Lady Griz hold off Hornets, pick up big win

It wasn't easy but it was a win and the Montana women's basketball team needed a victory more than anything on Thursday night.

Down two entering the fourth quarter against Sacramento State and trailing by one with four minutes to go, the Lady Griz did enough to pull out a 71-63 win over the Hornets at Dahlberg Arena in Missoula and put themselves in a much better position for the Big Sky tournament in Boise.

Montana (11-16, 7-9 BSC) remains in a tie for fifth with Idaho State with last-place Portland State visiting Missoula on Saturday. The Lady Griz could clinch a spot in the Big Sky quarterfinal round as soon as Saturday, before having to travel to face Eastern Washington in Cheney on Monday.

Oh, and Thursday's win snapped a four-game losing streak for Montana as well.

"I thought our kids showed more resolve and more toughness down the stretch than we have recently," said interim head coach Nate Harris. "That was a good win for us to get back on track. We had to go take it down the stretch."

The Lady Griz scored the game's first six points and led 13-2 at the first-quarter media timeout, as Sacramento State (12-17, 5-11 BSC) struggled early on without leading scorer Jaydia Martin, who missed her second straight game.

It was a game of great resolve for both teams, as mini runs both ways kept getting answered by the opponent.

Montana led 38-29 at the half, but the Hornets went 7 for 12 in the third quarter, while the Lady Griz were going 4 for 17. That 11-point difference allowed Sacramento State to turn a nine-point halftime deficit into a two-point lead going into the fourth.

"In the third quarter, we got a little too physical and they were really aggressive. Give them credit. Their bigs were aggressive and played tough and made it tough on us down low," said Harris.

Sac State's Katie Peneueta missed an open 3-pointer to open the final period, and MJ Bruno quickly answered with a three of her own to give Montana the lead back. Adria Lincoln later added her own 3-pointer to extend Montana's lead to eight, 58-50.

"We've had some situations when our resolve has been tested and we haven't necessarily bounced back," said Harris. "I thought it was tested tonight and we responded the right way."

With Benthe Versteeg at the point, the Hornets are never out of a game. She showed off her all-around skill set with a triple double, 14 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, and kept willing her team back into the game.

She scored back-to-back baskets, runners off the glass, then assisted on Rubi Gray's lay-up that capped a 9-0 run that put the Hornets back on top 59-58 with four minutes left.

"She's a tough one. When she's making those running bank shots, it's just so hard," said Harris. "That was a tournament performance by her. She did such a good job of getting them back into it with what she does."

The key moment of the fourth quarter was a miss, an open three by Madison Butcher that could have made it 62-58 with three and change to play and made it mighty uncomfortable inside Dahlberg.

She missed and Montana won it with balance down the stretch. Izabella Zingaro put the Lady Griz up one, Tyler McCliment-Call made it a three-point game. Dani Bartsch, who was a cool 8 for 8 from the free throw line, made two and just like that the lead for Montana was five.

A Mack Konig 3-pointer with 1:19 left proved to be the dagger. It put Montana up eight, 67-59.

After their big third quarter, the Hornets went 5 for 18 in the fourth, 0 for 9 from the arc.

"This is a zero-sum business. Someone has to win, someone has to lose," said Harris. "I'm proud of our kids for fighting. The third quarter did not go our way. The fourth quarter we did a much better job locking in defensively.

"In the fourth quarter, we found a way to win. Proud of our kids for finding a way. That's all that matters. We locked in at the right times and found a way to get it done."

After struggling offensively the last two games with her right hand bandaged up, Mack Konig ditched the tape and the splint and scored 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting. She went 3 for 3 from the 3-point line and dished out eight assists.

It was vintage Mack, Montana +16 when she was on the floor. "Mack was great and really important to us. She is going to have to play some big minutes down the stretch because of the things she can do," said Harris.

"I think she was a little frustrated with how it was going, so she took the splint off and some of the tape. She was going to suck it up and tough it out. Really proud of the way she competed."

Bartsch finished with 11 points and seven rebounds, Avery Waddington 11 points and six rebounds, and Zingaro scored 10 off the bench on 5-of-8 shooting.

Had Montana lost, the Lady Griz would have been in a four-way tie for sixth place when the top six teams get a bye in Boise to the quarterfinals, the bottom four a spot in the first round on opening day.

"You don't want to play in Boise on Saturday, so you control what you can control," said Harris. "Tonight we took a step forward."

Montana hosts Portland State (4-21, 1-15 BSC) on Saturday at 2 p.m., then plays at Eastern Washington (10-18, 6-10 BSC) on Monday.

"This weekend is huge. I'd love to get all three games but you can't do that until you get the first," said Harris.

University of Montana Athletics

Players Mentioned

Dani Bartsch

MJ Bruno

Mack Konig

Adria Lincoln

Tyler McCliment-Call

Avery Waddington

Izabella Zingaro

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