SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Isnelle Natabou scored 25 points and Lianna Tillman added 21 but the pair were countered by 29 from Sophia Stiles who led Montana to a 59-53 win over the Sacramento State women's basketball on Friday night at The Nest.

The win improved the Grizzlies to 19-10 overall and 12-8 in the Big Sky Conference. The Hornets closed the regular season at 14-15 overall and 10-10 in league games. Based on results from earlier in the day, the game had major seeding implications as the winner would earn a first round bye in next week's Big Sky Tournament in Boise, Idaho. With the victory, Montana claimed the No. 5 seed and will face No. 4 Northern Arizona in the second round on Tuesday. Sacramento State will be the No. 7 seed and will take on No. 10 Weber State on Monday at 4:30 p.m. PT.

Friday night's contest featured eight lead changes and seven ties. The final tie came at 48-48 when Natabou scored with 7:37 remaining. Montana took the lead on a Stiles basket on the next possession and extended its advantage with 52-48 following the Hornets coming up empty on two offensive chances. Natabou drew the team within two with 4:32 left but that would prove to be her final points of the night.

The Griz scored the next five points over four minutes as Sacramento State missed six consecutive shots and also had a turnover during the stretch. Tillman's three with 18 seconds left made it 57-54 before Stiles iced the game with two free throws.

The Hornets found themselves down seven early after making just one of their first 10 shots. However, Sacramento State clawed its way back to tie the score 12-12 at the end of the first quarter. Montana struck first in the second quarter on a three from Sammy Fatkin to break the deadlock before Natabou scored twice and Tillman added a step-back jumper to make it 19-15 in favor of the home team.

That lead proved to be short-lived as the Griz scored six in a row to move ahead 23-21 following Carmen Gfeller's layoff off a turnover. After Sacramento State got back within one, Haley Huard and Stiles both scored for Montana in the final two minutes to give the team a 28-24 halftime lead.

Both teams found their offensive rhythms in the third quarter as Sacramento State outscored the Grizzlies, 19-18. The Hornets tied the game at 36-36 on a Natabou layup and Tillman gave the team its first lead since the opening quarter with a three. Stiles matched the triple on Montana's next trip down the court and Nyah Morris-Nelson added a three of her own to swing the lead back to UM.

Summer Menke and Tillman each scored for Sacramento State to give the team a one-point lead, 43-42, before Stiles converted a driving layup and Abby Anderson scored with three seconds left in the period to make it a three-point game.

Sacramento State endured its worst shooting performance of the season since Nov. 23 as the team made 32.8 percent of its attempts (21-64). The majority of the troubles came from behind the arc as the team was just 5-of-24 (.208).

Montana shot 43.9 percent overall (25-57) and made 4-of-10 from long range. Individually, Stiles was 13-of-25 and had six rebounds and three assists with her 29 points. Gfeller added 13 points and three rebounds.

Natabou and Tillman combined for 46 of the team's 53 points. Natabou, who missed her first four shots of the game, but made 10 of her last 13 attempts and was 5-of-6 at the line. She also had seven rebounds. Tillman played all 40 minutes but was 8-of-28 shooting, including 4-of-12 from three. Menke led all players in the game with 10 rebounds.

Prior to the start of the contest, Sacramento State recognized five seniors who were playing at The Nest for the final time. The group was comprised of Tillman, Menke, Emily Enochs, Jazzy Carrasco and Summer Abney.