In a game emblematic of the two teams’ history, the Hornets once again came out on the losing end against Weber State.

Sacramento State, despite overcoming an 18-2 first half deficit, fell 74-71 to the Wildcats in the first round of the Big Sky Conference Tournament on Saturday night. It was the third consecutive season the Wildcats knocked the Hornets out of the tournament and the second straight time the Wildcats did it in Sacramento.

The Hornets trailed by just one with roughly a minute to play, and looked to have taken their first lead since opening the game up 2-0, but a controversial offensive goaltending call wiped away a Jason Harris basket. The official ruled that a Hornet touched the ball while it was on the rim, previous to Harris’ offensive rebound.

The Hornets caught a break on the Wildcats’ next possession as Wildcats center Lance Allred missed a pair of free throws, giving the Hornets another opportunity, down just one.

DaShawn Freeman drove and missed, leading to a loose ball foul call that sent freshman Randy Adams to the free throw line with 21 seconds left, but Adams missed on both attempts.

The Hornets immediately fouled, but this time the Wildcats converted on both free throws. Trailing by three, Jenkins elected not to call a timeout and Freeman quickly dribbled down court and missed a 3-pointer.

“Coach Cravens is a very good coach,” Jenkins said. “I didn’t want him to set up his defense. If we get to the basket maybe something happens.”

In Sac State’s last game, Jenkins made the same decision and Freeman won the game on a 3-pointer.

“All of our games have been emotional close games, so I didn’t expect this one to be any different,” Jameel Pugh said.

Pugh, who complained of a sore back after the game, finished his last game as a Hornet shooting just 4-of-13 from the field for nine points. Freeman finished 4-of-18 for 13 points. Freeman also had six assists and four steals.

Jason Harris led the Hornets with 25 points on 7-of-12 shooting — including 9-of-11 from the line — and six rebounds.

Coric Riggs, who scored eight of Weber’s first 10 points, led the Wildcats with 22.

Allred finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds before being ejected late in the contest.

Allred earned a technical in the first half for slamming the ball down and got his second with six seconds left for turning towards the Hornets’ crowd and taunting.

The technical gave the Hornets an opportunity to draw closer. Freeman made just one of two free throws that put the Hornets back just three. Following Freeman’s technical free throws, the Wildcats went back to the line to complete Allred’s original pair. Brett Cox shot the free throw as a substitute to the ejected Allred and missed.

The miss gave the Hornets one last shot at a tie, but Freeman’s long 3-pointer fell short.

“We aren’t making excuses,” Jenkins said. “Weber State did a great job, putting themselves in a position to win — and that’s what happened tonight.”

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Jimmy Spencer can be reached at [email protected]