UNC surges past Lady Griz

GREELEY, Colo. — Northern Colorado’s Hannah Simental hit five 3-pointers and scored 17 points Thursday, and keyed the Bears’ third-quarter surge in their 67-57 Big Sky Conference women’s basketball win over Montana.

Carmen Gfeller scored 19 points for the Lady Griz (10-4 overall, 2-1 in Big Sky games), eight coming in the second quarter as her team built a 36-24 halftime lead. The Bears (6-7, 1-1 in league) bolted in front by hitting four of five 3-point attempts in the third period.

Simental’s three started the scoring and Seneca Hackley hit two long-range shots — she was 4-for-4 from the arc — as UNC seized momentum. The second bomb capped a 10-0 run and put the Bears up 43-41 at the 3:26 mark.

Delaynie Byrne’s layup with 2:27 left gave UNC the lead for good, 48-46, and she added two free throws a minute later. Simental’s fifth 3-pointer with 7:35 left in the game made it 55-47 and the Bears were on their way.

The hosts shot 11 of 21 from the arc for the game, and 47 percent (24 of 51) overall. Byrne and Hackley added 14 points each. 

Montana shot just 38 percent (23 of 61), hit just three 3-pointers in 16 attempts and was 7 of 27 from the floor the second half. Mack Konig had two threes and eight points for UM. Dani Bartsch added six points and nine rebounds for the Lady Griz before fouling out. 

Montana plays at Northern Arizona Saturday afternoon.