Albert Sparks Late Bobcat Run as MSU Women Defeat North Dakota

Sunday, December 4

Grand Forks, ND

2 p.m.

Montana State University

NORTH DAKOTA

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

Albert Sparks Late Bobcat Run as MSU Women Defeat North Dakota

12/4/2011 6:17:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Montana State sophomore Ashley Albert scored the games last four points to help the MSU women’s basketball team to its fourth straight victory with a 67-63 win over future Big Sky Conference foe North Dakota, Sunday afternoon.

By: Tom Schulz

Montana State sophomore Ashley Albert scored the games last four points to help the MSU women's basketball team to its fourth straight victory with a 67-63 win over future Big Sky Conference foe North Dakota, Sunday afternoon.

After the game was tied for the 10th time, Albert converted a jumper off the glass with nine-seconds remaining to put the Bobcats up 65-63. Following a UND missed field goal; Albert collected the rebound and was fouled. The native of Hamilton calmly nailed two free throws with one-second left to secure the MSU win.

Montana State (7-2) was led in the victory by senior Katie Bussey, who notched a game-high 23 points. Bussey connected on 8-of-16 from the field and recorded two 3-pointers. Also in double-figure scoring for the Bobcats were Albert 18 and Chelsea Banis 10.

Playing in its fifth game in the last nine days, the Bobcats shot just 33 percent from the field, while being out-rebounded by North Dakota (4-3) 55-46. MSU did get the job done at the free throw line shooting 81 percent, including a four-of-four effort in the final one-minute and 21-seconds.

“Katie and Ashley really were clutch performers in the second half,” said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. “It was a very physical game and to come out with the win is a great example of how much heart we have.”

MSU got out of the starting gates quickly taking a 15-6 lead at the 12:49 mark of the opening stanza following a Bussey triple. The Fighting Sioux answered with a 13-4 run to even the score. The Bobcats held a slim margin, before UND broke away with six straight points prior to halftime. MSU closed the margin to 35-32 at intermission.

North Dakota opened the second period with a 6-0 run to take its largest lead of the game at 41-32 at the 17:55 mark. Montana State outscored UND 12-2 over the next five minutes to take the lead.

In the final 14-minutes and 28-seconds the lead changed hands six times before Albert's heroics gave the Bobcats the win.

“I thought one of the keys was how we responded to being down nine-points to UND on the road in the second half,” Binford said. “We could've used any excuse to fold our tents, but we dug down and got back into it and won a hard-fought game.”

Banis, MSU's starting center, finished with 10 rebounds to post her first double-double of the season. Also in double-digit rebounds was Rachel Semansky with 10 boards, as well.

UND was paced in the loss by Nicole Smart with 19 points and seven rebounds.

MSU will take two weeks off for finals before facing Illinois and No. 14 Georgia at the Las Vegas Shootout, Dec. 19-20.