MSU Defense Lifts Bobcats to Victory Over Lady Griz
3/8/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
All five Montana State starters scored in double-figures and the Bobcat defense limitedMontana to only 22 percent from the floor in the overtime period as MSU held on for a 61-54win over Montana for the second time in a week.
Montana State (18-10) was led in scoring by senior Rebecca Alvidrez with 14 points. The5-foot-8 point guard also chipped in seven assists, six rebounds, three steals and a block. Alsoin double-digits for the Bobcats were Candis Wilcox (13), Isabel Stubbs with 12 points and agame-high 11 rebounds, Kati Burrows (12) and Jessica Blake (10).
"We play as a team and different people stepped-up at different time" Blake said. "We havefive people on the court that are threats to score."
MSU opened the game on an 8-3 run following a Burrows layup, before Montana (19-10)
answered with a 10-2 run to take a 13-10 advantage at the 14:49 mark on a Hollie Tyler
basket. However, the ‘Cats rattled off a 7-0 run to build the lead to 17-13. MSU held a
29-25 advantage at intermission.
In the second stanza, the Bobcats built a 38-31 margin following an Alvidrez three-pointer at
the 14:33 mark. However, MSU was held scoreless for the next 8-minutes and 33-seconds
and Montana took its biggest lead of the game at 45-42 on a pair of Crystal Baird free throws
with 3:22 remaining. MSU then tied the game at 45-all on a Burrows three-pointer. Candis
Wilcox then hit a three-pointer with 1:36 remaining to give Montana State a 50-45 advantage,
but Cheryl Keller’s coast-to-coast layin at the buzzer pushed the score to 50-all and the game
into overtime.
"I thought we had them in regulation, but we made a few mistakes," Alivdrez said. "We knew
we could get them in overtime. I thought we did a great job and took care of the ball much
better."
Burrows opened the extra period with a three-pointer to give MSU a 53-50 advantage.
Following an Alvidrez pull-up jumper with 1:43 remaining the Bobcats held a 57-54 margin.
Alvidrez then hit a pair of free throws with 32-seconds remaining to give MSU a 59-54 lead
and a couple of Blake free throws secured the Montana State victory.
"I thought our team played like champions," said MSU head coach Robin Potera. "This was a
great victory over our arch-rivals, a good team and a great coach.
"Our defensive intensity was unbelievable," Potera added. "When we had the shots and
weren’t knocking them down, our kids dug their heels in on the defensive end until we got
something going on offense. Defense won the game, there’s no doubt about it."
Montana (19-10) was led in the loss by Baird and Brooklynn Lorenzen with 14 and 13 points,
respectively.
The win was MSU’s first Big Sky tournament victory since 1998. The Bobcats also advanceto their first league championship game since 1997 when they faced the Lady Griz.
MSU will play Weber State, who shared co-regular season championship honors with theBobcats, for the league crown on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Wildcats were a 68-51 winner overEastern Washington, Friday evening.
Montana State (18-10) was led in scoring by senior Rebecca Alvidrez with 14 points. The5-foot-8 point guard also chipped in seven assists, six rebounds, three steals and a block. Alsoin double-digits for the Bobcats were Candis Wilcox (13), Isabel Stubbs with 12 points and agame-high 11 rebounds, Kati Burrows (12) and Jessica Blake (10).
"We play as a team and different people stepped-up at different time" Blake said. "We havefive people on the court that are threats to score."
MSU opened the game on an 8-3 run following a Burrows layup, before Montana (19-10)
answered with a 10-2 run to take a 13-10 advantage at the 14:49 mark on a Hollie Tyler
basket. However, the ‘Cats rattled off a 7-0 run to build the lead to 17-13. MSU held a
29-25 advantage at intermission.
In the second stanza, the Bobcats built a 38-31 margin following an Alvidrez three-pointer at
the 14:33 mark. However, MSU was held scoreless for the next 8-minutes and 33-seconds
and Montana took its biggest lead of the game at 45-42 on a pair of Crystal Baird free throws
with 3:22 remaining. MSU then tied the game at 45-all on a Burrows three-pointer. Candis
Wilcox then hit a three-pointer with 1:36 remaining to give Montana State a 50-45 advantage,
but Cheryl Keller’s coast-to-coast layin at the buzzer pushed the score to 50-all and the game
into overtime.
"I thought we had them in regulation, but we made a few mistakes," Alivdrez said. "We knew
we could get them in overtime. I thought we did a great job and took care of the ball much
better."
Burrows opened the extra period with a three-pointer to give MSU a 53-50 advantage.
Following an Alvidrez pull-up jumper with 1:43 remaining the Bobcats held a 57-54 margin.
Alvidrez then hit a pair of free throws with 32-seconds remaining to give MSU a 59-54 lead
and a couple of Blake free throws secured the Montana State victory.
"I thought our team played like champions," said MSU head coach Robin Potera. "This was a
great victory over our arch-rivals, a good team and a great coach.
"Our defensive intensity was unbelievable," Potera added. "When we had the shots and
weren’t knocking them down, our kids dug their heels in on the defensive end until we got
something going on offense. Defense won the game, there’s no doubt about it."
Montana (19-10) was led in the loss by Baird and Brooklynn Lorenzen with 14 and 13 points,
respectively.
The win was MSU’s first Big Sky tournament victory since 1998. The Bobcats also advanceto their first league championship game since 1997 when they faced the Lady Griz.
MSU will play Weber State, who shared co-regular season championship honors with theBobcats, for the league crown on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Wildcats were a 68-51 winner overEastern Washington, Friday evening.
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