Smith explodes in second half to pace 'Cats over Lady Griz
3/14/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
But for Montana State junior Jana Smith, a promise to Bobcat head coach Robin Potera-Haskins made the difference in the game.
Smith, a 5-foot-7 guard from Ronan, went scoreless in the first stanza. The last one out of the locker room at intermission, Potera-Haskins told Smith that she owed her some points.
Smith made good on the promise and notched 19 second-half points to pace MSU to a 70-64 victory over the University of Montana, Friday night in semifinal action of the Big Sky Conference tournament.
"Coach told me at half I had no points," Smith said. "She told me I owed her some. I guess it was my half and I needed to do my part to win the game."
Smith converted four field-goals, including a pair of three-pointers, along with a nine-of-nine effort from the line to pace the ‘Cats. Montana State (21-7) shot 42 percent from the field in the second stanza, after only clicking for 31 percent in the opening period.
Montana opened the game with an 8-2 run sparked by Crystal Baird’s six points. The Lady Griz built their largest margin of the first half at 24-16 on a Hollie Tyler basket with 7:15 remaining. It was Montana’s (20-9) last field-goal of the half, and MSU went on an 8-1 run to cut the deficit to 25-24 at intermission.
"It was important that we countered Montana’s fast start," said Bobcat point-guard Candis Wilcox. "We missed some easy shots, and the shots we took felt good. The coaches just told us to keep shooting."
UM opened the second half with another flurry and staked a 31-24 lead at the 17:11 mark on a Baird bucket. The Bobcats chipped away at the margin and took their first lead of the game on a Smith three-pointer with 13:34 left. A Wilcox trey expanded MSU’s margin to 41-37 at the 11:23 mark.
Montana State then went on a 16-9 run to build an 11-point margin and an Isabel Stubbs free throw gave the Bobcats its largest lead of the game at 62-50 with 3:10 remaining. The Lady Griz had one final surge and cut the lead to 66-61 with 24-seconds left on a pair of Brooklynn Lorenzen free throws, but Montana State secured the victory hitting four-of-six free throws.
Also scoring in double-figures for the Bobcats were Stubbs and Wilcox with 12 points and Brandi Lewis with ten. Stubbs paced MSU under the boards with a team-high ten rebounds.
"It was a great team effort," Potera-Haskins said. "We kept patient and knew that our shots would eventually fall.
"Montana is a great team and a great program, and I’m so happy for our kids to pull off such a great victory."
Montana was paced in the loss by Baird with a game-high 22 points and 14 boards, while Tyler added 17 points and 17 rebounds. The Bocbats held UM freshman Katie Edwards scoreless, after the Lewistown graduate lit up Portland State for 19 points on Thursday night. Montana went zero-of-15 from three-point land, until converting two treys in the final three minutes.
The Bobcats will play Weber State in the Big Sky Conference championship game for the second consecutive season, Saturday night at 7:05 p.m., in the Dee Events Center.
Smith, a 5-foot-7 guard from Ronan, went scoreless in the first stanza. The last one out of the locker room at intermission, Potera-Haskins told Smith that she owed her some points.
Smith made good on the promise and notched 19 second-half points to pace MSU to a 70-64 victory over the University of Montana, Friday night in semifinal action of the Big Sky Conference tournament.
"Coach told me at half I had no points," Smith said. "She told me I owed her some. I guess it was my half and I needed to do my part to win the game."
Smith converted four field-goals, including a pair of three-pointers, along with a nine-of-nine effort from the line to pace the ‘Cats. Montana State (21-7) shot 42 percent from the field in the second stanza, after only clicking for 31 percent in the opening period.
Montana opened the game with an 8-2 run sparked by Crystal Baird’s six points. The Lady Griz built their largest margin of the first half at 24-16 on a Hollie Tyler basket with 7:15 remaining. It was Montana’s (20-9) last field-goal of the half, and MSU went on an 8-1 run to cut the deficit to 25-24 at intermission.
"It was important that we countered Montana’s fast start," said Bobcat point-guard Candis Wilcox. "We missed some easy shots, and the shots we took felt good. The coaches just told us to keep shooting."
UM opened the second half with another flurry and staked a 31-24 lead at the 17:11 mark on a Baird bucket. The Bobcats chipped away at the margin and took their first lead of the game on a Smith three-pointer with 13:34 left. A Wilcox trey expanded MSU’s margin to 41-37 at the 11:23 mark.
Montana State then went on a 16-9 run to build an 11-point margin and an Isabel Stubbs free throw gave the Bobcats its largest lead of the game at 62-50 with 3:10 remaining. The Lady Griz had one final surge and cut the lead to 66-61 with 24-seconds left on a pair of Brooklynn Lorenzen free throws, but Montana State secured the victory hitting four-of-six free throws.
Also scoring in double-figures for the Bobcats were Stubbs and Wilcox with 12 points and Brandi Lewis with ten. Stubbs paced MSU under the boards with a team-high ten rebounds.
"It was a great team effort," Potera-Haskins said. "We kept patient and knew that our shots would eventually fall.
"Montana is a great team and a great program, and I’m so happy for our kids to pull off such a great victory."
Montana was paced in the loss by Baird with a game-high 22 points and 14 boards, while Tyler added 17 points and 17 rebounds. The Bocbats held UM freshman Katie Edwards scoreless, after the Lewistown graduate lit up Portland State for 19 points on Thursday night. Montana went zero-of-15 from three-point land, until converting two treys in the final three minutes.
The Bobcats will play Weber State in the Big Sky Conference championship game for the second consecutive season, Saturday night at 7:05 p.m., in the Dee Events Center.
Wednesday, June 10
Friday, March 27
Monday, March 23
Friday, March 13
