Lady Griz go streaking into Omaha

The Montana women's basketball team will take a six-game winning streak into the second half of the Big Sky Conference-Summit League Challenge when it plays at Omaha on Saturday afternoon.

The Lady Griz (9-3) opened the Big Sky-Summit League Challenge with a 74-61 home win over South Dakota on Wednesday night at Dahlberg Arena, rallying back from two 13-point first-half deficits.

The Mavericks (4-10) lost 96-82 at Eastern Washington on Wednesday, UNO's fourth consecutive loss and 11th time in 14 games this season allowing 77 points or more.

Montana and Omaha will tip off at 1 p.m. (MT) inside UNO's Baxter Arena. The teams are meeting for the first time.

The Lady Griz are unbeaten away from home this season at 4-0.

Coverage: Saturday's game will be available on the Summit League Network. Ace Sauerwein's local call can be heard on KGRZ (92.7 FM/1450 AM), KGRZMissoula.com and the Varsity Network.

At a glance (Montana): The Lady Griz ran their winning streak to six games with a 74-61 home win over South Dakota on Wednesday night.

It's only the second time Montana has won six straight games since the 2016-17 season. The Lady Griz also had a six-game winning streak early in the 2021-22 season.

Montana trailed by 13 points in the first and second quarters and by four early in the fourth before ending the game on a 19-2 run over the final nine minutes, with the Coyotes closing 1 for 14.

South Dakota's five points in the final period were the fewest allowed by Montana in a quarter since the Lady Griz held Providence (MT) to four fourth-quarter points early in the 2022-23 season.

It was the fewest points scored in a period by a Division I opponent since Montana raced out to a 22-4 first-quarter lead against Eastern Washington in the 2021-22 season.

The Lady Griz hit 16 3-pointers in the win on 44 attempts. The 16 makes tied the program record set in a 105-55 home win over Idaho State in 2005-06. The 44 attempts were the most 3-point tries in a game in program history. The previous high was 33, which happened on three occasions.

Montana ranks fourth nationally in 3-pointers made (10.2/g), ninth in 3-point attempts (27.2/g) and 24th in 3-point percentage (.373).

The Lady Griz have made 10 or more 3-pointers in a program record six consecutive games. Montana is shooting 41.7 percent from the arc in those six games.

Montana fell behind 23-10 in the first quarter and 31-18 in the second before coming back to take a 42-41 halftime lead. The Lady Griz took the lead for good three minutes into the fourth quarter.

It was the second time this season Montana has come back to win after falling behind by 13 or more. The Lady Griz also did it against UC San Diego after trailing by 14 in the second half.

It was the ninth time Montana has rallied to win after trailing by 10 or more under third-year coach Brian Holsinger.

Dani Bartsch and Gina Marxen both had double-doubles against the Coyotes, the first time that's happened for Montana since Sammy Fatkin and Carmen Gfeller at Northern Arizona last season.

Bartsch had 17 points and 11 rebounds for her second double-double of the season, the sixth of her career. She also hit a career-high five 3-pointers and had a career-high four steals.

Marxen had 10 points and 10 assists, the latter a career best at Montana. (She had 12 assists in a game against Eastern Washington as an Idaho Vandal.)

The 10 assists were the most for a Lady Griz since Sophia Stiles had 11 in a home win over Sacramento State in 2021-22. It marked the 60th time in program history a Lady Griz has had 10 or more assists.

Carmen Gfeller had 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting, five rebounds and four blocks, which matched a career high. Seven for 28 from the arc entering the game, Gfeller went 3 for 5 from the 3-point line.

Montana shot 41.3 percent, its 10th time in 12 games shooting 41 percent or better. The Lady Griz lead the Big Sky in field goal percentage (.445) and rank 66th nationally.

Montana went 6 for 7 from the free throw line against South Dakota to up its season percentage to .781. That leads the Big Sky and ranks 19th nationally.

Marxen leads the Big Sky in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.5), Maggie Espenmiller-McGraw (.467) leads the league in 3-point field goal percentage.

Gfeller ranks second in field goal percentage (.513), Bartsch is second in rebounding (8.5/g).

At a glance (Omaha): After winning eight or fewer games for four straight seasons, the Mavericks went 15-17 a year ago, their most wins in a season since 2016-17.

UNO, which moved up from NCAA Division II following the 2010-11 season, went 8-10 in the Summit League a year ago to tie for fifth, matching its most wins ever in league.

Omaha knocked off North Dakota and Kansas City in last year's Summit League tournament before falling 93-51 to South Dakota State in the championship game.

With four starters returning for fourth-year coach Carrie Banks, the Mavericks were picked sixth in this year's preseason Summit poll behind the four Dakota schools and Oral Roberts.

UNO lost its season opener at home, 105-59 to Illinois State, and is allowing 82.9 points per game, which ranks 342nd out of 348 Division I teams in scoring defense.

Opponents are shooting 48.6 percent this season against the Mavericks, which ranks 346th, and 36.9 percent from the 3-point line, which ranks 340th.

Omaha has two non-Division I wins, over St. Mary (Neb.) and Peru State, and Division I wins over CSU Bakersfield in overtime and by five at Texas Southern.

CSU Bakersfield has a NET ranking of 312, Texas Southern of 347. Montana, now at 98, has cracked the top 100. UNO is the lowest-ranked team in the Summit League at 303.

Omaha opened Summit League play last week with an 81-63 road loss at Denver, then followed with a 77-71 overtime home loss to South Dakota.

The Mavericks lost 96-82 at Eastern Washington on Wednesday, allowing the Eagles to shoot 52.9 percent and put up 22 or more points all four quarters.

Aaliyah Stanley, who played one season at Eastern Michigan and two at Florida Gulf Coast and is now in her second year at Omaha, scored 32 against the Eagles, going 6 for 6 from the 3-point line.

Stanley, who is 26 for 50 from the 3-point line this season, leads UNO in scoring at 13.6 points. She has gone 42 for 48 (.875) from the free throw line.

Omaha has been to the free throw line 326 times this season compared to Montana's 169. The Mavericks rank seventh nationally in free throws made per game (17.1).

Banks previously was an assistant coach at Ohio State before being hired by Omaha in April 2020.

Wednesday in the Big Sky-Summit Challenge:

at Montana 74, South Dakota 61
at Montana State 65, North Dakota State 45
at Eastern Washington 96, Omaha 82
Idaho 60, at Denver 51
at St. Thomas 70, Sacramento State 52
at Oral Roberts 81, Northern Colorado 80 (ot)
at Kansas City 75, Portland State 56
South Dakota State 110, at Northern Arizona 102 (2ot)
North Dakota 78, at Idaho State 72

Upcoming: Montana returns to its Big Sky schedule with games next week at Northern Colorado (4-7, 0-1 BSC) and Northern Arizona (9-4, 1-0 BSC).

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Players Mentioned

Dani Bartsch

Maggie Espenmiller-McGraw

Sammy Fatkin

Carmen Gfeller

Gina Marxen

University of Montana Athletics