The Sacramento State men’s basketball team earned a much-needed conference win over Portland State University Thursday night at the Hornets’ Nest by a final of 63-55.

The win moves the Hornets within 1.5 games of the final playoff spot in the Big Sky Conference. Sac State improves its record to 6-16 overall and 3-8 in conference play. The Vikings fell to 11-11 overall and 4-6 in conference.

The Hornets relied on the hot hands of John Dickson and JacksonCarbjalin the final five minutes of the game to hold off Portland State who cut into the lead and led by as many as five points.

With 4:24 remaining and nursing a 3-point lead,Carbjaldrained an open perimeter shot to give the Hornets a six-point lead to hold off the Vikings.

Carbajalended the night with nine points and was 2-of-6 from the 3-point line. He said the team needed to construct a whole game from start to finish for the win over the Vikings.

“It is definitely nice to earn the win tonight. We felt that we could have beaten them at their place the last time we played them,”Carbajalsaid. “We had a bit of shaky first half and when we came out from half time wanting to have a better second half. We knew we could beat them.”

Dickson led all scorers with 19 points said the team will take the time to reflect on the win but by Monday they will start planning for that week’s games.

“I’m excited about our win but on Monday we will get back into the gym and prepare for our next opponent in Montana,” Dickson said.

Head coach Brian Katz said he was happy the way the defense regrouped and fixed the holes that had allowed Portland State to take a lead midway through the second half.

“Portland State’s three guards-ChrisHarriel, Melvin Jones, and CharlesOdum-together are the league’s best guard set and they are very hard to defend. So our “dam’ was starting to break and it was getting harder to keep them from running on us,” Katz said.

“They had only four minor runs in the first half but in the second they were able to get a lot more. Our guys did a great job of patching up the holes in the “dam’ and building the defense back up down the stretch and that is why we won.”

Sac State will have a week to prepare before it goes on a five-day trip to play the University of Montana starting on Thursday and ending at Montana State University on Feb. 13.

Matt Harrington can be reached at [email protected]