SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento State women's basketball team held one of the Big Sky Conference's top offenses to just 36 percent shooting on the night, but it wasn't enough to push the Hornets past league-leading Montana State on Thursday night, falling to the Bobcats, 67-45, at The Nest.

Sacramento State fell to 10-11 overall and 3-5 in conference play heading into Saturday's match-up with Montana at 2 p.m. Montana State improved to 19-2 overall and remained unbeaten in Big Sky play at 9-0, winning its 12th consecutive contest.

Both teams found the sledding tough in the opening 10 minutes, combining for only 12 points with the Bobcats snatching a lead on a pair of free throws at the end of the period. Sophomore Madison Butcher tied things up once again with the first basket of the second quarter and the Hornets were within a basket after a Katie Peneueta three-pointer 90 seconds later as the Hornets kept Montana State within arms length.

Another three-pointer with 1:24 to play in the opening half drew Sacramento State back to within six, but five straight points by the Bobcats' Esmeralda Morales — including a three-pointer just before the halftime horn — staked the visiting side to a 26-15 lead.

The Hornets, who finished shooting 45 percent from the field in the second half, had their best offensive quarter in the third, but it was a 15-4 burst over a span of 4:21 that put Montana State out of reach, ballooning an eight-point lead to a 19-point advantage and the Bobcats never looked back.

Butcher led the Hornets with nine points on the night as a reserve, while Benthe Versteeg and Peneueta added eight apiece with the former chipping in five assists and three steals. Peneueta led all Hornets with nine rebounds on the night, while senior Jaydia Martin added seven rebounds to go with three assists.

Montana State finished with a 37-34 advantage on the boards, but was decisive in taking advantage of 28 Hornet miscues, turning those into 29 points thanks to 15 steals.