Seniors come up big as Lady Griz defeat Lions

Wednesday, December 6

Missoula, Mont.

11 AM

Montana

3-2

Loyola Marymount

2-6

LMU (CA)

Montana

Photo by: Tanner Ecker/University of Montana

12/6/2023 4:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Montana Sports Information

On a day that is unlike any other on the schedule, it was Montana's seniors who provided calm amidst the School Day chaos and the challenge of a formidable opponent, and led the home team to a gritty victory.

Maggie Espenmiller-McGraw, Carmen Gfeller and Gina Marxen, each of whom has five-plus years of college basketball experience, combined to score 61 points as Montana defeated Loyola Marymount 82-68 on Wednesday at Dahlberg Arena in Missoula in front of nearly 6,000 high-energy kids.

Espenmiller-McGraw went 4 for 7 from the arc and 10 of 11 from the free throw line to score a collegiate career-high 24 points, topping the 23 she put up last week against Dickinson State and giving her 47 points the last two games.

Gfeller, who is 20 for 28 the last three games, had her best offensive outing of the season, scoring 21 points, the 13th game of her career with 20 or more.

And Marxen, so steady, so patient, so veteran, scored 16 points off the bench on 6-of-8 shooting. She went 3 for 4 from the arc, part of Montana's 10-for-22 performance from the 3-point line.

"Our seniors were huge. It's what allows you to be a good team when your seniors are your players," said coach Brian Holsinger. "When your seniors are willing to take control of the situation, when it's a little bit different and they come out and are the best players, it's always a good thing."

Montana built a 10-point lead early in the second quarter, 25-15, and looked like it might run away with the game, but three straight 3-point shots by the Lions in just 80 seconds cut the lead back to one, 25-24, and the game was close the rest of the way.

It was an unexpected source of offense for Loyola Marymount, which came into the game shooting 28.1 percent from the arc. The Lions were 9 for 15 from the 3-point line before rushing some late attempts to finish 9 for 19 for the game.

"Credit to them. They came out and did things they haven't done all year," said Holsinger.

Montana never trailed in the game and led by just five, 73-68, with two and a half minutes to go before the Lady Griz pulled away, scoring the game's final nine points.

LMU shot 42.6 percent but was just 5 for 19 in the fourth quarter, when the game was still there for the taking. Montana has averaged more than 88 points the last three games on 48.0 percent shooting.

"Thank goodness we can score. I love the fact we can score," said Holsinger. "I'm always a stickler about playing better defense. In the fourth quarter, we buckled down and held them to 26 percent shooting and that's really the game."

In a season (and preseason) that has already been disrupted by injuries, Montana suffered two more on Wednesday. Libby Stump left the game in the first quarter, Dani Bartsch in the second. Neither returned.

Bartsch had five rebounds, four assists and three steals in 13 minutes when she departed.

"I'm really, really proud of our kids. We had a bunch of adversity today we weren't expecting, injuries and some different things," said Holsinger. "With all that, I'm proud of the way we played, especially coming out in the second half and executing the way we did."

Stump's injury came late in the first quarter, just as Montana was gaining some separation. It was like a candle had been extinguished.

"I think that impacted us in the second quarter. We've had a couple injuries already this year. That's an emotional deal," said Holsinger. "Our kids had to get through the emotion of that and play the game. I told them, right now, we have to compete like crazy."

Gfeller got Montana off to a good start, scoring 12 first-half points on 6-of-8 shooting as she consistently got the ball near the basket against an undersized defender, the result of Loyola Marymount's defensive game plan.

The Lady Griz finished with 34 points in the paint. "They switched on everything and we tried to take advantage," said Holsinger.

The second half belonged to Marxen, who had a nearly perfect box score over the final 20 minutes: 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting with three assists and just one turnover.

"Gina came in and stabilized everything. She made easy plays and great decisions. That really calmed our offense down," said Holsinger, whose team put up 49 second-half points on 51.6 percent shooting.

"Proud of our seniors. All three stepped up big time offensively and really handled what they were doing well."

Montana led 33-32 at the half and LMU tied it with a free throw in the opening minute of the third quarter. Marxen answered with a 3-pointer and Montana would lead the rest of the way though never comfortably, not until the final 90 seconds.

The lead reached 10 late in the third quarter when Haley Huard, who played just a handful of minutes, drained a big 3-pointer. "We needed that. She stepped up for us," said Holsinger.

The Lions would cut their deficit to five points on four occasions in the fourth quarter but would get no closer. The Lady Griz pulled away late to record their third straight win and send nearly 6,000 kids happily on their way.

"This is amazing. A lot of these kids, this is the only opportunity they get to come to a college basketball game," said Holsinger, whose ears will eventually stop ringing. "It gives me a headache but it's worth it to give all these kids from all over this opportunity. It's special."

Montana will get another big game on Saturday night when it hosts Colorado State at 7 p.m. The Rams, picked to finish second in the Mountain West, are 7-0 for the first time since the 2000-01 season.