Sacramento State drops Montana State with big 2nd half

Jan 14, 2018, 05:44 am

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Justin Strings had 31 points on 14-of-24 shooting on Saturday night and Sacramento State shot 59 percent from the field to beat Montana State 87-68.

Joshua Patton added a career-high-tying 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting and had five blocks. Izayah Mauriohoohoo-Le'Afa had 14 points and 10 assists, and Calvin Martin had 13 points and seven rebounds for the Hornets (5-13, 2/3 Big Sky Conference).

Patton scored all of Sacramento State's points in a 10-2 run early in the second half that helped the Hornets take control with a 58-49 lead. The Bobcats (11-8, 4-2) cut the deficit to four, but Sacramento State answered with an 18-4 run to lead 78-60. The margin got no closer than 16 in the final five minutes.

Tyler Hall had 20 points, and Harald Frey and Benson Osayande scored 10 each for Montana State, which lost its second in a row after opening the conference season with four straight wins.