Gfeller, Lady Griz close out Coyotes

MISSOULA — Carmen Gfeller scored 18 points and the Montana Lady Griz closed the game on a 19-2 run to beat South Dakota 74-61 Wednesday in the Big Sky-Summit Challenge.

Dani Bartsch added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Lady Griz, who trailed 59-55 when the Coyotes’ Kendall Holmes hit a 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter.

Montana’s Gina Marxen answered with a three of her own, and Gfeller’s put-back of a Marxen miss put UM up 60-59 with 7:07 left in the game.They wouldn’t trail again, with Gfeller’s three off an offensive board by MJ Bruno make it it 66-59 with 4:43 left.

After Walker Demers scored for USD, Montana got a 3-pointer from Maggie Espenmiller-McGraw at the 3:24 mark and — after she blocked a layup attempt and rebounded — from Gfeller with 1:13 remaining. That made it 72-61.

Marxen finished with 10 points and 10 assists, and Bruno added 10 points. Montana put up 44 shots from the arc, making 16. Bartsch went 5 of 6 and Gfeller and Espenmiller-McGraw each hit three treys.

Holmes led the Coyotes with 15 points. Grace Larkins added nine points and 14 rebounds; Demers had 13 and nine.