Lady Griz drop Christmas Classic opener

Friday, December 19

Abilene, Texas

4:30 PM (MT)

Montana

2-8

Abilene Christian

7-4

Montana

Abilene Christian

12/19/2025 7:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana women's basketball team opened the Abilene Christian Christmas Classic with a 60-48 loss to the home team on Friday evening at ACU's Moody Coliseum in Abilene, Texas.

The Lady Griz (2-8), who opened their road trip with a 60-54 loss at Houston on Tuesday, will face Tarleton State, which plays Buffalo on Friday night, at noon (MT) on Saturday.

Montana looked unstoppable in the first quarter against Abilene Christian (7-4), going 9 for 13 and hitting seven of its nine shots inside the 3-point line.

Avery Waddington finished three times at the rim, Jocelyn Land did so twice, and that opened things for Aby Shubert to connect on a pair of 3-pointers, the Lady Griz in full.

Montana led 21-17 after 10 minutes.

But the Lady Griz went 1 for 14 in the second quarter, 3 for 14 in the third to fall behind 29-27 at the half, 46-36 through three periods.

Finally finding some offensive footing in the fourth quarter, Montana twice cut ACU's lead down to seven, but the deficit was too great to overcome.

"Early on, we were getting the ball to the front of the rim. We did in the second quarter but didn't finish the same way, then they started collapsing more and more in the third quarter," said coach Nate Harris.

"I thought we had everything clicking early. When the finishing stopped, we got a little tight from the 3-point line, then it took us too long to respond."

Abilene Christian, favorite to win the WAC, outscored Montana 29-15 over the second and third quarters to take control.

After holding Houston to 60 points on 34.9 percent shooting on Tuesday, Montana's defense was solid again three days later.

The Wildcats entered the game averaging more than 75 points per game on better than 44 percent shooting.

The Lady Griz held ACU to 36.8 percent shooting and had the Wildcats in the 50s before two free throws with less than a second to play allowed them to reach 60.

"If you had told me we'd hold that team to 60 points, I would have thought we'd won, same as the Houston game," said Harris.

"We have to keep fighting. I think we're defending pretty well. I think we found some stuff with our zone. I think it's an effective change-up for us. We've got to stay the course offensively."

Montana held Abilene Christian to three made 3-pointers on 26 attempts.

"I think we controlled the tempo really well and took some big steps forward defensively," added Harris. "Those are two positives, but we're not in this for moral victories. We're not in this to be close.

"We have to find a way to play both ends together well."

Waddington led Montana with 13 points. Mack Konig added 12, Shubert, who went 3 for 8 from the 3-point line, had 11. Land scored six points and matched her season high with nine rebounds.

Meredith Mayes, who entered the game shooting 58 for 84 (.690) on the season, led the Wildcats with 24 points on 11-of-15 shooting. WAC Preseason Player of the Year Payton Hull scored 14.

Tarleton State entered its game on Friday night against Buffalo with a record of 5-4, with the Texans on a three-game winning streak.

Both Montana and Tarleton State will return to the court early Saturday afternoon.

"It's a quick turnaround," said Harris. "It's about being smart with how we prep and approaching it in a way that gives us the best chance to win the game."