CHANDLER, Ariz. – The Montana Western men's basketball team (7-5) put together an impressive second half performance against the Benedictine-Mesa Redhawks, but ultimately fell 85-81 in the game.
The Bulldogs were led by
Jalyn Stepney who led all scorers with 28 points, going 11-27 from the field in the game.
How It Happened
The Bulldogs started sluggishly, struggling to keep pace with Benedictine Mesa's efficient shooting. The Redhawks capitalized early, building a double-digit lead behind Deven Foster and Seth Dawson.
UMW's Stepney kept the Bulldogs competitive, scoring 12 first-half points, including two three-pointers. Despite Stepney's efforts, the Bulldogs trailed 47–32 at the break.
Montana Western came out firing in the second half, led by Stepney and
Abi Adedo, who scored a combined 27 points after the half break.
With less than two minutes to play in the game, the Bulldogs closed the gap to four points after a key three-pointer by
Jacksen Burckley. However, missed opportunities at the free-throw line and critical defensive lapses allowed Benedictine-Mesa to seal the 85-81 win.
Notables
- The Bulldogs outscored the Redhawks 49–38 in the second half, but the first-half deficit proved insurmountable.
- Kolter Merritt contributed 6 rebounds, while Adedo added 4 rebounds.
- Bethel dished out 6 assists, complementing his 11 points and strong second-half play.
- Jacob Ankeny tallied 2 blocks, while Burckley had 2 steals and a block.
Up Next
The Bulldogs will take a short break from action and return to play in Dillon on Dec. 29 against Keyano College (AB) at 4 p.m. in the Straugh Gymnasium.
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