Lady Griz outlast Hornets, retake first place
2/14/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The University of Montana women's basketball team got 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists from junior Mandy Morales to post a 75-63 victory at Sacramento State Thursday night in Sacramento, Calif. With the win the Lady Griz improved to 18-5 overall and regained sole possession of first place in the Big Sky Conference at 8-2 in league play.
Portland State (18-6, 8-3 BSC) moved into second place with an 81-63 win at Idaho State Thursday night. The Bengals are tied with Montana State for third place at 7-3 in Big Sky play. Weber State defeated Eastern Washington, 73-58, in the other league game Thursday.
The Hornets dropped to 6-18 overall, 4-8 in Big Sky games with the loss.
Sacramento State got off to a quick start Thursday night, getting two early 3-pointers from Sami Field-Polisso and two baskets in the paint from Atty Boyer to jump to a 10-2 lead just over four minutes into the game.
Montana would come back to take a one-point lead, 13-12, when junior Sonya Rogers hit a 3-pointer at the 10:57 mark. The game would remain tight the remainder of the first half, with the Lady Griz taking a 27-26 lead to the locker room.
Neither team shot well in the first half. Montana hit just 32.3 percent in the opening 20 minutes but limited the Hornets to 27.3 percent.
Sac State tied the game at 34-34 early in the second half on a 3-pointer by Charday Hunt, but junior Tamara Guardipee grabbed an offensive rebound and scored on Montana's next possession, and the Lady Griz would lead the rest of the way.
After Guardipee's putback, senior Johanna Closson scored the game's next six points to put Montana up eight, 42-34.
Two Boyer free throws at the 12:03 mark pulled the Hornets within one, 42-41, but Montana answered with a decisive 9-0 run.
Freshman Dvera Tolbert scored six of her season-high 10 points in a 60-second span and Morales converted a three-point play inside with 9:56 remaining to put Montana up by 10, 51-41, the Lady Griz' first double-figure lead of the game.
Sacramento State was back within five, 59-54, with less than five minutes to play, but junior Britney Lohman scored inside to increase the lead back to seven, 61-54. The Hornets would get no closer than seven the rest of the way.
The 12-point margin of victory was the largest lead of the game for Montana.
Closson finished with 12 points and four rebounds, Tolbert added a season-high seven rebounds and hit 5-of-7 shots for her 10 points and Rogers and Lohman both finished with nine points. Lohman went 4-for-5 from the field, while Rogers hit 3-of-6 from 3-point range.
Montana warmed up in the second half, shooting 51.4 percent over the final 20 minutes to finish at 42.6 percent for the game. The Big Sky Conference's top 3-point shooting team struggled from behind the arc, going just 4-of-21 (.190).
Boyer finished with 16 points and a game-high 13 rebounds to lead Sacramento State. Emily Christensen had 11 points, while Hunt added 10.
Montana plays at Northern Arizona at noon Sunday. The Lumberjacks host Montana State Friday night.
Portland State (18-6, 8-3 BSC) moved into second place with an 81-63 win at Idaho State Thursday night. The Bengals are tied with Montana State for third place at 7-3 in Big Sky play. Weber State defeated Eastern Washington, 73-58, in the other league game Thursday.
The Hornets dropped to 6-18 overall, 4-8 in Big Sky games with the loss.
Sacramento State got off to a quick start Thursday night, getting two early 3-pointers from Sami Field-Polisso and two baskets in the paint from Atty Boyer to jump to a 10-2 lead just over four minutes into the game.
Montana would come back to take a one-point lead, 13-12, when junior Sonya Rogers hit a 3-pointer at the 10:57 mark. The game would remain tight the remainder of the first half, with the Lady Griz taking a 27-26 lead to the locker room.
Neither team shot well in the first half. Montana hit just 32.3 percent in the opening 20 minutes but limited the Hornets to 27.3 percent.
Sac State tied the game at 34-34 early in the second half on a 3-pointer by Charday Hunt, but junior Tamara Guardipee grabbed an offensive rebound and scored on Montana's next possession, and the Lady Griz would lead the rest of the way.
After Guardipee's putback, senior Johanna Closson scored the game's next six points to put Montana up eight, 42-34.
Two Boyer free throws at the 12:03 mark pulled the Hornets within one, 42-41, but Montana answered with a decisive 9-0 run.
Freshman Dvera Tolbert scored six of her season-high 10 points in a 60-second span and Morales converted a three-point play inside with 9:56 remaining to put Montana up by 10, 51-41, the Lady Griz' first double-figure lead of the game.
Sacramento State was back within five, 59-54, with less than five minutes to play, but junior Britney Lohman scored inside to increase the lead back to seven, 61-54. The Hornets would get no closer than seven the rest of the way.
The 12-point margin of victory was the largest lead of the game for Montana.
Closson finished with 12 points and four rebounds, Tolbert added a season-high seven rebounds and hit 5-of-7 shots for her 10 points and Rogers and Lohman both finished with nine points. Lohman went 4-for-5 from the field, while Rogers hit 3-of-6 from 3-point range.
Montana warmed up in the second half, shooting 51.4 percent over the final 20 minutes to finish at 42.6 percent for the game. The Big Sky Conference's top 3-point shooting team struggled from behind the arc, going just 4-of-21 (.190).
Boyer finished with 16 points and a game-high 13 rebounds to lead Sacramento State. Emily Christensen had 11 points, while Hunt added 10.
Montana plays at Northern Arizona at noon Sunday. The Lumberjacks host Montana State Friday night.
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