Every time the Lady Griz tried to seize momentum, Peyton Ferris silenced the Dahlberg Arena crowd.
In a rivalry showdown much closer than most expected, the underdog hosts from Montana went toe to toe with the reigning Big Sky Conference champions from Montana State. The Lady Griz kept the deficit at single digits for the duration or regulation and tied the game on six different occasions. Every time Montana tied the action to bring the crowd of 3,223 to its feet, Ferris would hit a timely bucket to keep the Lady Griz at bay.
When Montana found a zone and seemed like it couldn’t miss in the fourth quarter, Ferris drilled a 3-pointer and snared a crucial steal in the midst of a 9-0 run by the Bobcats to close regulation and send the game into overtime. In the extra period, Montana State carried the momentum and avoided an upset of epic proportions, instead dispatching of Montana 75-69 in Missoula on Saturday afternoon.
MSU forward Peyton Ferris (2)
“I knew they weren’t going to come out easy,” Ferris said. “I knew this would be a battle. They are a young team and this was their first experience in Cat-Griz. Coming out, I knew we would have to play hard. Relieved to get the W and I was proud of our composure throughout the end.”
The win is MSU’s fifth straight and moves the Bobcats to 9-2 in Big Sky Conference play, 16-5 overall. The victory also denied the Lady Griz their first conference win, instead dropping UM to 0-11 in league play, 3-19 overall.
“I’m incredibly proud of these girls’ effort today,” Montana first-year head coach Shannon Schweyen said. “They left it all on the court. It was fun to have an atmosphere like this and see the girls make great plays in an atmosphere like this. Griz nation was behind us and it felt like things were going our way. Credit Montana State. Their seniors stepped up and made huge plays down the stretch. That’s what experienced teams do.
“I’m just sick for the girls we couldn’t pull this one out.”
Ferris finished with 27 points, 12 rebounds, five blocked shots, three assists and two steals in 43 emotional minutes to carry MSU. She answered Montana five separate times when the hosts tied the action, hitting a shot to give MSU another lead.
“I don’t know how to describe it but as a player, you want to have a certain feel every game but sometimes, it’s hard to control,” said Ferris after her winning for the second time in Missoula and beating the Lady Griz for the fourth time in her Bobcat career. “This atmosphere, it’s fun to play in. They pack it, they are loud and it’s something to feed off of.”
UM guard McKenzie Johnston (32)
In a game without any offensive flow for the first three quarters, the Lady Griz were able to keep the action close thanks to an inspired defensive effort and physicality on the glass. In the final frame, Montana caught fire, hitting 9-of-13 shots, including a pair of jumpers each by redshirt freshmen Taylor Goligoski and McKenzie Johnston to take its first lead midway through the final frame and eventually push the advantage to nine, 60-51 with two minutes, 34 seconds left in regulation. The Lady Griz would not score for more than five and a half minutes thereafter, letting an upset slip through their fingers as the team continues to search in Schweyen’s first season at the helm.
“It’s a pretty crappy feeling,” Goligoski said. “I think we thought we had the game in the bag and we let it get away. They got hot, we got cold and from there on, we didn’t perform well for the rest of the game.”
Montana State finished the fourth quarter on a 9-0 run that included 3-pointers by junior Hannah Caudill and Ferris and an old-fashioned 3-point play by junior Delany Junkermier to tie the game at 60 with 59 seconds left. Ferris notched a steal on Montana’s final possession in regulation to send the game into overtime.
“It was our opportunity to be resilient,” MSU 12th-year head coach Tricia Binford said. “The kids responded and made the plays at the right times. We have to credit Montana. They gave us a great game today.
“I wasn’t sure how we were going to respond. It was definitely challenging to get our kids back locked in. I’m not sure if our kids were surprised. It’s hard to communicate how much (Montana) has improved and not pay attention to the record. They gave Eastern (Washington) a battle last week. They have been progressing. Our kids understand the Cat-Griz rivalry and you could see the jitters throughout the course of this game.”
MSU guard Riley Norgaard (15) helps down on UM forward Rachel Staudacher (11)
In OT, senior Riley Nordgaard converted a pair of lay-ups on designed plays sandwiched around a Ferris jumper and a followed by a Caudill 3-pointer to push the MSU run to 15-0. By the time Hailey Nicholson hit a free throw, Montana had not scored in 5:34 and the Bobcats’ lead stood at 69-61.
“That’s a place where this team has especially grown since our loss at the beginning of the year,” said Ferris, a Twin Bridges native. “We just stayed composed. We know what vets we have our team and we are confident going into those situations.”
The Lady Griz have used one of the most daunting atmospheres in the Big Sky Conference for decades to build a foundation as the most successful program in the league. In 38 seasons under legendary head coach Robin Selvig, the Lady Griz won 23 conference titles and advanced to the NCAA Tournament 21 times. Selvig won 835 games and posted 32 20-win seasons, including in Selvig’s final campaign last year.
Time and again, opponents would crumble under the pressure of Montana’s passionate fans and the Lady Griz would ride the momentum of the atmosphere to victory. Saturday, with Selvig watching from the stands for the first time since Jimmy Carter lived in the White House, it seemed the magic of Dahlberg Arena would be enough to spur Montana to a rivalry victory.
Montana hit seven straight shots to begin the fourth quarter, taking its first lead on a Johnston jumper and pushing the advantage to nine thanks to four of Goligoski’s team-high 19 points. Johnston’s last field goal gave the Malta product 17 points and gave Montana its largest lead before the Bobcats stormed back. Of Montana’s 69 points, 59 were scored by freshmen on a roster filled with fresh faces.
Stay with the ‘Cats & the Griz at Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada March 5-12
“Closing games comes with experience,” Johnston said. “They have been in that position. You can tell with us being a little young and our games haven’t been as close, they have been in this position and have had two overtime games already. You could tell we weren’t as ready as they were.”
But Ferris and the defending Big Sky champions would not be denied. Ferris continued to shoot with confidence and the Bobcats’ final spurt in regulation came in a blink of an eye, stunning the hosts.
“That’s one of the best players in the conference taking over when she needed to,” Binford said. “When you can just sit back and watch Peyton take over, you are in a good situation.”
Montana State is now a game back of first place after North Dakota’s 57-51 win at Northern Colorado. The win boosts UND to 10-1 in league play and hands UNC its first league loss after 10 straight wins. The Bobcats are a game back of the two front-runners.
“That was another thing I probably forgot to bring up in prepping the team this week: we are the defending Big Sky champion and we are getting everybody’s best game,” Binford said. “Teams get up playing against us. It’s a good place to be but it’s a responsibility.”
Photos by Brooks Nuanez. All Rights Reserved.
