Lady Griz open with big win

Tuesday, November 4

Missoula, Mont.

7 PM

Montana

1-0

Seattle Pacific

Montana

Photo by: Ryan Brennecke / University of Montana

11/4/2025 10:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana women's basketball team opened its season with a one-sided 81-44 victory over NCAA Division II Seattle Pacific on Tuesday night at Dahlberg Arena in Missoula.

The Lady Griz led 28-8 after the first quarter, 45-12 at the half and cruised from there to make a winner of Nate Harris in his first game as Montana's head coach.

"Good in stretches but a lot of things we need to improve on and a lot of things we need to improve on quickly," said Harris, whose team turned the ball over 15 times and went 4 for 22 from the 3-point line.

"But it was great to get everyone in. Everyone got the chance to put something on film that we can learn from."

Not surprisingly, it was Montana's two Preseason All-Big Sky selections, senior Mack Konig and sophomore Avery Waddington, who led the way.

Waddington scored 12 of her team-high 20 points in the first quarter, showing her ability to hit from distance or finish at the rim. She also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.

Waddington's 20 points were one off her career high.

"We talked before the game about being relentless, aggressive, getting downhill, being so intense your mom would be scared with how hard you're playing," said Harris.

"I thought she took that to heart and did some really good things offensively, especially early."

Waddington, who went 7 for 10 and hit all five of her free throws, didn't even need to reach the 20-minute mark as Harris subbed early and often throughout the night.

All 14 players on the roster saw action.

"As the game went on, there were opportunities for other people to go up and down, otherwise who knows how many she could have scored," said Harris.

Konig added 14 points and five assists, going 4 for 5 from the field, 6 for 7 from the free throw line.

"For us to really maximize who we are, those two have to be relentless," said Harris. "They can never get tired of attacking. They both did a good job of getting downhill and getting to the rim."

Harris went with a starting lineup of Konig, Waddington, Macy Donarski and a pair of transfers, Jocelyn Land and Kennedy Gillette. Gillette had seven points and six rebounds.

Draya Wacker had eight points and seven rebounds off the bench, both career highs. Making her Lady Griz debut, Rae Ehrman scored nine points on 4-of-5 shooting.

After not getting in a game last season, senior Lauren Dick played nearly nine minutes. Chloe Larsen, with three games played last season, was on the court for more than five minutes.

"All our kids practice hard every day, so when we have opportunities to let them get out there and represent the Lady Griz, we want to take advantage of it," said Harris.

"Everyone on our team is a huge part of this."

Seattle Pacific, which was playing the game as an exhibition, scored the first basket of the night, but Montana scored the next 15 points, 10 coming from Waddington in the opening 3:08.

Aby Shubert hit a pair of 3-pointers less than 30 seconds apart later in the first quarter to grow Montana's lead to 25-6.

The Lady Griz held the Falcons to 1-of-14 shooting in the second quarter to build a 33-point halftime lead.

The Montana advantage reached 47 points, 66-19, midway through the third quarter and 50 points, 77-27, early in the fourth.

The Lady Griz made their first two shots of the fourth quarter, then closed the game with 11 straight misses, which allowed Seattle Pacific to close their final deficit to 37 at the end.

Layne Kearns, a graduate of Hamilton High, matched Waddington with 20 points for Seattle Pacific. She went 6 for 13 from the floor, 7 for 8 at the line and added five rebounds.

"Awesome to see a Montana kid come in and do what she did. I thought she was really aggressive and played great," said Harris.

The schedule ramps up in opponent level quickly later this week. Montana will play at Oregon on Saturday afternoon, then play at Washington on Monday night.

The Ducks opened their season with a 100-59 win over West Georgia, the Huskies beat Seattle 90-43.

"Two really good teams, two of the best teams we'll play all year," said Harris.

"We're going to prep, we're going to fix the things that need to get fixed from tonight and prepare a plan that's going to give us the best chance to go compete. We're excited about it."