White, Bobcats top Lady Griz 72-63
MISSOULA — Darian White scored 22 points, and Montana State used a 15-2 surge to start the second half to beat Montana 72-63 in Big Sky Conference women’s basketball Saturday.
White hit one 3-pointer and snared rebounds for the Bobcats (13-7 overall, 6-2 in the Big Sky), who led by 19 points in the third quarter on the way to its eighth win in the last nine intrastate meetings.
Libby Stump scored 21 points and fellow freshman reserve Mack Konig added 20 for the Lady Griz. Each hit four 3-pointers, and combined for 23 points as UM trailed just 37-35 at halftime.
But Montana (8-11, 4-4 in the Big Sky) came no closer than nine points in the final 17 minutes.
“Whatever I said at halftime, I’m going to throw that speech away, because it didn’t work,” UM coach Brian Holsinger said. “We’ve got to figure this out. We’re too talented to be throwing away games like this,” said Holsinger. “It’s disappointing. We’re a lot better than we’ve played.”
Carmen Gfeller, who scored 34 points in Montana’s win over MSU a year ago, had just two points thanks in part to early foul trouble.
Sammy Fatkin had six points and seven rebounds for the Lady Griz, who lost their second straight at home.
MONTANA STATE — Bad Bear 5-9 3-4 13, Limardo 1-6 0-0 3, Deden 3-12 2-2 8, White 9-16 3-4 22, Jackson 2-4 00 4, Beasley 6-10 0-0 13, Beattie 3-7 0-0 6, Janssen 1-2 0-0 3, Philip 0-0 0-0 0, Dykstra 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 30-69 8-10 72.
MONTANA — Burton-Oliver 0-1 0-0 0, Gfeller 0-4 2-2 2, Fatkin 1-7 4-6 6, Huard 1-2 0-0 0, Marxen 3-11 0-0 7, Bartsch 1-2 2-2 4, Stump 7-15 3-4 21, Pirog 0-1 0-0 0, Konig 6-11 4-4 20. Totals 19-54 15-18 63.
MSU 18 19 25 10 - 72
UM 16 19 14 14 - 63
3-point goals — MSU 4-15 (Whitge 1-1, Beasley 1-2, Janssen 1-2, Limardo 1-4, Dykstra 0-1, Beattie 0-4, Jackson 0-1), UM 10-27 (Konig 4-4, Stump 4-8, Marxen 1-7, Huard 1-2, Bartsch 0-1, Burton-Oliver 0-1, Gfeller 0-4, Fatkin 0-2). Rebounds — MSU 39 (Bad Bear 7, Deden 7, White 7), UM 36 (Fatkin 7). Fouls — MSU 16, MSU 13. Assists — MSU 11 (Beasley 3), UM 10 (4 with 2). Steals — MSU 12 (Bad Bear 3), UM 3 (Fatkin 2). Blocks — MSU 3 (3 with 1), UM 6 (Burton-Oliver 2, Bartsch 2). Turnovers — MSU 9, UM 18.