Lady Griz take winning streak to Southern Cal

The Montana women's basketball team, winner of two straight, will head to Southern California this week to play in the Loyola Marymount Thanksgiving Classic in Los Angeles.

The Lady Griz (2-2) will face Wichita State (3-1) on Friday, California (3-1) on Saturday. Both games will tip off at 4:30 p.m. (MT) at LMU's Gersten Pavilion.

The Shockers compete in the American Athletic Conference, the Golden Bears in the Pac-12.

After opening the season with losses to North Dakota State and Colorado State, Montana bounced back with home wins over Providence (MT), 71-43, and North Dakota, 82-77.

The 82 points scored by the Lady Griz on Sunday were the most for the program since a 93-57 victory at Portland State last January.

This week's games will close out Montana's November schedule. The Lady Griz will play Washington State, Grand Canyon, South Dakota, Montana Tech and Gonzaga prior to Christmas.

Coverage: This week's games can be heard on KMPT 930 AM/99.7 FM or 930kmpt.com, with Riley "Ace" Sauerwein calling the action.

At a glance (Montana): After picking up its first win of the season last Tuesday, 71-43 at the Lady Griz School Day game over Providence (MT), Montana made it two straight with an 82-77 win over North Dakota.

The Lady Griz fell behind by 14 points in the second quarter but went 16 for 23 (.696) in the second half, 7 of 9 (.778) from the 3-point line, to rally for the victory.

It was Montana's fifth consecutive victory over North Dakota.

Gina Marxen, who played three seasons at Idaho before transferring to Montana, reached 1,000 points for her collegiate career with a 3-point shot late in the second quarter.

Montana's 32-point third quarter was its highest-scoring period under second-year coach Brian Holsinger, its 52-point second half its third highest under Holsinger.

Montana finished 11 for 20 (.550) from the 3-point line, the fifth time the Lady Griz have hit 11 or more 3-pointers under Holsinger.

Sammy Fatkin, who reached 20 points for the second consecutive game, led Montana with 21 points, going 10 for 12 from the line. It was the second time in her career putting up back-to-back 20-point games.

She also grabbed a career-high eight rebounds and added three assists.

The scoring outburst upped her season scoring average to 17.3 and moved her up to sixth in the Big Sky. Fatkin also ranks seventh in the Big Sky in rebounding (6.8/g).

Montana had five players in double figures on Sunday, with Marxen adding 18, Keeli Burton-Oliver 11, Mack Konig and Dani Bartsch 10 each.

It was the first time since a 75-59 home win over Sacramento State last season that Montana had five players with 10 or more points.

Marxen's 18 points was her third time in four games this season scoring 12 or more. She went 4 for 7 from the arc. She went 4 for 6 from the 3-point line in Montana's season opener against North Dakota State.

Konig went 3 for 3 from the 3-point line to reach double figures for the first time as a Lady Griz. Burton-Oliver had 11 points, seven rebounds, a block and a steal in 23 efficient minutes.

Montana shot 50 percent against the Fighting Hawks, the fifth time the Lady Griz have shot 50 percent or better against a Division I opponent under Holsinger.

Kacie Borowicz led North Dakota with 35 points. Only seven times in program history has an opposing player scored more against the Lady Griz.

Montana preseason All-Big Sky forward Carmen Gfeller missed her fourth straight game to open the season.

Montana's three pre-Christmas December road games will be at Washington State (4-1), at South Dakota (4-1) and at Gonzaga (5-1).

At a glance (Wichita State): The Shockers went 14-16 a year ago and finished ninth in the 11-team American Athletic Conference with a 5-11 league record.

Wichita State was picked 10th out of 11 teams in this year's preseason poll, ahead of only East Carolina.

South Florida topped the AAC poll, with Elena Tsineke, twin sister of Lady Griz senior Katerina Tsineke, earning Preseason Player of the Year honors.

Wichita State returned just one starter in 2022-23, senior forward Jane Asinde. Sixth-year coach Keitha Adams brought in seven newcomers, six of which were transfers.

Wichita State has wins this season over Alcorn State, Oral Roberts and North Texas, a road loss at Omaha.

The loss at Omaha came against the team picked last in the Summit League. The impressive 89-67 win at Oral Roberts came against the team picked third.

Through four games, the Shockers are shooting 42.7 percent and holding their opponents to 33.7 percent.

Wichita State has five players averaging between 9.0 and 14.0 points per game, with junior guard DJ McCarty averaging 14.0 points on 52.5 percent shooting. She also leads the team with 16 assists.

Series history (Montana vs. Wichita State): The Lady Griz and Shockers will be meeting for the first time on Friday.

At a glance (California): The Bears went 11-13 last season and finished 11th in the Pac-12 with a COVID-impacted 2-10 league record.

California was picked 11th in both the coaches' and media preseason polls in October, with sophomore guard Jayda Curry one of 15 league players voted preseason All-Pac-12.

Curry was the first freshman in Pac-12 history to lead the league in scoring when she averaged 18.6 points last season. She was voted the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and All-Pac-12.

Senior forward Evelien Lutje Schipholt and senior guard Leilani McIntosh were honorable mention preseason All-Pac-12.

California has wins this season over Cal State Northridge, Idaho and on the road at Saint Mary's on Sunday, 69-66.

The Bears overcame a six-point, fourth-quarter deficit against the Gaels and watched as Saint Mary's Ali Bemberger missed two free throws with four seconds left in a 67-66 game.

McIntosh (12.5/g), Curry (12.0/g) and Lutje Schipholt (10.8/g) all are averaging in double figures through four games.

Cal has advanced to the NCAA tournament 14 times in program history, most recently in 2019 as a No. 8 seed. The Golden Bears were a No. 2 seed in 2013.

Series history (Montana vs. California): The Lady Griz are 3-1 all-time against the Golden Bears in a series that dates back to 1982.

Montana won at Berkeley in 1982-83, lost in 1984-85 and won in Missoula in overtime in 1986-87 and 69-53 in 1991-92 behind Shannon Cate's 38 points, the fourth-most points scored in program history.

Holsinger reunites with Pac-12: Second-year Montana coach Brian Holsinger spent eight seasons on June Daugherty's staff at Washington State (2007-08 to 2014-15), five on Scott Rueck's staff at Oregon State (2016-17 to 2020-21).

Saturday will be the first time Holsinger will put his Lady Griz team up against a program from the Pac-12. He'll get another chance six days later when Montana plays at Washington State.

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Players Mentioned

Dani Bartsch

Keeli Burton-Oliver

Sammy Fatkin

Carmen Gfeller

Mack Konig

Gina Marxen

Katerina Tsineke

University of Montana Athletics