MSU PRESS RELEASE
Montana State held a one-point advantage with just over two-minutes left but would go cold the rest of the way as Northern Colorado finished out the contest on a 9-0 run to hand the Bobcats a 66-58 setback in a battle for the top spot in the Big Sky Conference Saturday afternoon.
Montana State junior Hannah Caudill connected on her second three-pointer of the game with 2:21 remaining to give the Bobcats its first lead of the fourth quarter. Northern Colorado’s (14-3, 6-0) Savannah Scott answered with an old-fashion three-point play and the Bears held the lead the rest of the way as MSU missed its last nine field-goals.
The win boosts UNC to 6-0 in Big Sky play, 13-3 overall. The Bobcats, the reigning Big Sky champions, are now 4-2 in league, 11-5 overall.
“We had too many turnovers- our Achilles Heel,” said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. “Against the top team in the league on their home court that will put you in a big hole. With that being said, I loved our resolve to continue battling back on a second game of a road trip. We got a split on the most difficult road trip of the season. We’re excited to get back to work Monday and prepare for Sacramento State in front of our home crowd.”
Montana State freshman Oliana Squires/ by Brooks Nuanez
The Bobcats committed a season-high 28 turnovers, while the Bears posted 13 miscues. MSU finished with advantages in shooting percentage and rebounding. For the game, MSU shot 41.5 percent from the floor, while holding UNC to 35.9 percent. The Bobcats also connected on nine-of-18 from beyond the arc and held a 43-35 margin under the glass.
MSU carried its momentum from Thursday night’s victory over North Dakota into the opening frame with Northern Colorado. The Bobcats went on a 15-2 run at the midway mark of the quarter and held an 18-7 advantage after the first 10-minutes. The MSU run was sparked by eight consecutive points by freshman Oliana Squires.
The second period saw the Bobcats hold an 11-point margin at the 5:31 mark, but the Bears closed out the quarter on a 12-1 run to even the score at intermission.
UNC took its largest lead of the game at 42-33 with 3:14 remaining in the third quarter, but the Bobcats were able to whittle the lead down to 45-44 heading into the final frame.
“We were pressing too much offensively rather than sharing the ball, which is what we do when we’re at our best,” Binford said. “We have to start thinking the game and understand what teams are trying to take away and adjust throughout the course of the game.”
Squires finished with a season-high 17 points, which included a 4-of-7 effort from 3-point range. Senior Peyton Ferris added 14 points. Freshmen Blaire Braxton and Madeline Smith chipped nine and eight rebounds, respectively.
Northern Colorado had four players in double-digits led by Scott with 15 points.
MSU will host Sacramento State on Thursday night in Worthington Arena.
