Lady Griz show depth, resolve in road win

Monday, February 7

Cedar City, Utah

6:30 PM

Montana

14-6, 7-4BSC

Southern Utah

13-8, 9-3BSC

Montana

Southern Utah

Photos: Southern Utah Athletics

2/7/2022 10:59:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

What if we told you Montana lost at home to preseason favorite Idaho State on Saturday afternoon, then had to travel on Sunday to start a four-game road trip with a game at first-place Southern Utah on Monday night?

And that Sammy Fatkin, the team's second-leading scorer, wouldn't play? And that Carmen Gfeller, the team's leading scorer, wouldn't have any points through three quarters because of foul trouble?

And that the same could be said for Abby Anderson, the team's third leading scorer?

And that Gfeller and Anderson would combine to play less than 20 minutes through the first three quarters against one of the best rebounding teams in the nation?

Would you believe a final score of Montana 69, Southern Utah 64?

"I'm so proud of them. These kids stepped up," said coach Brian Holsinger. "They responded the right way.

"Tonight was an ultimate team effort. I'm so proud of them. As proud of them as I've been all season."

It had all the makings (see above) of a big win for the home team that would have kept the Thunderbirds atop the Big Sky Conference standings with Montana State.

Instead it was Montana's four bench players who wrote the storylines.

Kylie Frohlich had a season-high 13 points and nine rebounds. Dani Bartsch, who didn't play in Thursday's home win over Weber State and had just two points in 11 minutes on Saturday against Idaho State, totaled nine points and six rebounds.

Nyah Morris-Nelson and Kyndall Keller combined to score six points.

Inserted into the starting lineup in place of Fatkin, Katerina Tsineke came up big with 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting.

And when they had given Montana a 50-47 lead through three quarters, the stage was set for Gfeller to rise from the bench and score 10 game-changing points in the fourth quarter as the Lady Griz held on for their first road win since November.

Her 3-pointer with 3:08 to go broke a 60-60 tie and gave Montana the lead for good.

"I'm so proud of them. Our bench, are you kidding me? We had massive foul trouble, and those kids came in and battled," said Holsinger.

"They were tired and they battled through. I told them, not only did you guys hold the lead, you extended it, multiple times. I hope this gives them more confidence because they deserve it. They fought for it."

Montana trailed for less than three minutes in the game thanks to a hot start. Haley Huard hit a 3-pointer, then Tsineke did. Then Huard connected again to put the Lady Griz up 13-5.

But trouble was brewing. Gfeller committed two fouls in the game's opening minute. She played just 44 seconds of the first half.

Sophia Stiles picked up her second foul early in the second quarter. Anderson collected her second foul a few minutes later.

With Fatkin in uniform but sitting this one out, that had Montana's four leading scorers on the bench for the final 6:49 of the first half.

And the Lady Griz didn't fold. Instead they played even with the Thunderbirds to the break, where they held an improbable 35-34 lead.

Frohlich had 10 points and seven rebounds in the first half, six of her boards coming on the offensive end.

Montana was just 15 for 37 in the first half, but that was seven more shots than Southern Utah took because of those offensive boards. It also bled time off the clock.

"We don't win without (Kylie)," said Holsinger. "We just don't. She's in there, totally undersized and she's scrapping like crazy, she's rebounding."

Montana didn't just win the rebounding battle on Monday night, the Lady Griz were +10 against a team that had been outrebounded in a game just once since November.

"Kylie set the tone on the rebounds. Obviously the scoring is great. When she gets against someone her size, she's tough to stop. Her rebounding set the tone for our team and changed everything," said Holsinger.

Tsineke was perfect in the third period, going 3 for 3 and scoring seven points as Montana, with Anderson, Stiles and Gfeller all playing less than four minutes because of more foul trouble, extended a two-point lead at the half to three, 50-47.

The lead changed hands six times midway through a tight, tense fourth quarter before SUU's Lizzy Williamson tied it at 60-60 when she hit one of two free throws with 3:30 to go.

That set up Gfeller to hit what would be the game-winner from the top of the key on Montana's next possession.

The next big moment came with Montana holding a 64-62 lead with just over a minute to play and the Lady Griz inbounding the ball from the sideline in the frontcourt.

Coming out of a timeout, Anderson found Morris-Nelson in the paint off a back screen. Anderson's pass had hearts in throats, but it made its way to Morris-Nelson, who finished despite being 1 for 8 at the time.

"She didn't hit a shot all night, but I kept telling her, keep with it. Don't worry about it. You're shooting good shots, you're going to have your chance," said Holsinger.

"Abby made a heck of a pass. It wasn't totally clean and Nyah finished."

Then Montana finished, with Stiles making one of the key plays in the game. After Southern Utah cut the lead to 66-64 and after Gfeller missed with 43 seconds left, the ball was heading out of bounds.

Stiles wasn't having it. She hustled and lunged for the loose ball in the corner and saved it while in mid-air to a teammate. She was later fouled in the possession and made one of two free throws with 15 seconds left to make it 67-64.

Southern Utah had a chance to tie it in the closing seconds but lost the ball and turned it over. Gfeller hit two free throws to make it 69-64. Game.

"You love it when you're perfect, and we were far from that. Didn't matter. It was a great team victory on the road," said Holsinger.

"They are learning what a championship culture means, and it's a process. It's about us getting better as a team day in and day out, from the end of our bench all the way through the coaching staff. The process is special and what makes this really fun."

Montana will play at Northern Arizona on Thursday, at Portland State on Saturday and at Eastern Washington next Monday.