Sacramento State head coach Jerome Jenkins told his players they’d have to score big to beat the high-scoring offense of visiting Northern Arizona.

“I love to score, so that sounded pretty good to me,” junior Jason Harris said.

Harris scored 29 points to lead the Hornets (7-13, 3-4) in a crucial 92-88 Big Sky Conference victory over the Lumberjacks (9-11, 2-5) on Saturday night at the Hornets Nest.

“I thought it was like a heavyweight boxing match,” Jenkins said, “Neither team was able to knock each other out, but we won by points.”

The Hornets connected on 14-of-33 3-pointers to counter the Big Sky’s leading offensive team. It was a season-high in 3-pointers for the Hornets. The Hornets also recorded a season high in total points.

The Hornets have now won six straight home games and seven straight in Big Sky regular season play dating back to last season.

The Hornets were up as many as eight points with 1:19 remaining, but missed free throws and quick Lumberjacks scoring — including two 3-pointers – tightened the score at 90-88 with just five seconds remaining in the game.

DaShawn Freeman connected on both free throws, however, to secure a Hornets victory.

Freeman finished with a career-high 27 points on 8-of-13 shooting — including three 3-pointers and 8-of-11 from the free-throw line. The junior point guard also had seven assists in 30 minutes.

“(Freeman) is a stud,” Jenkins said. “He is our everything and he’s what is making us go right now.”

The hamstring Freeman had been nursing the last three weeks was feeling better both during and after the game, but he knows that won’t last.

“It’s fine now, but it will hurt in the morning,” Freeman said.

Pugh, coming off a 40-point game against William Jessup University earlier in the week, was the third Hornet to score 20 or more points against Northern Arizona, connecting on six 3-pointers and scoring 20 points.

Coming into the week, Pugh had made just 11 3-pointers all season. In his last two games, Pugh has combined for 15 3-pointers.

The Hornets and Lumberjacks came into the night with an identical record in the Big Sky at 2-4. Both teams defeated Idaho State and Weber State at home, but lost to Montana, Montana State, Portland and Eastern Washington.

With the victory, the Hornets move into fifth place in the Big Sky standings. The top six teams advance to the Big Sky Tournament.

The Hornets shot 46.9 percent from the field and 42 percent from behind the arc.

Kyle Landry was a perfect 8-of-8 from the field to lead Northern Arizona with 23 points.

Alex Bausley had 10 points and six rebounds.

Sac State led 42-40 at halftime.

Northern Arizona came into the contest first in the Big Sky in scoring at 75.9 points a game. The Lumberjacks came in last in defense, allowing 73.2 points a game. Just slightly better, the Hornets are directly behind the Lumberjacks in defense at 70.9 points a game.

Both Sac State centers, Aaron Perry and Zane Beekman, fouled out of the game.

Sac State will play two more at home next week, hosting Eastern Washington on Thursday and Portland State on Saturday.

“I feel like if we can win these next two games at home, then we can go on the road and get a victory,” Jenkins said.