Vandals pull away, top Lady Griz

Saturday, January 4

Missoula, Mont.

2 PM

Montana

5-8, 1-1BSC

Idaho

9-4, 1-1BSC

Idaho

Montana

Photo by: Ryan Brennecke/ University of Mo

1/4/2025 5:26:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Montana Sports Information

Idaho used its defense on Saturday afternoon to give itself an opportunity to pick up only its fourth-ever win over Montana in Missoula. The Vandals used their offense to pull off the rare road victory.

Up two at the half, 21-19, in a game that had a first-one-to-40-wins feel to it, Idaho shot 17 for 27 (.630) in the second half to pull away, topping the Lady Griz 63-50 at Dahlberg Arena.

Idaho had been 3-30 against Montana in Missoula in a series that dates back to the 1975-76 season.

"They got going offensively and we really never got going the whole game," said Lady Griz coach Brian Holsinger. "It was a defensive battle, and they were a little tougher in the second half."

Idaho (9-4, 1-1 BSC) entered the day ranked seventh nationally in field goal percentage defense (.333), and Montana matched it in the first half, the game tied 10-10 after the first quarter.

At the half, the Vandals were shooting 9 for 30 (.300), the Lady Griz 7 for 23 (.304).

"I thought we played really good defense after not playing very good defense the other night," said Holsinger, whose team gave up 40 first-half points in Thursday's 78-70 win over Eastern Washington.

"(Idaho) is not as good offensively as Eastern, but we were gritty and we were tough."

Montana grabbed what would be its only lead of the second half when Dani Bartsch hit back-to-back 3-pointers early in the third quarter to put the Lady Griz up 29-27.

Idaho answered with an and-one three-point play to regain the lead, then Hope Hassmann scored inside to make it 32-29. The Vandals kept the lead the final 16 minutes.

Hassmann, a first-year Vandal who transferred from Cal State Fullerton, was the game's difference-maker. She finished with 20 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a blocked shot.

Idaho led 42-35 after three quarters, then hit five of its first six shots to open the fourth quarter to pull away.

"They were tougher than us and made big plays, especially in the third and quarter quarters," said Holsinger.

The game was allowed to be played physically, and Idaho defended in kind, forcing Montana into 16 misses inside the paint. The Lady Griz shot 39.2 percent overall with 15 turnovers.

"How the game is officiated matters, and they let the game be really physical. We responded in the first half, we didn't respond in the second half," said Holsinger.

"(Idaho) is tough and physical, and our kids missed a lot of layups. You have to make layups."

Coming off her first collegiate double-double, with 12 points and 10 rebounds on Thursday against the Eagles, Avery Waddington was a bright spot again on Saturday.

The freshman scored 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds while playing 30 minutes off the bench.

Montana's starting five totaled 29 points, Waddington scored 15 of Montana's 21 bench points.

"I love Avery Waddington but it's a problem when we're running an (isolation) play for our freshman in an important stretch," said Holsinger.

"We have to have some upperclassmen step up. Credit to Avery. We need those performances out of her, but we need other people to step up."

Mack Konig had 11 points and six assists.

Montana (5-8, 1-1 BSC) will make its first Big Sky road trip next week with games at Northern Arizona (11-4, 2-0 BSC), the Big Sky preseason favorite, and Northern Colorado (7-6, 0-2 BSC).

The Lady Griz will face the Lumberjacks at 6 p.m. on Thursday in Flagstaff, the Bears at 2 p.m. on Saturday in Greeley.