Montana falls at Gonzaga 82-67

Wednesday, December 21

Spokane, Wash.

7 PM (MT)

Montana

4-7

Gonzaga

12-2

Montana

Gonzaga

Photos: Gonzaga Athletics

12/21/2022 9:52:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana women's basketball team lost its final nonconference game, falling 82-67 to Gonzaga on Wednesday night at the McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane.

The No. 22-ranked Bulldogs (12-2) led 38-32 at the half, then shot 19 for 29 (.655) in the second half to pull away for their fifth consecutive win, their 10th straight over Montana.

The Lady Griz (4-7) were led by Carmen Gfeller, who scored a season-high 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

Sammy Fatkin added 21 points, her third game this season over 20, and Libby Stump continued her steady play with 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting.

That trio accounted for 23 of Montana's 27 made field goals. The rest of the team went 4 for 24.

With Gonzaga's leading scorer, Yvonne Ejim, in first-half foul trouble, Brynna Maxwell, a transfer from Utah, gave the Bulldogs a massive boost with her outside shooting.

She went 4 for 5 from 3-point range and scored 18 first-half points to help Gonzaga build its six-point halftime lead.

Montana made more first-half field goals but couldn't keep up with Gonzaga's effort from the 3-point line, where the Bulldogs went 6 for 12.

Gfeller had 10 first-half points, Fatkin nine, Stump nine off the bench.

Gfeller hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored eight points in the opening four minutes of the third quarter, bringing Montana within two, 44-42.

"We took advantage in the third quarter. They had a hard time guarding her," said coach Brian Holsinger. "But we just couldn't get over the hump."

Gonzaga scored the next nine points in what turned out to be the game's decisive run. The Bulldogs extended their lead to 58-48 after three quarters.

Fatkin and Mack Konig hit 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter to bring the Lady Griz within six, 60-54, but another Gonzaga scoring run, this one 10-0, allowed the Bulldogs to pull away for good.

Gonzaga went 9 for 13 in the third quarter, 10 for 16 in the fourth.

"This is a top-25 team and we came in here and battled with them for definitely three quarters. We were right there," said Holsinger, whose team had the looks but went 7 for 27 from the arc.

"We battled. You can't be anything but proud of that. We had a few good looks from three that I thought if we hit would have made a huge difference. We just didn't make them tonight."

Montana got outrebounded by three but hustled its way to 15 offensive rebounds, a season high against a Division I opponent, and snagged nine steals, five coming from Fatkin, a career high.

The Lady Griz forced the Bulldogs into 17 turnovers, the most for Gonzaga since Nov. 19 against Louisville.

"As far as effort, our kids are starting to get it. We have so many freshmen and sophomores playing out there and they are starting to understand what it takes," said Holsinger.

"We have a bunch of young kids who are just continuing to get better, and they will."

Maxwell finished with 23 points as all five starters for Gonzaga finished with 11 or more points. The Bulldogs, who shot 50.8 percent for the game, got just two points from their bench.

Montana will open its Big Sky Conference schedule when it plays at Eastern Washington and Idaho on Dec. 29 and 31.