DILLON, Mont. –The Montana Western Bulldogs (14-8, 4-6) upset the No. 18 Battlin' Bears of Rocky Mountain College (20-3, 8-2) in overtime, 73-70.
The Bulldogs had a 22-point first quarter, leading Rocky by three; Montana Western out-rebounded Rocky 11 to five. The Battlin' Bears responded with an 18-point second quarter, while the Bulldogs only added 11 to the board. At the half, Rocky led 37-33.
The Battlin' Bears continued to lead the Bulldogs throughout the third and for the first three minutes of the fourth.
Natali Denning's pair of 3-pointers and a layup from
Shainy Mack tied up the score. With seconds left to play and the Bulldogs down by two, 62-60, Mack put up a no-good 3-pointer, but Denning grabbed the offensive rebound. The Bulldogs dished the ball to
Brynley Fitzgerald down low, and Fitzgerald tied up the game with a contested layup.
In overtime, Rocky quickly drained a shot from the arc. The Bulldogs responded with an and-one layup by Fitzgerald and a banked 3-pointer from Denning. Fitzgerald added another 3-pointer and free throw to the board, while
Sydney Sheridan also added a free throw.
"What an effort by these young women," coach
Lindsay Woolley said. "They have had so much adversity this year and I couldn't be happier to see their hard work pay off."
Inside the Box Score
- Rocky was nine of nine from the foul line; the Bulldogs were nine of 15.
- The Battlin' Bears had four blocks; the Bulldogs had none.
- Fitzgerald led the Bulldogs with a double-double—23 points and 13 rebounds—and added four assists and two steals.
- Montana Western's Denning added two season-highs to her stats with 21 points and eight rebounds.
- Mack also tallied four assists for the Bulldogs.
- N'Dea Flye led Rocky with 37 points, five assists, and six steals.
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