Since winning two straight games earlier this month, the Sacramento State women’s basketball team has done nothing to assure itself of a playoff spot.

Having dropped five in a row, the Hornets now find themselves in a tie for the last playoff spot with Montana State.

Sac State, playing without starting guard Tyeisha Brown, was defeated by visiting Northern Arizona 60-50 on Saturday at the Hornets Nest.

Forward Ashley Cadotte led the Hornets in scoring with 13 points, three assists and was one rebound away from a double-double. Cindy Alldrin played a team-high 36 minutes and scored 11 points.

“Our game plan did not work the way we wanted it to,” junior Ashley Cadotte said. “Things just did not go our way and we needed this game as a cushion.”

The Hornets are currently in a tie with Montana State for the last playoff spot in the Big Sky Conference. Sac State, however, holds the tie-breaker over Montana State, so if the two teams are tied when the regular season is over, then Sac State will be in the playoffs. The Hornets would then be matched up against the number three-seeded Northern Arizona.

The Lumberjacks led the game at half time 24-21 even though the Hornets had out rebounded them and shot a better field goal percentage.

“We played really hard in the first half, but then in the second we didn’t take care of the ball and let their shooters get going,” said head coach Dan Muscatell after the game. “That is something that we have been saddled with our last five games.”

This is the Hornets fifth consecutive loss and second loss to the Lumberjacks this season.

During the second half Cadotte scored six points and grabbed five rebounds to help the Hornets stay competitive, but her efforts were not enough to stop the Lumberjacks Natalie Metz. Metz had an explosive 12 point second half, after scoring only four points during the first, leading to her game-high 16 points. The Lumberjacks Nicky Eason had 14 points, 10 in the second half, and led her team with eight rebounds.

The Hornets next game is at The Hornets Nest against Portland State on Thurs. Mar 3.