Sacramento State’s strong second half runs weren’t enough for the Hornets to overcome University of San Francisco in a 75-70 non-conference defeat at the Hornets Nest on Tuesday.

The Hornets (1-5) have now lost four straight games.

“There’s never a positive loss,” head coach Jerome Jenkins said. “But we’re not going to quit. We will not have the loser mentality that some (previous) Sac State programs had.”

The Hornets trailed by as many as 17, but cut the Dons lead to just one with 2:30 remaining in the contest. USF senior John Cox hit a number of big shots down the stretch to quiet Sac State runs – including a jumper to begin a 6-0 run that ultimately closed the door on the Hornets.

“I’m the leader, so I have to step up,” Cox said. “The crowd did get crazy tonight. The basket was shaking.”

Cox, the cousin of NBA star Kobe Bryant, scored 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting and three 3-pointers. Cox came into the game as the Dons leading scorer, averaging 24.3 points per game.

The Hornets did finally outscore an opponent in the second half, 42-39, for the first time all season. The Hornets trailed 36-28 at halftime.

“I was kind of glad we were down at halftime,” Jason Harris said. “It was better not having to worry about holding onto a lead.”

The Dons opened the half on a 12-3 run to jump out to a 17-point lead, but the Hornets rallied to within just four points with ten minutes to play. The Dons answered the run with eight unanswered of their own, extending their lead to 60-48 with just over eight minutes to play.

Jason Harris led the charge as the Hornets rallied again – scoring eight unanswered points to cut the deficit to four with five minutes to play, but a 3-pointer by Cox pushed it back to seven.

The Hornets last push, cutting it to just one, came after senior Jameel Pugh drove and scored one of just two of his baskets.

Pugh continued to struggle from the field, shooting 2-of-11 – including 0-for-5 in 3-pointers – and finishing with just six points in 28 minutes.

Pugh, in his last four games, has now made just 11-of-45 shots and 2-of-21 from 3-point range. Pugh is currently shooting 26 percent from the field and 20 percent in 3-pointers.

With 39 seconds remaining in the contest and the Hornets trailing by four, Pugh fired an off-balance 3-pointer with two defenders in his face, leaving an open Alex Bausley – a 45 percent 3-point shooter – wide open on the wing.

Jason Harris and Bausley led the Hornets in scoring with 19 points apiece. Jason Harris also had seven rebounds.

DaShawn Freeman scored 11 points to go along with six assists and five steals.

The Hornets started E.J. Harris, Jason Harris, Pugh, Randy Adams and Aaron Perry. Freeman and Bausley have come off the bench in the team’s last two games to help strengthen the young team’s bench, Jenkins said.

Bausley and Freeman played 30 and 29 minutes, respectively.

The Hornets failed to score until the 15:03 mark when a 3-pointer by Perry gave the Hornets a 3-2 lead.

Jenkins said in an interview Monday that he hoped to start establishing more of an inside game with his big men, but guys on the team still have to earn his trust before he starts feeding them the ball.

The Hornets struggled inside early, and moved the ball back outside. Three of the first four Sac State field goals were 3-pointers.

The Hornets shot just 36.3 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from behind the arc. The Dons shot 49 percent from the floor and 39 percent in 3-pointers.

“The progress really took a step up here (at Sac State),” Cox said. “They’re going to win a lot of games this year.”

However, the Hornets schedule won’t get any easier until conference play. The Hornets will play four of there next five games on the road including three straight at Fresno State, Saint Mary’s and UC Riverside.

The Hornets will face Fresno State on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at the Save Mart Center.

“We are going to start winning,” Bausley said.