Montana Spoils @UNCBearsWBB Senior Day

Friday, March 4

Greeley, Colo.

7:00 pm

University of Northern Colorado

13-15 (8-10BSC)

Montana

19-10 (12-6BSC)

Team	1	2	3	4	OT 1	F
Montana	8	19	14	19	12	72
Northern Colorado	15	17	18	10	6	66

Photo by: Barry Lapoint

3/4/2016 10:57:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Montana Spoiled Northern Colorado wbb senior day in overtime

By: Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com

GREELEY, Colo. – Northern Colorado's women's basketball team had senior night spoiled by the visiting Montana Grizzlies 72-66 in overtime Friday night.

"It was a great game and a hard fought game once again. It is disappointing we were unable to hold a lead going into the fourth quarter," head coach Kamie Ethridge said. "To me that was the whole game, we were unable to manage the last 10 minutes of the game well."

UNC's seniors on the court in Kyleigh Hiser and Rebecca Howell led the team on their night. Hiser had her second straight 18 point performance, hitting on four of her five 3-pointers taken in the game. Howell was the team's second leading scorer with 15 points while also grabbing three rebounds. She went 5-for-6 from the charity stripe.

The Griz used three Haley Vining threes and an Alycia Sims three to pull within one of UNC by the middle of the fourth quarter after the Bears were leading by 11 early.

Montana then held UNC scoreless over the final 3:09 of regulation and scored four points during the time to force the overtime period.

"I thought we played well in the third quarter, but we had some critical turnovers that caught up to us in the fourth quarter. Those turnovers came from our younger players who are still learning," Ethridge said. "They are in the game because they are special for us and give us a chance to win. That is just something you have to live through by going through their learning bumps along the way."

In overtime, a Kayleigh Valley and one put UM up for good, 69-66 with 0:29 left.

UNC got out to its lead that Montana overcame with good ball movement and defense in the first half. After being tied at eight midway through the first quarter, UNC held UM scoreless for 5:37 to go up 18-8, capped off by a pair of Hiser threes.

"We played good team basketball and moved the ball a lot in the first half," Howell said. "We got some good looks and know that when we share the ball that's when we play our best."

Montana responded with an 11-2 run in the middle of the second quarter to get within 24-21. The Griz run was fueled by five Valley free throws. She finished the game going 15-16 from the free throw line on her way to a game-high 29 points.

"Montana is a tremendous team with experience and have a player in Valley who can just manufacture points quickly and easily for them," Ethridge said of the Griz.

Putting Valley on the line also meant foul trouble for UNC with Howell, Kianna Williams, Kourteney Zadina and Savannah Smith all having to sit extended time with two fouls.

Williams fought back from foul trouble in the second half, tying her career-high with 10 rebounds by the end of the night. Six of her 10 came in the second half as UNC out-rebounded UM 36-34 for the game.

Hiser's back-to-back threes to end the half had UNC up 32-27. In the first half UNC held UM to 29.2 percent shooting.

Northern Colorado built on its lead in the third with a 7-2 run from the 4:06 mark to 2:35 to go up 46-38 and enter the final quarter of play up 50-41, before Montana mounted its comeback.

The Bears will now turn their focus to Reno, Nevada and the Big Sky Tournament starting on Monday afternoon. UNC will take on Idaho State in the first round with tip-off scheduled for 1:05 p.m. MT.

"Idaho State may be one of the hottest teams in our league outside of North Dakota," Ethridge said of the team's first round opponent. "It is a true eight-nine game in that it will be a toss-up."

"There is a lot of emotion when playing in the tournament," Hiser said about next week's tournament. "It will be important for the players who have been a part of it and made a run in it to help the younger players prepare emotionally and physically for it."