Lady Griz roll past Vikings

Thursday, January 25

Missoula, Mont.

7 PM

Montana

13-5, 5-2BSC

Portland State

5-14, 0-7BSC

Portland St.

Montana

Photo by: Tanner Ecker/University of Montana

1/25/2024 10:28:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Montana Sports Information

Montana went 14 for 27 from the 3-point line and shot 50 percent overall to post a 41-point victory over Portland State on Thursday night at Dahlberg Arena in Missoula.

The Lady Griz won 87-46, scoring 87 points for the second consecutive game and 87 or more for the third time in four games.

The other two – wins over Northern Arizona and Weber State on the road – however, weren't quite as clinical as Thursday night's performance.

Finding open spots possession after possession and having shooters who knocked them down with ease, the Lady Griz (13-5, 5-2 BSC) finished 33 for 66 and had 25 assists against only six turnovers.

It was the most assists for Montana since the Lady Griz recorded 26 in a 103-80 home victory over Utah State early in the 2021-22 season.

Montana had five players in double figures, with Carmen Gfeller scoring 16 and impact sub Macey Huard scoring 15 points for the second consecutive game.

"We always play pretty well against a zone," said coach Brian Holsinger. "We just try to keep it simple and put them in spots where the defense isn't.

"You get easy shots against a zone if you move it correctly and know how to read the zone and see the defense. We did an awesome job, as good as any in taking what the defense gives you."

It was Montana's work on the defense end, particularly after a high-scoring first quarter, that allowed the game to turn into a blowout as the game progressed.

Portland State was within two, 20-18 late in the first quarter before Montana ended the period with a pair of 3-pointers by another super sub, Gina Marxen.

That gave the Lady Griz a 26-18 lead after 10 minutes, and Montana dominated the rest of the game, holding the Vikings (5-14, 0-7 BSC) to 28 points over the final 31 minutes.

"We settled in after the first quarter. Our first quarter defense was just okay," said Holsinger. "After that, we settled in and defended right. Really proud how we finished."

It was another veteran performance from Marxen, who continues to make an impact as a reserve. She had 12 points, hitting three 3-pointers, and added eight assists while turning the ball over just once.

"She came in and set the tone for us," said Holsinger. "If we don't have a great start, I can go to my bench, then she comes in and makes three out of four (3-pointers) in the first half."

Montana didn't just hold Portland State to 12 points under its season scoring average and to 32.8 percent shooting, the team's best defensive field goal percentage of the season.

The Lady Griz limited Big Sky preseason MVP Esmeralda Morales to a season-low seven points on 3-of-14 shooting. One of the nation's top 3-point shooters, Morales went 1 for 8 from the arc.

She entered the game averaging 17.8 points and with 57 3-pointers made in 18 games on 35.8 percent shooting.

She was pressured at the 3-point line by a combination of Huard and MJ Bruno, who forced her to play off the dribble and mostly inside the 3-point line. She did not have an assist in 26 minutes.

"We wanted to run her off the 3-point line. We didn't want to give her threes. She's a good player. We tried to put length on her," said Holsinger.

Morales's final shot of the game, a 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter, was blocked by Huard. She subbed out a few seconds later and didn't return. Her night was done.

"Macey and MJ guarded her most of the time and those two are pretty long," said Holsinger. "We tried to make it hard and miserable and tough on her. We did that for the most part for most of the game."

With Montana shooting a high percentage the entire game and with Portland State struggling to score without its primary weapon, the lead grew and grew and grew some more.

The Vikings, who lost for the 11th consecutive time, opened the game hitting eight of their first 14 shots. Over the final 31 minutes, PSU went 11 for 44.

That wasn't going to allow Portland State to hang around with Montana, which hit 10 or more 3-pointers for the 13th time in 18 games this season and 14 or more for the fourth time in seven games.

Over the last two games, including Monday night's 87-55 victory at Weber State, Montana is 30 for 64 (.469) from the 3-point line.

On Thursday, Huard went 4 for 6, Maggie Espenmiller-McGraw 4 for 8 and Marxen 3 for 5.

When Montana wasn't hitting from the arc, the Lady Griz were picking apart the space inside the 3-point line, hitting jump shots from the free throw line and short corner like it was practice.

"(Assistant coach Joslyn Tinkle) said, hey, let's go with the three-guard, short corner and they didn't come out and guard the short corner," said Holsinger.

"Then you have to knock them down and we have kids who can shoot. That makes it a lot easier."

Dani Bartsch had her third double-double in four games with 13 points and 13 rebounds, with Espenmiller-McGraw finishing with 12 points.

Mack Konig had seven points and six assists and Adria Lincoln, finding open space at the free throw line, had eight points on 4-of-6 shooting.

Montana outrebounded Portland State 51-26 and didn't allow a single second-chance point to the Vikings.

Montana will host Sacramento State (1-17, 0-7 BSC) on Saturday at 2 p.m. The Hornets lost 60-54 at Montana State on Thursday night, their 11th consecutive defeat.