Coming into Big Sky Conference play this week, Sacramento State’s men’s basketball team was dead last in the conference in rebounding margin.

Cue the return of Cedric Thompkins, who led Sac State in rebounding last season, averaging 6.3 per game. The 6-foot-7 forward missed the Hornets’ first 17 games due to academic ineligibility.

This past weekend, Thompkins pulled down 13 rebounds as the Hornets (8-12 overall, 2-5 in Big Sky) won at Montana State (9-11, 3-4), 72-66, on Thursday and lost at the University of Montana (9-13, 3-4), 66-59, on Saturday.

With the road split, the Hornets moved into a sixth-place tie in the Big Sky with Northern Arizona and Portland State. The top-six teams advance to the Big Sky Tournament in March.

Senior point guard Raashad Hooks paced the Hornets in Thursday’s win with 14 points, six assists and five rebounds.

“I basically told Raashad in front of the whole team, ‘If Raashad plays well, we have a chance to win,'” Jenkins said.

Senior forward Derek Lambeth scored 13 points with five rebounds while Thompkins had 11 points and five rebounds in 16 minutes before fouling out.

The Hornets outrebounded the Bobcats 27-22, marking the first time all season that Sac State had outrebounded a Big Sky opponent.

The Hornets finished the game shooting 61 percent from the field and 6-for-11 from 3-point range.

On Saturday, Montana went on a 16-3 run midway through the second half to take a 56-42 lead.

Junior forward Steve Horne led Montana with 19 points, while senior shooting guard David Bell scored 17.

Forward Jimmy White and Hooks paced the Hornets with 15 points apiece, while point guard DaShawn Freeman and Thompkins led the Hornets in rebounding with eight each.

The difference came at the free throw line, where the Grizzlies converted 20-of-26 charity shots, compared to Sac State’s 9-of-15.

The Hornets, now halfway through their conference schedule, will next host Northern Arizona on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. in Hornet Gym. The Hornets defeated NAU, 85-81, in double overtime on Jan. 11 for their first-ever road victory in Big Sky play.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Central Ticket Office in the University Union.