Big Sky women: MSU wins 19th straight; UM wins
MSU and UM Communications | Daily Inter-Lake | UPDATED 10 months AGO
BOZEMAN — Down two starters Montana State went to its strengths, defense and depth, and beat Portland State 78-49 on Thursday night to capture a piece of a Big Sky Conference title.
The MSU bench provided 42 points while the Bobcats recorded their 26th win, a school record along with its 19th straight victory.
“I told the kids afterwards to take a deep breath and realize how hard it is to win a championship,” said MSU head coach Tricia Binford, who now has five league regular-season titles under her belt. “These kids have embraced a championship mentality, and now we need to continue to move the needle.”
Montana State (26-2, 15-0) trailed Portland State (4-21, 1-15) after the first quarter as the Vikings shot 54.5% from the field while the Bobcats turned the ball over six times.
Freshman Addison Harris, receiving her first start as a Bobcat, scoring eight points in the second quarter and MSU owned a 29-25 lead at intermission.
Back-to-back triples by Esmeralda Morales and Katelynn Martin to open the third period gave MSU an eight-point cushion. A 10-2 run in the final three minutes of the period put the Bobcats up 55-42; the fourth quarter was a 23-7 blowout.
Natalie Picton led all scorers with 14 points, while Harris and Martin added 12 apiece for MSU. Ella Johnson led MSU with six rebounds.
Montana State hosts Sacramento State on Saturday at 2 p.m. A win gives the Bobcats the outright Big Sky title.
Montana 71, Sacramento St. 63
MISSOULA — Mack Konig had 16 points and eight assists and Montana used a late 9-0 surge to take down Sacramento State 71-63 Thursday and stop a four-game Big Sky losing skid.
Dani Bartsch and Avery Waddington each added 11 points for the Lady Griz, who stayed tied with Idaho State at 7-9 in Big Sky games. Bartsch had seven rebounds. Izabella Zingaro added 10 points off the bench.
Montana (11-16 overall) could clinch a spot in the Big Sky Tournament quarterfinal round Saturday with a win over last-place Portland State. The Lady Griz are at Eastern Washington Monday.
The Lady Griz scored the game’s first six points, led 13-2 at the first media timeout and 38-29 at halftime, but Sacramento State (12-17, 5-11 BSC) fought back. Down 58-50, the Hornets put together a 9-0 run fueled by point guard Benthe Verstweeg, who had a triple-double of 14 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Her dish to Ruby Gray put Sac State in front, 59-58, with 4:00 left.
Zingaro scored to put the Lady Griz up for good, and Tyler McCliment-Call added a bucket before Bartsch, who was a cool 8 for 8 from the line, made two free throws for a 64-59 UM lead. Konig then hit a dagger 3-pointer with 1:19 left.