SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Senior Katie Peneueta finished with a team-high 19 points to lead a group of four Sacramento State players in double figures and the visiting Hornets spoiled league-leading Montana State's bid for an undefeated conference season, posting a 73-69 victory over the Bobcats on Saturday afternoon in Bozeman, Mont.
The Hornets improved to 13-17 overall with the win and 6-11 in Big Sky play, handing the Bobcats only their third loss of the year — and their first since Dec. 7 against Oral Roberts — as well as snapping Montana State's 19-game winning streak, which ranked tied for the second-longest in the nation. Montana State, which also lost at home for the first time all season, enters its regular season finale on Monday with a 26-3 overall record and a 16-1 mark in conference play.
Peneueta finished 7-of-9 from the floor overall and 5-of-6 from beyond the arc en route to her team-high total, adding seven rebounds and a steal in 37 minutes. Junior Benthe Versteeg scored all 17 of her points in the second half, following up her triple-double against Montana on Thursday with a double-double on Saturday by adding 11 assists to go with seven rebounds.
Sophomore Lina Falk finished with 15 points, followed by Jaydia Martin, who scored in double figures for the seventh consecutive contest after her 14-point, five-rebound, four-assist performance on Saturday.
The Hornets won the second half, 42-31, after trailing by eight at the break, using a 26-point third quarter in which they shot 56 percent from the field to take control of the contest. After trading baskets to start the third, Sacramento State exploded for a 15-0 run to turn that eight-point halftime deficit into an eight-point lead at 48-40 with 5:09 to play.
Montana State had an answer, though, responding with a 14-5 burst over the next three-and-a-half minutes to regain the lead, 54-53, but the Hornets kept their composure. Freshman Rubi Gray and Versteeg each sank a pair from the line in the final 67 seconds to carry a three-point, 57-54, advantage into the final period.
Neither team led by more than five in the fourth quarter, but the Bobcats threatened a come back once again after Versteeg's opening bucket, getting back-to-back jumpers to make it a one-point game just 66 seconds into the period.
Martin answered with a three-pointer on the Hornets' next possession to extend the advantage, but neither side could put together a game-clinching run. Versteeg and Esmeralda Morales traded free throws near the midway point of the quarter and a lay-up by Versteeg rebuilt her team's advantage to four, but could not pull away.
Morales answered with a three at the other end and, after a 1-for-2 at the line by the Hornets, tied the game at 67 apiece with 2:28 to play on a pair of free throws by Taylor Janssen. Versteeg came up clutch again with a jumper to regain the lead for the Hornets, but two from the line by Katelynn Martin with 1:25 to play tied the game once again.
After a Sacramento State turnover and a Montana State miss at the other end, Versteeg was able to find room inside, putting back a Martin miss to break the tie with 37 seconds to go, forcing the Bobcats to call a timeout. Montana State, however, couldn't answer, throwing the ball away with 18 seconds to go, giving Sacramento State a chance to salt the game away.
The Hornets called a time out to advance the ball, but the Bobcats were able to come up with the steal they needed off the inbounds pass, forcing a jump ball with the possession arrow in their favor for one last attempt at a tie or a win. However, Morales missed her game-tying attempt with four seconds remaining as Versteeg corralled the rebound and hit two free throws at the other end to ice the game.
Sacramento State shot just under 45 percent from the field in winning for only the fifth time in Bozeman, while also outrebounding Montana State, 34-28. The Bobcats hit 43 percent from the floor overall.
The Hornets host the final basketball game in The Nest on Monday (March 3) at 6:30 p.m., welcoming Portland State to Northern California. Prior to tip-off, Sacramento State will honor seniors Jaydia Martin and Katie Peneueta for their contributions to the program in a pregame ceremony.
