Bobcat women's bounce back; Lady Griz 0-2 on weekend

CHENEY, Wash. — Montana State’s Jamison Philip hit two free throws with 1:10 left to put her team ahead, and Ella Johnson blocked a last-second shot as the Bobcats beat Eastern Washington 71-69 in Big Sky women’s basketball Saturday.

The Bobcats improved to 17-6, 9-2 in Big Sky play despite Eastern erasing a 19-point deficit: The Eagles took their first and only lead, 69-68, on Elyn Bowers’ hoop-and-harm three-point play with 1:22 left. 

Philip was fouled on MSU’s ensuing possession and hit both throws with 1:10 remaining;  

Eastern committed two turnovers in the final 48 seconds but still had a chance after Philip made one free throw with 4 seconds left: Bowers put up a driving shot that Johnson deflected. 

Taylee Chirrick had 18 points and 10 rebounds for MSU. Philip added 13 points. Ella Gallatin scored 18 points, Jaecy Eggers 16 and Bowers 15 for EWU. 

On Thursday, Idaho beat the Bobcats in overtime 73-70. MSU scored the first five points of OT and still lost.  

Ana Beatriz Passos Alves da Silva converted a three-point play at 1:02 to put the Vandals up for good, 69-66. She had 14 points off the bench; teammate Kyra Gardner scored a game-high 18. 

Addison Harris scored with 24 seconds in regulation for MSU to force overtime. Harris and Chirrick had 15 points each; Chirrick added six rebounds, seven assists and five steals. 

Idaho 89, Montana 65

MOSCOW, Idaho — Idaho took a 20-2 lead and led wire-to-wire Saturday at ICCU Arena. 

The Lady Griz (7-16, 4-8 Big Sky) fought back to within seven points in the second quarter, but the league-leading Vandals (19-5, 10-1 BSC) shot 17 for 27 (.630) in the second half to pull away.  

Hope Hassman scored 19 points had had seven assists to lead Idaho, who put six players in double figures. 

Kennedy Gillette hit a pair of threes late in the first quarter, with Draya Wacker, making her first career start, and Mack Konig also connecting, and the Lady Griz closed to 32-25 on another Gillette 3-pointer midway through the second quarter. 

Konig, just 3 for 16 in her first two games back from injury, got the start on Saturday and scored 28 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 4 for 5 from the 3-point line — though Montana fell to 0-3 since her return. 

On Thursday Montana lost to Eastern Washington 76-72, with the Eagles building a 34-19 lead in the second quarter that held up. 

Avery Waddington scored 18 points to lead the Lady Griz, while Konig had 12 points and Aby Shubert 11 off the bench. Eastern’s Kourtney Grossman poured in 21 points to go with 15 rebounds. 

Montana will host Montana State this coming Saturday at 2 p.m. in Missoula.