Saturday, January 27
Missoula, Mont.
2 PM
Montana
14-5, 6-2BSC
84
vs
57
Sacramento State
1-18, 0-8BSC
1
2
3
4
F
Sacramento St.
20
15
12
10
57
Montana
25
20
21
18
84
Photo by: Tanner Ecker/University of Montana
Lady Griz stay hot, shoot their way past Hornets
1/27/2024 6:01:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Montana hit a program-record 19 3-pointers – that's 49 in the last three games – to shoot its way past Sacramento State on Saturday afternoon at Dahlberg Arena in Missoula.
The Lady Griz (14-5, 6-2 BSC) led from start to finish and won 84-57, their third straight game with 84 or more points, their fourth time with 84 or more in the last five games.
That the 3-point onslaught took place on Robin Selvig Court of all places led to a question: Where are we and what has Brian Holsinger done to the Lady Griz? Same place, new era, still winning.
Selvig won 865 games rolling out lockdown defensive teams year after year. The 3-point line? It was an option but never really a team-wide weapon, more deadly shooters here and there over the seasons.
In 29 years coaching with the 3-point line in place, only nine times did one of his teams make even 12 3-pointers in a game, through it's hard to argue with his approach or the results.
Holsinger's third team, his best shooting unit yet, has made 12 or more 3-pointers seven times through 19 games this season. New era, indeed.
Montana hit 16 in Monday's win at Weber State, 14 in Thursday's win over Portland State and reached 19 on Saturday on just 41 attempts. That's 46.3 percent shooting from the arc.
Holsinger still wants to build a program that's known for its defense, but a coach has to allow his team to play to its strengths, right?
"Our kids can shoot. You do what you're good at," he said. "I'm smart enough of a coach to let them do what they're good at, and we're good at shooting."
The 3-point barrage came, perhaps fittingly, against Sacramento State, the program that hit 20 or more 3-pointers nine times during the Bunky Harkleroad era, from 2013 to 2021.
Montana's performance on Saturday is tied for 10th in Big Sky history behind only those put up by Harkleroad teams.
Forty-one of Montana's 61 shots on Saturday came from the 3-point line, the second-most 3-point attempts in program history.
"We're getting a little too 3-point happy in my opinion, but you put up 84 points and that's always going to be a good thing," said Holsinger, whose team is 49 for 105 (.467) from the arc the last three games.
Montana showed its balance once again, with five players in double figures, led by Maggie Espenmiller-McGraw's 19 points.
She hit five 3-pointers, as did Dani Bartsch, who had 15 points, 14 rebounds, four blocks, three steals and a pair of assists while playing a team-high 33 minutes.
Carmen Gfeller had 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, MJ Bruno had 10 points and six rebounds, and Gina Marxen scored 10 points off the bench. Mack Konig matched a career high with eight assists.
Montana jumped out to leads of 6-0 and 12-3, but like Thursday against Portland State, the Lady Griz allowed the Hornets to hang around, this time by shooting 6 for 13 in the opening period.
Montana led just 25-20 at the first break.
On Thursday against the Vikings, a game Montana would win 87-46, the Lady Griz clamped down on the visitors over the final three periods. Saturday never quite had the same one-sided feel of domination.
Solape Amusan hit four 3-pointers and scored 19 points for the Hornets, 13 above her average, and Irune Orio added 12 points.
"We didn't play right for most of the game. It was very frustrating at times, but I don't want to take anything away from the win," said Holsinger. "It's a good win but we have some things we can clean up.
"We have to be ready to play all the time. We looked a little tired today."
Montana scored the opening 10 points of the second quarter to build its lead to 15 points, 35-20, but Amusan connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to keep Montana from pulling away before half.
It was 45-35 at the break, with Amusan scoring 16 of her 19 points in the first half. She was 1 for 4 with three points in the second half.
"We did a good job in the second half against her. She killed us in the first half. That's a lack of focus," said Holsinger, whose team had nine turnovers by halftime.
