MOSCOW, Idaho — Jack Payne led the Idaho Vandals to a thrilling 78-76 victory against Sacramento State on Saturday, scoring 21 points.
In the pivotal moments of the game, Tyler Linhardt showed his poise by sinking three out of four free throw attempts within the final 13 seconds.
In addition to his scoring prowess, Payne contributed six rebounds for the Vandals, who improved to 11-14 overall and 6-6 in the Big Sky Conference.
Tyler Mrus added 17 points, while Linhardt also recorded 16 points, along with six rebounds and four steals, showcasing a well-rounded performance.

For the Sacramento State Hornets, Chudi Dioramma and Julian Vaughns each scored 19 points, providing a strong offensive effort.
Dioramma complemented his scoring with six rebounds, while Vaughns added two steals to his stats.
Lachlan Brewer supported the team by scoring 13 points and grabbing seven rebounds, but their efforts fell short in this close contest.

The game’s dynamics shifted late when Dioramma’s layup put the Hornets ahead 76-75 with just 56 seconds remaining.
However, Linhardt responded by making two crucial foul shots with only 15 seconds left, and then he added one more free throw to build a slight cushion.
The Hornets had a chance to tie or win the game, but Leo Ricketts missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer, sealing the win for Idaho.