Jerome Jenkins sat in his hotel room in Pocatello, Idaho, on Saturday night, listening to the radio as his Hornets defeated Idaho State on Jason Harris’ overtime buzzer-beating layup.

The men’s basketball head coach was suspended two nights prior for his actions and comments following a controversial last-second layup in a loss to Weber State.

When Jameel Pugh’s full-court outlet pass found Jason Harris for a game-winning layup just before the buzzer in overtime, Jenkins ran out to the hotel parking lot and screamed as loud as he could.

“I was running through the lobby of the hotel and everyone just understood,” Jenkins said. “People in Pocatello were actually happy for me.”

Jenkins said he received calls on his cell phone from different Hornets players after the game in support and could even hear Chris Lange on the Idaho State radio broadcast yelling, “We did it for you coach!”

“I am so proud of the players and the coaches,” Jenkins said.

Assistant coach Zac Claus coached the Hornets in the win. Pugh led all scorers with 24 points. Harris scored 21 points and Lange had a career-high 20 points and 8 rebounds.

It was the Hornets (9-15, 5-6) first road win of the season and placed them alone in fourth place in Big Sky Conference standings.

The 99-97 win ended almost identical to Sac State’s 57-55 loss to Weber State in the Hornets previous game. With just seconds left in the game at Weber State, the Wildcats picked up a loose ball that had been slapped away from Harris and sunk a layup as the buzzer sounded.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported that it took game officials a couple of seconds to rule the basket good. When they did, Jenkins charged toward the officials and had to be restrained by security, the Tribune reported.

According to a Big Sky Conference press release, Jenkins’ comments that the Hornets “should be playing for overtime” to the Standard Examiner, Ogden, Utah’s newspaper, and his inability to control his players led to the suspension.

“I am very apologetic for my actions,” Jenkins said following the announcement of his suspension. “You have to respect the officials call. I never should have put us in that situation and I am backing the Big Sky in their decision.

“I deserve it and it will never happen again.”

Jenkins said that, despite speculation, he never attempted to go into the officials’ locker room.

“I was walking that way and passed four or five people that I thought would tell me I couldn’t go in there and when I got to the doorway, I started to turn around.”

Jenkins said that’s when security and Claus grabbed him.

“It just looked real bad,” Jenkins said. “I am willing to bet my house the officials didn’t even know I was behind them.”

The Salt Lake Tribune also reported that Sac State freshman Randy Adams was challenging spectators to fight him on the floor and senior E.J. Harris made inappropriate gestures at Weber State fans.

Jenkins said both players will be reprimanded for their actions.

“This team is like a family and I’m the father,” Jenkins said. “It will be taken care of inside the family and they will be held accountable.”

The Hornets will play at home against the two teams directly ahead of them in the Big Sky standings this weekend; Montana (12-11, 6-4) at 7:05 p.m. tomorrow and against Montana State (13-10, 8-2) at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday.