The Sacramento State Hornets lost a close game at home Thursday night against the Idaho State Bengals 52-51.

The loss by the Hornets brings their record to 4-22, 2-13 in the Big Sky Conference and the Bengals’ record improves to 11-17, 8-7 in conference.

The Hornets had a 7-point lead early in the first half, but that vanished with 6:17 minutes left in the first.

Both teams were shooting poorly from the field with the Hornets shooting 29.2 percent (7-24) and Bengals shooting 34.5 percent (10-29), but both teams shot better in the second half.

The Bengals had three players score in double-digits with sophomore guard Amorrow Morgan leading the game in scoring with 14 points. Bengals’ Matt Stuckie and Donnie Carson had 13 and 11 points respectively.

Hornets freshman guard Vinnie McGhee made a costly turnover with five seconds left in regulation when they were down by 2 points (50-48).

“That was a call that hurt us bad,” said Hornets’ sophomore guard Loren Leath.

Carson was fouled immediately with four seconds remaining and made both his free throws, and McGhee scored a quick three-pointer before the game ended.

“I was wishing they fouled me on that so I would get the 4-point play,” McGhee said. “But it didn’t happen.”

“So I wasn’t going to give up no matter what, if we were down 5 or 100. I wouldn’t give up no matter what,” he said.

McGhee finished the game with a team-high 10 points and was the only member of the Hornets to score in double digits. Leath was second in scoring with 9 points.

Both McGhee and Leath shot 31 percent from the field (4-13).

The next game for the Hornets will be the last road game of the season, and a non-conference game, at 7:05 p.m. Saturday against UC Davis.

Alexander Villanueva can be reached at [email protected]