Smith sets record, @UNCBearsWBB wins big

Monday, February 25

Greeley, Colo.

7pm

University of Northern Colorado

17-8, 12-4BSC

Montana

12-13, 7-9BSC

Montana

Northern Colorado

Photo by: Dean Popejoy

2/25/2019 10:28:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Savannah Smith set the program's single-game scoring record with 40 points on Monday night

By: By Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com

Savannah Smith doesn't want to see the month of February end, she entered Monday's game averaging 26.6 points on 42.6 percent shooting including making 35.1 of her 3-point attempts. Those numbers went up on Monday as she broke the school's single-game scoring record with 40 points on 12 of 22 shooting including making seven 3s.

Behind her record night, Northern Colorado picked up a bye in next months Big Sky Tournament with a 79-61 win over Montana. The Bears improve to 17-8 overall and 12-4 in the Big Sky.

Smith's big night started early as she scored eight of the team's 10 points. By the end of the first quarter, she had 16 points to outscore Montana by three points. UNC led after the first 25-13 on 71.4 percent shooting.

UNC kept its lead at double figures throughout the second quarter and led 39-27 at the break. Smith finished the first half with 21 points to lead all scorers.

After shooting 60.0 percent in the first half, the Bears offense cooled off in the third quarter going below 30.0 percent. Despite the sluggish shooting, UNC still led by double digits at the end of it 50-37.

Montana made a push at the Bears in the fourth, cutting the lead to single digits twice, including as low as eight points with 3:22 left. Freshman Micayla Isenbart put a dagger in UM's comeback efforts by making her only 3-pointer of the night with 2:14 left to put the Bears up by 13.

Just like the way she started the historic night, Smith ended the game by scoring 16 points in the final quarter of play.

What they said

Stat to know
Northern Colorado has not trailed to Montana for the past 129 minutes and 15 seconds that the two teams have played. That stretches over four games of play. In the last three games, UNC has never trailed against the Lady Griz. The last time UM held a lead over the Bears was on February 1, 2018, in Missoula when they took a one-point lead with 9:15 left in the game.

Game notes
- Outside of Smith, UNC had two other players score in double figures on Monday night in Alexis Chapman with 14 and Micayla Isenbart with 10.
- Northern Colorado outrebounded Montana 33 to 26. Ali Meyer once again grabbed double-digit rebounds with 10 to lead all players.
- While all eyes were on how many points Smith scored, she also led the team with six assists and grabbed seven rebounds.
- Junior guard Krystal Leger-Walker missed the game to injury.

Around the Big Sky
The game between the Bears and Lady Griz was the only one on the schedule for Monday, but Thursday night is a big night for the conference standings. The top four teams will face each other as UNC visits Idaho State, while league-leading Idaho visits Portland State.

What's ahead
The Bears are on the road the rest of the week starting with a big matchup against Idaho State on Thursday night. UNC and ISU will tip-off at 7 pm.

Tickets to all Northern Colorado women's can be purchased by clicking here, visiting the UNC Ticket Office located at the Campus Commons Monday-Friday from 10 am-7 pm or by calling 970-351-4849.

To stay up to date on all things UNC women's basketball, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Twitter at @UNCBearsWBB.