HAVRE, Mont. – The Montana Western women's basketball program (13-13, 11-11 FC) ended the regular season with an important 73-64 win over (RV) MSU-Northern (16-11, 12-10 FC) Saturday.
The Bulldogs showcased excellent perimeter defending, holding the Skylights to just 25.9 percent (7-27) from beyond the arc.
Western also took care of the basketball, turning it over just 10 times to tie for the second-lowest total of the season.
"We had great contributions from everyone today," head coach
Ryan Sullivan said. "Our bench energy was great and our girls battled for 40 minutes. Really proud of the growth we demonstrated this season and I am thankful for our group. Really happy we get another week together with an opportunity to earn more!"
STAT BREAKDOWN
UMW shot 45.8 percent (2-59) from the floor, 31.3 percent (5-16) from three, and 82.4 percent (14-17) from the charity stripe.
The Bulldogs grabbed 34 rebounds, eight assists, and nine steals in the contest.
They registered 38 points in the paint, 13 points off turnovers, eight second-chance points, and 18 bench points.
LEADERBOARD
Keke Davis led all players with 23 points and tied for the game-high in rebounds (eight).
Bailee Sayler (16) and
Ava Bellach (11) also scored in double digits.
Mila Hawk dished out a team-best three assists while contributing nine points and seven boards.
Davis, Sayler,
Isabella Lund, and
Maile Wilcox all registered two steals for the Bulldogs.
NOTABLES
Davis dropped 20 points for the second game in a row.
Bellach drained three three-pointers for the eighth time on the year.
Sayler scored in double-digits for the eighth-straight game.
Hawk earned a career-high in rebounds.
The Bulldogs shot 45.0 percent from the field for the fourth time in five games.
Western shot more than 80.0 percent from the line for the fifth time this season.
GAME SUMMARY
MSU-Northern pulled ahead early in the opening frame, but the Bulldogs fought back to tie things up more than once, and took a two-point lead, 18-16, into the second quarter.
Western took control in the second period, outscoring the hosts 24-16 to take a 42-32 lead into the half.
UMW shot 43.8 percent (14-32) from the field, 41.7 percent (5-12) from beyond the arc, and 81.8 percent (9-11) from the foul line in the first half.
The Skylights got within seven after the break, but the Bulldogs held strong and were up 11, 51-40, going into the final 10 minutes.
MSUN kept things interesting in the fourth, pulling within five twice with under two minutes to go. Western was clutch at the line in the final seconds, knocking down their last four attempts to seal the nine-point win.
THE OPPOSITION
The Skylights shot 45.0 percent (27-60) from the floor, 25.9 percent (7-27) from three, and 60.0 percent (3-5) from the foul line in the contest. They recorded 30 rebounds, 14 assists, and seven steals. Canzas HisBadHorse led the team with 18 points, followed by Ciera Agasiva (15), Taya Trottier (11), and Becky Melcher (11). HisBadHorse tied for the game-high with eight rebounds. Lauren Gunn handed out a game-best five assists while Trottier snagged a game-high three steals.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Bulldogs now look ahead to the Frontier Conference tournament, taking place Feb. 27-March 2.
For complete coverage of UMW Women's Basketball, be sure to follow us on social media at @umw_wbb (Instagram), @umw_wbb (X), and @Montana Western Athletics (Facebook) or visit our official website at UMWBulldogs.com.
#GOBULLDOGS!
