 with 27 seconds left.

That set up the final play of the game that saw Chappell dribble the clock down to five seconds before making an explosive move to the cup that resulted in a layup with two seconds remaining. The Pioneers' desperation heave from half court drew iron, but missed, as the buzzer sounded.

The win was the second of the season for the Hornets over Denver. That included a 73-69 win in Denver on Nov. 14. In fact, both of Denver's losses have come to Sacramento State, as the Pioneers (8-2) are off to their best start in their Div. I era (1998-pres.). Denver, which had their six-game winning streak snapped, had already beaten two teams from the Big Sky Conference in Idaho and Idaho State.

Sacramento State, playing just its second home game of the season and first since Nov. 18, improved to 4-5. Seven of the team's first eight games were played away from home, including each of the last four prior to this evening. The Hornets are now 2-0 inside the Nest, and play at home again on Saturday afternoon vs. Long Beach State. Sacramento State was playing its third straight game that was decided in the final minutes.

Both teams shot 50% from the field, converted 14 free throws, and scored 50 points in the paint. Sacramento State went 14-for-15 from the free throw line, and 7-of-18 (39%) from the 3-point line. The Hornets had a season-best 20 assists on 33 made buckets, as well as a season-high nine steals (three from Gianni Hunt). Both teams scored the same amount of points in the first (33) and second (38) halves, before the Hornets outscored the Pioneers, 16-14, in the extra session.

Four Hornets scored in double figures, led by Chappell's season-high 25 points on 8-for-13 shooting, 3-of-4 from distance, and 6-for-6 from the free throw line. It marked his third straight game with at least 17 points, and he is averaging 21.7 ppg over that stretch.

Cameron Wilbon had 15 points, five rebounds, two steals and a career-high eight assists in 37 minutes. Akol Mawein finished with 15 points, seven boards and two blocked shots, and center Callum McRae posted 10 points (six in OT), seven rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals. Austin Patterson finished with nine points and six rebounds. Marks registered nine points (four in OT) and three rebounds. Hunt and Quadry Adams each had two points.

Bruner had a game-high 26 points and six assists for Denver. That included 15 in the second half, and five in overtime.

The Hornets return to action for another home game on Saturday vs. Long Beach State at 3:30 p.m. That game is part of a doubleheader that will see the Hornet women host CSU Bakersfield at 1 p.m.