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Ogden • The Sacramento State defender bit on the drive from Weber State guard Davion Berry, freeing up Jordan Richardson on the wing. Sensing the opportunity, Berry dished to Richardson, who rose up behind the arc and buried the 3-pointer.

The Wildcats, after a rare home-court scare, were finally putting away the Hornets.

"That was just Davion making a play. That was a huge shot, obviously, for Jordan," Weber State coach Randy Rahe said.

Weber State pulled away late for a 65-56 win Saturday night, allowing the Wildcats to retain their unblemished Big Sky Conference record.

Weber State (13-3, 8-0 Big Sky) led by as much as 10 midway through the second half, but Sacramento State (8-8, 3-5 Big Sky) battled back to within two, as Dylan Garrity — who finished with a game-high 20 points — led the Hornets' late surge.

Richardson's 3 brought the lead back to seven with 1:40 remianing, and the defense took care of the rest.

"When they cut it down to two, we had to get stops. It was the only way we could win," said guard Scott Bamforth, who paced the Wildcats with 18 points, including four 3s. "They kind of hurt us on the ball screen a little bit, but we kind of figured it out at the end and got some good stops."

Konner Veteto, Sacramento State's 6-8, 290-pound behemoth, had 16 points and eight rebounds. The Wildcats countered with a 15-point, eight-board night from big man Kyle Tresnak.

"Tonight was the game I expected, to be honest with you," Rahe said. "A really tough, physical, grind-it-out affair — that's kind of how Sacramento State plays, and I knew we were just going to have to hang in there and fight like crazy."

The win concluded a stretch of four games in 10 days for the Wildcats, but the path doesn't get any easier.

A pair of road games against Montana State and Montana with major Big Sky implications now awaits the Wildcats.

"It's the toughest trip of the year," Rahe said. "... They're really good, both teams. That's what really makes the trip tough. We're going to get ready to go, go up there and fight and compete." —

Highlights

O Weber State holds off a late surge from Sacramento State to stay perfect in Big Sky Conference play.

• Scott Bamforth tallies 18 points and seven rebounds for the Wildcats, including a stretch of three consecutive 3s.

• Hornets' leading scorer John Dickson is ineffective for much of the game, as the Wildcats hold him to nine points.