Two days after performing one of the greatest comebacks in program history, the Sacramento State men’s basketball team almost gave the Nest an encore.

But Montana State was not about to become the poster boy for that comeback.

Despite three-3 pointers in the final minute of the game, Sac State lost to the Bobcats on Saturday night 79-76, wasting a career-high 23 point effort by Justin Strings and a career-high five 3-pointers from Dreon Bartlett.

Montana State (10-13, 5-6 in the Big Sky Conference) led the majority of the game, despite only shooting 37.9 percent from the field (25-of-66). Freshman Tyler Hall lad all scorers with 25 points.

Montana State was up 74-67 with 32 seconds left in the game before Sac State mounted a spirited comeback effort. Jiday Ugbaja, Grant Wessler and Jeff Wu would all make 3-pointers for the Hornets in the final seconds. Montana State countered the barrage of 3-pointers with five free throws, and blocked a long inbounds pass with 0.9 seconds left in the game.

Sac State (10-11, 3-7 in Big Sky) has fallen to 0-8 on Saturdays this season, and 10-3 the rest of the week. Six of those Saturday losses, however, have come against Big Sky opponents.

The Hornets’ next game will be on Thursday in Ogden, UT, when they tip off against Weber State. Tip-off is at 6:05 p.m. and can be streamed at eversport.tv/big-sky.