Game Recap

Morrow leads 4th quarter rally, helps EWU beat MSU in OT

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Editor’s note: Brooks Nuanez provided the reporting and photography for this story. 

BOZEMAN — In Montana State’s 79-66 win at defending Big Sk Conference champion Northern Colorado on Monday, the Bobcat women allowed reigning league MVP Savannah Smith score 27 points. But it took the tenacious guard 28 shots to get there.

The following morning, MSU head coach Tricia Binford talked about the lessons her team learned in her team’s 82-66 home loss to Idaho. That night on January 10, UI’s All-Big Sky backcourt Taylor Pierce (28 points) and Mikayla Ferenz (24 points) poured in a combined 14 3-pointers. So MSU’s next time out, Binford’s team made Smith work for every point.

On Saturday at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, Montana State had no answer for Eastern Washington emerging star Violet Kapri Morrow.

The Eastern Washington senior guard had her way all night, pouring in 37 points, including scoring 10 points in overtime to lift EWU to an 89-87 win in front of 2,147 in Bozeman on Saturday afternoon.

Eastern Washington guard Violet Kapri Morrow (12) defended by Montana State guard Halle Wright (42)/by Brooks Nuanez

“I thought the difference was Violet Kapri Morrow,” Binford, MSU’s 14th-year head coach, said after her team fell to 4-3 in league play, 9-8 overall. “Obviously, Violet was a person on our scouting report that needed to have a lot of attention but also the 3-point shot was on the scout. We knew this team was shooting the 3-ball really well since they hit conference. We didn’t execute. We gave up way too many open looks and our defense suffered.”

Morrow hit 5-of-8 shots from beyond the arc and 14 of her 23 shots overall. The Eagles, who entered the game 40-of-100 from beyond the arc in Big Sky play, hit 12-of-23 from distance to post their second straight win and third conference victory overall. EWU hit 10-of-20 from beyond the arc in a 68-62 win over Montana in Missoula nine days ago.

Saturday, Montana State built a 15-point lead on a Claire Lundberg 3-pointer 22 seconds into the fourth quarter. EWU answered with a 7-2 run. Tori Martell’s fourth 3-pointer pushed the MSU advantage to 70-61 with 4:14 left. The Eagles ended the frame on a 13-4 run cap that included seven points from Morrow, who drilled a 3-poitner to tie the game at 74 with 12 seconds left in regulation.

“Our defense fell short, especially in the fourth quarter,” MSU true freshman Halle Wright said after scoring 13 points and dishing out eight assists in the loss. “We just let them get comfortable and that’s not what we are supposed to do.

Montana State forward Clair Lundberg (14) shoots in the lane vs Eastern Washington/by Brooks Nuanez

“Until we figure out how to defend, it’s going to be some long nights for us,” Binford added.

Morrow began overtime by hitting a 3-pointer. She hit a go-ahead bucket in the lane with 33 seconds left to put Eastern up 86-85. MSU freshman Halle Wright helped Montana State steal the lead back with a layup in traffic with 12 seconds left. But Morrow’s 3-point play with seven seconds left proved to be the final blow.

“(Morrow) had an amazing game,” Lundberg said. “She came out shooting like crazy and we just have to know at some point that she’s the main girl scoring. We have to put a hand up on defense.”

Lundberg, who led five Bobcats in double figure scoring with 19 points, had a game-tying shot attempt at the buzzer that missed.

“That was the shot, that was the play it was supposed to be and I wish like no other it would’ve gone in,” Lundberg said. “It happens.”

Montana State has given up 64 made 3-pointers, or 9.1 per game, during league play. Opponents are shooting 35 percent, including 39-of-103 (38 percent) over the last three games. Idaho hit 16-of-42 from beyond the arc, Northern Colorado hit 11-of-38 and EWU shot more than 50 percent from distance.

“I think in practice, we are really going to have to demand it of each other and if someone gets a wide open 3-point shot, we are going to have to talk through it and get better at this for sure.”

Montana State guard Oliana Squires (24) vs. Eastern Washington/by Brooks Nuanez

Operating the point guard spot against EWU’s variety of defensive looks, MSU true freshman Halle Wright dished out eight assists and helped the Bobcats shoot nearly 47 percent from the floor as a team. She scored 13 points, joining Lundberg, Martha Kuderer (15 points), Oliana Squires (13 points) and Martell (12 points) as Bobcats who scored in double figures.

“Our chemistry is building each day and that shows in our balance,” Lundberg said. “But that’s just on offense. Our defensive chemistry still needs a lot of work.”

Montana State’s season has been back and forth all campaign. The Bobcats have not won or lost more than two games in a row during the first 17 games of the season. MSU takes on Weber State in Ogden on Thursday night.

“We need to be more consistent than that,” Binford said. “That’s been the challenge for this group. We’ve had some good nights and we’ve had some rough nights. We need to be solid every day we show up.”

Photos by Brooks Nuanez. All Rights Reserved. 

Montana State guard Martha Kuderer (15)/by Brooks Nuanez

Montana State forward Claire Lundberg (14)/by Brooks Nuanez

Montana State head coach Tricia Binford (R) with assistant coach Sunny Smallwood (L)/by Brooks Nuanez

Montana State women’s basketball players celebrate from the bench/by Brooks Nuanez

Eastern Washington women’s basketball players celebrate as the final horn blows, beating Montana State/by Brooks Nuanez

 

 

 

About Colter Nuanez

Colter Nuanez is the co-founder and senior writer for Skyline Sports. After spending six years in the newspaper industry with stops at the Missoulian, the Ellensburg Daily Record and the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, the former Washington Newspaper Association Sportswriter of the Year and University of Montana Journalism School graduate ('09) has cultivated a deep passion for sports journalism during his 13-year career covering the Big Sky Conference. In August of 2014, Colter and brother Brooks merged their passions of writing and art to found Skyline Sports.

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