Redhawks pull away from Lady Griz

Friday, December 2

Seattle, Wash.

8:00 PM (MT)

Montana

2-5

Seattle

2-6

Montana

Seattle

12/2/2016 10:59:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana women's basketball team closed out a winless road trip and dropped its third consecutive game with a 60-44 loss at Seattle on Friday night at SU's Connolly Complex.

The Lady Griz (2-5) used a big second quarter to take a 26-24 lead at the half, but the Redhawks (2-6) doubled up Montana in the second half, outscoring the visitors 36-18 to snap a four-game losing streak and beat the Lady Griz for the second straight season.

Taylor Goligoski scored 15 points, giving her 32 for the road trip, which opened with a 72-56 loss at Cal State Fullerton on Wednesday night.

Montana's other four starters combined to make three baskets and score just 11 points.

"It was a good night for Taylor, but we need some other people to step up and do something," said coach Shannon Schweyen. "We're starting to have some nights when we're not getting contributions from anybody else.

"I felt like we got great shots all night. We just couldn't knock them down. Somebody has to make some shots at some point in time."

Montana went 3 for 16 in the first quarter to fall behind at the first break 15-8. Combined with five turnovers and Seattle's quick-strike game plan, it felt like the Redhawks might run the Lady Griz out of the gym.

But Montana had its best offensive stretch of the game in the second quarter, shooting 42.9 percent, and the Lady Griz slowed Seattle's transition game and used an effective zone defensive to outscore the Redhawks 18-9 for the quarter and build a two-point halftime lead.

"Our zone was effective," said Schweyen. "For not having played much of it in our previous games, I thought they responded really well. I'm proud of that. I gives me hope that that's a defense we can play when we don't want to be playing man against some people."

Goligoski hit back-to-back threes after Seattle had built an 11-point lead early in the second quarter, and Emma Stockholm came off the bench to hit another that pulled Montana within three, 21-18.

Madi Schoening and Rachel Staudacher both scored late in the half to give Montana the lead heading into the break.

Stockholm would finish the game with six points and four rebounds, matching the season highs she posted against South Dakota State. Her points came on a pair of 3-pointers.

"Emma's a good perimeter shooter. I thought she came in and gave us a big lift offensively and did a great job in the middle of the zone," said Schweyen. "I was really encouraged by what she did."

A 3-pointer by Alexis Montgomery put Seattle up 31-28 two and a half minutes into the third quarter. Montana would not hold the lead again.

After a Goligoski three made it 33-33, the Redhawks went on a 13-0 run to build a 46-33 lead and take control.

Goligoski would bring Montana within six, 48-42 midway through the fourth quarter, but another Montgomery 3-pointer pushed the lead back to nine. Seattle would close the game on a 12-2 run.

"They hit a couple of big threes that separated them from us late in the second half," said Schweyen. "Bottom line, we just needed to make more baskets. We need to get comfortable shooting. We've got some kids who still look a little timid when they shoot."

The loss spoiled one of Montana's better defensive efforts of the season. The Lady Griz held the Redhawks below 40 percent shooting and limited their top scorer, Kaylee Best, to 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting, six points below her season average.

"I could hear the girls out there talking on defense. They were hollering when (Best) was running the baseline. I thought we did a pretty good job locating her," said Schweyen.

Montgomery would finish with 15 points, going 3 for 4 from the arc, and grab a game-high nine rebounds. Wilma Afunugo came off the bench to score 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting.

Montana plays at Stephen F. Austin (4-2) next Saturday before returning home for pre-Christmas games against Rocky Mountain, Wyoming and Colorado State.