MISSOULA, Mont. (Interstat) — The Montana Grizzlies used a dominant first-half performance and a late surge to hold off a persistent Sacramento State squad for an 81-73 victory in a Big Sky Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at Dahlberg Arena.

A crowd of 3,174 watched as Montana improved to 15-14 overall, while Sacramento State fell to 9-19. The win avenged a home loss to the Hornets earlier in the season and kept the Grizzlies in the thick of the conference tournament seeding race.

The game’s most critical phase came in the opening minutes, as Montana established a commanding lead that Sacramento State spent the rest of the night trying to erase. The Grizzlies raced out to a 13-2 lead, fueled by early three-pointers from Tyler Thompson and Money Williams. Sacramento State struggled mightily from the field, missing its first eight shot attempts and committing three turnovers before finally scoring its first field goal nearly four minutes into the game.

Montana’s early defensive intensity set the tone. They forced the Hornets into contested shots and capitalized on the other end, building a double-digit lead that hovered around 10 points for much of the first half. The Grizzlies took a 42-32 advantage into the locker room, having shot efficiently and controlled the glass.

Sacramento State, however, refused to capitulate. Led by the backcourt duo of Prophet Johnson and Arman Madi, the Hornets chipped away in the second half. Johnson, who finished with 14 points and six assists, orchestrated the offense, while Madi’s activity inside yielded 11 points. A driving layup by Taj Glover with just over four minutes remaining cut Montana’s lead to 71-69, capping a sustained effort that brought the Hornets within one possession for the first time since the game’s opening basket.

That was as close as the visitors would get. On the ensuing possession, Montana’s Williams, a sophomore guard from Oakland, California, drove hard to the basket for a layup to push the lead back to four. After a Sacramento State miss, Williams was fouled and calmly sank two free throws. Following another empty Hornets trip, Williams again drew a foul and made two more from the line, part of a personal 6-0 run that extended the Grizzlies’ lead to 77-69 with 1:40 to play.

Williams, who played 29 minutes, led all scorers with 20 points. His clutch free throws down the stretch were essential, as he went 8-for-9 from the line in the second half. He was supported by Brooklyn Hicks, who added 16 points and two blocks, and Te’Jon Sawyer, who contributed 11 points and four assists while anchoring the interior defense.

Sacramento State’s late push was ultimately undone by its cold start and Montana’s composure in the final minutes. The Hornets also hurt themselves with 15 turnovers, which Montana converted into 19 points. Glover provided a spark off the bench with 12 points for the Hornets, and Shaqir O’Neal also added 11.

Montana’s victory moved them above .500 in conference play at a pivotal time. According to pregame analytics from Interstat, the Grizzlies were projected with a 90.4% probability to win and entered as 7.5-point favorites. The total score of 154 fell well under the posted over/under of 162.5.

Both teams return to action quickly in the compact Big Sky schedule. Montana will host Portland State on Saturday, while Sacramento State travels to face Montana State.