Montana had 12 turnovers combined over 80 minutes the last two games, six at Weber State, six at home on Thursday against Portland State.
"It's just the details. We had too many turnovers, weird turnovers that we have to clean up. We go from six to nine in the first half. That's a lack of focus and not doing the right thing and keeping it simple."
Sacramento State entered the game averaging just 51.9 points. The Hornets just don't have the offensive firepower in their first year under coach Aaron Kallhoff to keep up with a team like Montana.
The Lady Griz outscored the Hornets 39-22 in the second half, allowing the Montana faithful – 2,781 strong on Saturday, a season high outside of School Day – to enjoy the second-half shooting display.
Montana went 10 for 20 from the 3-point line in the second half, with Macey Huard's three with 4:28 to go giving the Lady Griz 17 makes for the game and this year's team the program record.
Bartsch then hit two more, just to add to the case that she is turning into one of the most complete players in the Big Sky Conference.
Her double-double on Saturday was her fourth in five games, and she's making the block-defensive rebound-start the break with an outlet pass her signature play.
Montana's final lead of 27 points was its largest of the game, sending the delighted and satisfied crowd home happy.
It was Montana's fifth straight win on Robin Selvig Court, a place he made famous for being a house of horrors for visiting teams. These Lady Griz are gaining the same mojo.
"They just feel like, hey, the crowd is behind us. They love it and they feed off it," said Holsinger, whose team last year went just 8-6 at home. "We have different kids. It's a new time."
Montana will face a tough week ahead, with road games at Idaho (10-9, 3-4 BSC), where the Lady Griz have lost seven straight times, and Eastern Washington (16-4, 6-1 BSC), which is tied atop the Big Sky.
The Vandals picked up an impressive win at Northern Colorado on Saturday, 60-56 after building a 33-15 halftime lead, to snap a four-game losing streak.
The Eagles dropped their first league game of the season and had their 10-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday with an 89-81 overtime loss at Northern Arizona.
Northern Arizona and Eastern Washington are tied atop the Big Sky at 6-1. Montana is a half game back at 6-2.
The Lady Griz (14-5, 6-2 BSC) led from start to finish and won 84-57, their third straight game with 84 or more points, their fourth time with 84 or more in the last five games.
That the 3-point onslaught took place on Robin Selvig Court of all places led to a question: Where are we and what has Brian Holsinger done to the Lady Griz? Same place, new era, still winning.
Selvig won 865 games rolling out lockdown defensive teams year after year. The 3-point line? It was an option but never really a team-wide weapon, more deadly shooters here and there over the seasons.
In 29 years coaching with the 3-point line in place, only nine times did one of his teams make even 12 3-pointers in a game, through it's hard to argue with his approach or the results.
Holsinger's third team, his best shooting unit yet, has made 12 or more 3-pointers seven times through 19 games this season. New era, indeed.
Montana hit 16 in Monday's win at Weber State, 14 in Thursday's win over Portland State and reached 19 on Saturday on just 41 attempts. That's 46.3 percent shooting from the arc.
Holsinger still wants to build a program that's known for its defense, but a coach has to allow his team to play to its strengths, right?
"Our kids can shoot. You do what you're good at," he said. "I'm smart enough of a coach to let them do what they're good at, and we're good at shooting."
The 3-point barrage came, perhaps fittingly, against Sacramento State, the program that hit 20 or more 3-pointers nine times during the Bunky Harkleroad era, from 2013 to 2021.
Montana's performance on Saturday is tied for 10th in Big Sky history behind only those put up by Harkleroad teams.
Forty-one of Montana's 61 shots on Saturday came from the 3-point line, the second-most 3-point attempts in program history.
"We're getting a little too 3-point happy in my opinion, but you put up 84 points and that's always going to be a good thing," said Holsinger, whose team is 49 for 105 (.467) from the arc the last three games.
