Bobcats Swat Away Pesky Hornets for Crucial Road Win

Saturday, February 28

Sacramento, CA

3 p.m. (MT)

Montana State University

22-6,15-2Big Sky

Sacramento State

13-17,7-10Big Sky

Montana St.

Sacramento St.

Addison Harris

Photo by: Ken Nowaczyk

2/28/2026 8:26:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Addison Harris, stingy defense late leads MSU to victory

By: MSU Sports Information

(Feb. 28, 2026) – Montana State held Sacramento State without a field goal in the last three-and-a-half minutes, holding off the Hornets 61-54 in Sacramento on Saturday.

The Bobcats led for all but 30 seconds, with Addison Harris leading the Bobcats with 22 points. The sophomore forward hit eight of her 14 field goal attempts, knocking down a pair of three-pointers. She also added an assist.

"The biggest thing is that we found a way to go 1-0 today," said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. "Addi (Harris) was fantastic, the team was focused, and they stepped up to get stops at the end."

The Cats led by at least eight points in each quarter, and by double digits in the final three periods, but even after a 9-0 MSU run that bridged the third and fourth quarters the Hornets stayed within reach. Harris' three-pointer to open the fourth quarter and a free throw by Issy Bunyan moments later pushed Montana State's lead to 13 points.

As they did all game, the Hornets answered. Keanna Salave'a and Rubi Gray each converted layups to trigger a 10- run to pull Sacramento State within 50-47 at 6:02. From that point on, MSU held Sac State to 1-for-6 shooting from the field. Four of the Hornets' seven points in the final six minutes came on Benthe Versteeg free throws, with the other three coming on a Natalie Picton three-pointer.

Rubi Gray led Hornets with 19 points on 8-for-19 shooting. Fatoumata Jaiteh led all players with 10 rebounds. Sacramento State turned the ball over 13 times while forcing 15 Bobcat turnovers.

Taylee Chirrick scored 14 points for MSU in support of Harris' scoring heroics, and grabbed eight rebounds. Kadynce Couture grabbed five rebounds for the Cats, while Brooke Fatupaito added four. MSU shot 42 percent from the floor and fought Sac State to a 35-35 draw on the boards.

Montana State endured free throw shooting difficulties on the weekend, converting just 25 of 50 charity tosses in the two games combined. Still, the Cats fought through the struggles to convert four of six in the final two minutes. Harris sealed the win by making two with 24 seconds to play.

The win boosts Montana State's record to 22-6 overall, 15-2 in Big Sky play. The Cats remain one game behind Idaho in the Big Sky standings, and need a win over Northern Arizona at home on Monday night (7 pm tipoff in Worthington Arena) and an Idaho loss to Eastern Washington to claim a share of the Big Sky regular season title. Sacramento State falls to 13-17 overall, 7-10 in the league.

#GoCatsGo