Bears Fall to Montana State on the Road, 71-57

Monday, January 19

Bozeman, Mont.

7 p.m. MST

University of Northern Colorado

14-6,5-2Big Sky

Montana State

13-4,6-0Big Sky

Northern Colo.

Montana St.

Jordan Fetterman, Bobcat Creative Services

1/19/2026 9:23:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Elian Soto, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

BOZEMAN, Mont. – Northern Colorado women's basketball hit the road Monday night for a Big Sky Conference match up against Montana State. Despite a determined and energetic effort, the Bears were unable to overcome the Bobcats, falling 71–57 and suffering their second loss in conference play.

Aniah Hall led Northern Colorado on both ends of the floor, posting a strong double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, marking her second double-double of the season. Sophomore forward Claire Fraser put out an impressive performance off the bench, scoring 11 points to set a new career high.

The opening quarter featured a fast-paced start with strong defensive intensity from both teams. Hall checked in early and immediately sparked the offense, scoring seven quick points and finishing the first quarter with 10. Northern Colorado rebounded well and limited Montana State's offensive opportunities, but the Bobcats held a slim 16–10 advantage after one.

In the second quarter, the Bears offense began to settle into a rhythm as Neenah George and Gabi Fields knocked down timely shots. Northern Colorado's disciplined defense continued to keep the game within reach, and Fraser connected on a pair of three-pointers to cut the deficit to four. Montana State responded late in the quarter with a scoring surge, taking a 33–25 lead into halftime.

Montana State came out of the locker room with momentum in the third quarter, opening on an 11–2 run that forced Northern Colorado to call an early timeout. The Bears regrouped and began to chip away at the lead, highlighted by another three from Fraser and strong finishes at the rim from Hall. However, the Bobcats capitalized on transition opportunities and quick baskets inside to extend their advantage, taking a 65–47 lead into the final frame.

Northern Colorado showed resilience in the fourth quarter, mounting a late rally to close the gap. Despite the effort, Montana State controlled the final minutes and sealed the victory, snapping the Bears five-game winning streak.

UP NEXT: The Bears return home for Faith and Family Night on Saturday, January 24 to host Northern Arizona inside Bank of Colorado Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. MT.

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Fans can stay up to date with Northern Colorado women's basketball by visiting uncbears.com and following the team on social media: X (formerly Twitter) @UNC_BearsWBB, Instagram @UNC_BearsWBB, and Facebook /UNCBearsWBB.