Lady Griz open league with road win

Saturday, December 28

Flagstaff, Ariz.

2 PM

Montana

6-4,1-0Big Sky

Northern Arizona

3-7,0-1Big Sky

Montana

Northern Ariz.

Photos: Cody Bashore/Arizona Daily Sun

12/28/2019 5:33:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana women's basketball team jumped out to a 15-3 lead and never looked back, leading from tip to final horn at Northern Arizona on Saturday afternoon.

The Lady Griz (6-4, 1-0 BSC) won 79-71 behind a season-high 26 points from McKenzie Johnston, a career-high 15 points from Abby Anderson and Gabi Harrington's fourth career double-double.

"We had great contributions from so many people," said coach Shannon Schweyen, whose team opened its Big Sky Conference schedule with a win for the third consecutive year, the first time on the road.

"It was fun to watch them go out there and get after it from the start. We talked about how important each road game in league is going to be. I love they know what they want to do. They just never let up."

Montana led 37-28 at the half and 60-40 through three quarters. Northern Arizona put up 31 points in the fourth and cut its deficit to six in the final minute, but would get no closer.

The Lumberjacks (3-7, 0-1 BSC) went 11 for 18 in the final period, 6 for 9 from 3-point range, with Emily Rodabaugh scoring 14 of her team-high 19 points in the quarter.

"We were talking the whole time, this is by no means over. Twenty points can go in a heartbeat with the three and they kids they have shooting," said Schweyen.

"Thankfully we had a big enough lead and were able to hang onto it."

Not only did Montana win for the fourth time in five games, the Lady Griz picked up their third road win of the season to match last season's total.

Harrington, who totaled 11 points and 12 rebounds, got Montana on the board just 13 seconds in. Anderson made it 4-0 with less than a minute gone by.

And she didn't quit putting her stamp on the game, putting up nine by the halftime break on just five shots.

"Abby has arrived. She's had some moments when she's played well in stretches and done some nice things, but today she looked like a player who wanted to score," Schweyen said.

"She was taking it to them in the post. She's always been a factor on defense and a great passer. It was exciting to see her get that taste of scoring and getting after it."

Montana built a 12-point lead in the first quarter and led by nine at halftime.

After Northern Arizona cut it to seven, 37-30, with the first basket of the second half, Montana took control with a 15-0 run, with eight of the points coming from Johnston.

Johnston would finish 8 for 11 and go 9 for 11 from the line while adding seven rebounds and three assists. Or what you'd like to get out of your senior leader on the road in the league opener.

"Kenz had a monster of a game, just a monster of a game. She just does so much. She is such a great floor general for us," said Schweyen.

"There is something to be said for those seniors. They know this is their last time out there. She certainly wasn't going to let this one slip away."

It was all just enough of a cushion as the Lady Griz would have more turnovers (5) than made baskets (4) in the fourth quarter and go the final 5:15 without a made field goal.

Jacey Bailey, who had 31 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the arc in Northern Arizona's 82-65 win over Montana in Flagstaff last season, was limited to five points on Saturday.

"Our main concern was making sure Bailey didn't get a lot of good looks. Credit to our girls. I love seeing them out there pointing and talking and working together," said Schweyen.

"You don't expect them to go cold forever. Somebody is finally going to start knocking down some shots. Rodabaugh came in and did that for them."

After Rodabaugh cut the lead to 10, 68-58, with 4:24 still to play, Northern Arizona would miss its next five shots, which cut short its comeback attempt.

Montana would go 11 for 14 from the line in the fourth quarter, 20 of 26 for the game. Over the last four games, three of which have been on the road, the Lady Griz are 73 for 90 (.811) from the line.

"Free throws have been big for us," said Schweyen. "Especially on the road, we talk about the little things that you have to do."

Montana got scoring from eight of the nine players who stepped on the floor, and the Lady Griz, who were +10 on the boards, shot 45.0 percent while turning the ball over just 12 times.

Montana will play at Sacramento State (2-8, 0-1 BSC) at 8 p.m. (MT) on Monday. The Hornets lost 85-48 at home to Montana State on Saturday afternoon.

In the other league games, the home teams prevailed. Northern Colorado defeated Portland State 77-58, Idaho beat Idaho State 62-56 and Eastern Washington downed Weber State 63-53.