Lady Griz shoot their way past Vikings

Thursday, January 30

Portland, Ore.

8 PM (MT)

Montana

8-12, 4-5BSC

Portland State

4-13, 1-7BSC

Montana

Portland St.

Photos: Scott Larson, PSU Athletics

1/30/2025 10:42:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

Montana put up 29 first-quarter points and never looked back on Thursday night at Viking Pavilion, cruising past Portland State 73-61 as the Lady Griz won their first road game in more than two months.

Tyler McCliment-Call, making her first start since mid-November, went 5 for 6 from the 3-point line and scored 17 points, just as Izabella Zingaro did off the bench on 5-of-7 shooting.

Montana went 12 for 28 (.429) from the 3-point line, its fourth time hitting 11 or more from the arc in five games under acting head coach Nate Harris.

"Hard to win on the road," said Harris. "Really proud of the kids for finding a way and starting this road trip off the right way."

Montana (8-12, 4-5 BSC) blitzed Portland State (4-13, 1-7 BSC) from the start in last year's match-up at Viking Pavilion, building a 33-18 lead after 10 minutes and rolling to a 76-65 victory.

Thursday was a mirror performance.

The Lady Griz found open shot after open shot early against the Vikings' porous zone defense, Montana shooting 56.3 percent in the first quarter and going 5 for 10 from the 3-point line.

The Lady Griz led by 10 points less than six minutes into the game and built a 29-13 lead after the first period.

"I thought we did a really good job against their zone. We forced them to switch it up to man by having a good plan and the kids going out and executing," said Harris.

With so much early damage coming from distance, Zingaro also got to work down low, time and again pinning a single defender on her back and spinning and finishing.

She had her best scoring game since early December, her second-best scoring game of the season. She had 17 through three quarters before sitting the entirety of the fourth.

"Izzi was a force today, did a tremendous job," said Harris. "We could have kept going to her but we rested her to get ready for Saturday."

Montana led 42-25 at the half and built a 24-point third-quarter advantage before Portland State went 4 for 5 from the 3-point line in the fourth quarter to ultimately pull within a dozen at the final buzzer.

"We really settled in that first quarter and built a lead and continued to build it through three quarters," said Harris.

"They came alive in the fourth quarter and hit some shots but we got out of here with a win, which is goal No. 1."

Mack Konig had 10 points and four assists, Dani Bartsch had seven points, 10 rebounds and seven assists without a turnover. It was her 33rd career game with 10 or more rebounds.

"To have a near triple-double with no turnovers, Dani is doing a great job," added Harris.

Alaya Fitzgerald hit four 3-pointers and led Portland State, which has one win since November, with 16 points.

Montana will try for the road trip sweep with a game on Saturday at 3 p.m. (MT) at Sacramento State.

The Hornets (10-11, 3-5 BSC) lost 67-45 at home on Thursday to Montana State. The Bobcats forced the Hornets into 28 turnovers.