Montana showed its balance once again, with five players in double figures, led by Maggie Espenmiller-McGraw's 19 points.
She hit five 3-pointers, as did Dani Bartsch, who had 15 points, 14 rebounds, four blocks, three steals and a pair of assists while playing a team-high 33 minutes.
Carmen Gfeller had 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, MJ Bruno had 10 points and six rebounds, and Gina Marxen scored 10 points off the bench. Mack Konig matched a career high with eight assists.
Montana jumped out to leads of 6-0 and 12-3, but like Thursday against Portland State, the Lady Griz allowed the Hornets to hang around, this time by shooting 6 for 13 in the opening period.
Montana led just 25-20 at the first break.
On Thursday against the Vikings, a game Montana would win 87-46, the Lady Griz clamped down on the visitors over the final three periods. Saturday never quite had the same one-sided feel of domination.
Solape Amusan hit four 3-pointers and scored 19 points for the Hornets, 13 above her average, and Irune Orio added 12 points.
"We didn't play right for most of the game. It was very frustrating at times, but I don't want to take anything away from the win," said Holsinger. "It's a good win but we have some things we can clean up.
"We have to be ready to play all the time. We looked a little tired today."
Montana scored the opening 10 points of the second quarter to build its lead to 15 points, 35-20, but Amusan connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to keep Montana from pulling away before half.
It was 45-35 at the break, with Amusan scoring 16 of her 19 points in the first half. She was 1 for 4 with three points in the second half.
"We did a good job in the second half against her. She killed us in the first half. That's a lack of focus," said Holsinger, whose team had nine turnovers by halftime.
Montana had 12 turnovers combined over 80 minutes the last two games, six at Weber State, six at home on Thursday against Portland State.
"It's just the details. We had too many turnovers, weird turnovers that we have to clean up. We go from six to nine in the first half. That's a lack of focus and not doing the right thing and keeping it simple."
Sacramento State entered the game averaging just 51.9 points. The Hornets just don't have the offensive firepower in their first year under coach Aaron Kallhoff to keep up with a team like Montana.
The Lady Griz outscored the Hornets 39-22 in the second half, allowing the Montana faithful – 2,781 strong on Saturday, a season high outside of School Day – to enjoy the second-half shooting display.
Montana went 10 for 20 from the 3-point line in the second half, with Macey Huard's three with 4:28 to go giving the Lady Griz 17 makes for the game and this year's team the program record.
Bartsch then hit two more, just to add to the case that she is turning into one of the most complete players in the Big Sky Conference.
Her double-double on Saturday was her fourth in five games, and she's making the block-defensive rebound-start the break with an outlet pass her signature play.
Montana's final lead of 27 points was its largest of the game, sending the delighted and satisfied crowd home happy.
It was Montana's fifth straight win on Robin Selvig Court, a place he made famous for being a house of horrors for visiting teams. These Lady Griz are gaining the same mojo.
"They just feel like, hey, the crowd is behind us. They love it and they feed off it," said Holsinger, whose team last year went just 8-6 at home. "We have different kids. It's a new time."
Montana will face a tough week ahead, with road games at Idaho (10-9, 3-4 BSC), where the Lady Griz have lost seven straight times, and Eastern Washington (16-4, 6-1 BSC), which is tied atop the Big Sky.
The Vandals picked up an impressive win at Northern Colorado on Saturday, 60-56 after building a 33-15 halftime lead, to snap a four-game losing streak.
The Eagles dropped their first league game of the season and had their 10-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday with an 89-81 overtime loss at Northern Arizona.
Northern Arizona and Eastern Washington are tied atop the Big Sky at 6-1. Montana is a half game back at 6-2.
Team Stats
SAC
UM
FG%
.345
.492
3FG%
.471
.463
FT%
.786
.625
RB
28
41
TO
13
13
STL
8
10
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
19
FGM
6
3FGM
5
FTM
2
Pts
17
FGM
7
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
15
FGM
5
3FGM
5
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
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