Lady Griz top LMU on School Day, 83-68

MISSOULA — On a day that is unlike any other on the schedule, it was Montana’s seniors who provided calm amidst the School Day chaos and the challenge of a formidable opponent, and led the home team to a gritty victory.

Maggie Espenmiller-McGraw, Carmen Gfeller and Gina Marxen, each of whom has five-plus years of college basketball experience, combined to score 61 points as Montana defeated Loyola Marymount 82-68 in a Wednesday matinee on Robin Selvig Court.

Montana never trailed in the game but led by just five, 73-68, with two and a half minutes to go before scoring the game’s final nine points.

In a season that has already been disrupted by injuries, Montana suffered two more on Wednesday. Libby Stump left the game in the first quarter, Dani Bartsch in the second. Neither returned.

“I’m really, really proud of our kids. We had a bunch of adversity today we weren’t expecting, injuries and some different things,” Montana coach Brian  Holsinger sid. “With all that, I’m proud of the way we played, especially coming out in the second half and executing the way we did.”

The second half belonged to Marxen, who had a nearly perfect box score: 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting with three assists and just one turnover. Marxen finished with 16 off the bench.

Gfieller had her best offensive outing of the season with 21 points; she is 20 of 28 from the field her last three games. Espenmiller-McGraw went 4 of 7 from the arc and hit 10 of 11 free throws on the way to 24 points in front of 6,000 fans, most of them school-age children.

“This is amazing. A lot of these kids, this is the only opportunity they get to come to a college basketball game,” said Holsinger,

Amaya Oliver was the lone LMU player in double figures with 19 points. She had eight rebounds.

Montana hosts Colorado State Saturday at 7 p.m.