Lady Griz win a wild one, improve to 3-0

Thursday, January 2

Missoula, Mont.

7 PM

Montana

8-4, 3-0BSC

Southern Utah

7-4, 1-1BSC

Southern Utah

Montana

1/2/2020 10:37:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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By: Montana Sports Information

Montana held off hard-charging Southern Utah on Thursday night, winning 81-74 at Dahlberg Arena in Missoula to win its fourth straight game and improve to 3-0 in Big Sky Conference play.

Abby Anderson, McKenzie Johnston and Emma Stockholm all scored 17 points, with Gabi Harrington adding 11 for the Lady Griz, who shot 50 percent and scored 52 points in the paint.

The game looked like it had the makings of a rout after the Thunderbirds (7-4, 1-1 BSC) went 0 for 10 in the first quarter with eight turnovers.

Montana (8-4, 3-0 BSC) led 19-5 through one period. And that would be the last time the Lady Griz would make containing Southern Utah look easy.

The Thunderbirds put up 28 points in the second quarter, 25 more in the third and would take their first lead of the game, 65-64, with 6:42 left in the fourth quarter.

It was still a one-point game when the clock went under two minutes. That's when Stockholm had her senior moment and put her stamp on the game.

With Montana clinging to a 75-74 lead, Stockholm stole a post entry pass with 1:55 to play. Twenty seconds later she drained a jumper from 17 feet out, and the Lady Griz were on their way.

For as dangerous as Southern Utah was, putting up more than two points per minute over the final three quarters, Montana pulled it out on the defensive end.

Montana would force 19 turnovers by coming up with a season-high 14 steals.

Five players had a steal in the fourth quarter, with Sophia Stiles' takeaway with 24 seconds left and Montana leading by four the clinching moment.

"Those plays are the reason those players are out on the floor," said coach Shannon Schweyen. "Those plays were game-changers.

"Anytime you have lead changes like that and every possession is important, it is a fun basketball game. Those steals were huge. There were some exciting plays. We dug deep enough to get it done."

Considering Southern Utah came in with a 7-3 record and the Big Sky's second-best RPI, the way the game began was a bit of a surprise.

The best the Thunderbirds could do was connect on five free throws. Otherwise, they looked out of sorts offensively, with few, if any, of their shots taken in rhythm.

On the other end, Montana was having a scoring frenzy around the basket. The Lady Griz opened the game 8 for 16, with all eight of their first-quarter baskets coming in the paint.

Things changed before the second quarter was three minutes old, with Southern Utah hitting four three pointers in a span of 140 seconds to announce their intention of not just hanging around but of winning in Missoula for the first time.

When Madelyn Eaton scored to bring Southern Utah within two, 27-25, with 4:39 still to go before halftime, the Thunderbirds had scored 20 points in just over five minutes.

"We got off to a good start, and they struggled initially, then they heated up and got things rolling," said Schweyen.

Montana would lead 39-33 at the half and twice got its lead back up to nine in the third quarter.

The first of those came after Johnston showed why she alone is worth the price of admission.

After Claudia Armato threw a pass to no one midway through the third quarter, nine players stood and watched the ball bounce toward the sideline at the other end of the court.

Even Schweyen admits she almost reached out on the court to grab the ball for the officials. The play was over.

If she had, she would have gotten run over by Johnston, who chased down the loose ball. And before anyone else could react, she had herself a layup. The Lady Griz led 51-42.

"I almost went out on the floor and picked it up, then out of nowhere she comes and runs it down. Just incredible hustle on her part," said Schweyen.

"I love how our seniors just don't want to let any of these get away from them."

But two 3-pointers by Harley Hansen late in the third quarter and another by Rebecca Cardenas early in the fourth brought SUU within one, 62-61.

Cardenas would need 19 shots to score her 18 points, and she committed four turnovers, but for as much of a pain as she is to defend, she is a joy to watch. She just makes plays, all 5-feet-5 of her.

"It's a battle when you have to contain Cardenas. She's tough to contain one-on-one," said Schweyen, who gifted the 2,660 in attendance a night of Stiles-defending-Cardenas thrills.

The fourth quarter had four ties, and neither team led by more than four until the final minute, when Montana gained some separation.

"It was a great win and great effort by these ladies," said Schweyen. "It was a collaborative effort by so many kids."

After scoring 15 points in Saturday's win at Northern Arizona and a career-high 20 in Monday's win at Sacramento State, Anderson added 17 on Thursday.

In the first two wins, she scored inside on moves that balance power and finesse. Southern Utah put her at the line 11 times. She made nine of them, part of Montana's 19-for-24 effort.

"I'm proud of Abby. She's really been scoring well from the line. I like that she's drawing contact in there," said Schweyen. "She isn't shying away from contact. She is actually going and taking it."

And a night that began with five teams without a league loss ends with two: Montana and Montana State are both 3-0 after the Bobcats roughed up Northern Colorado 91-58 in Bozeman.

Southern Utah, Northern Colorado and Idaho, which lost 74-53 at Portland State, each picked up their first Big Sky loss on Thursday.

Montana will host Northern Colorado (5-6, 1-1 BSC) at 2 p.m. on Saturday.