Bobcat Women Take Down Former Big Sky Foe in Season-Opener

Sunday, November 10

Bozeman, MT

1 p.m.

Montana State University

1-0

California State University at Northridge

0-2

Cal State Northridge

Montana State

Junior Jackie Elliott posted nine points and five rebounds in MSU's season-opening win over CS Northridge.

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

Bobcat Women Take Down Former Big Sky Foe in Season-Opener

11/10/2013 4:24:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Tom Schulz

Kalli Durham notched a team-high 21 points to lead four Montana State players in double-figures as the Bobcats opened its season with an 85-69 win over former Big Sky Conference rival Cal State Northridge, Sunday afternoon in Worthington Arena.

Montana State (1-0) scored the first eight points of the game and expanded the margin to 41-23 at the 3:31 mark on a pair of Jasmine Hommes free throws. Cal State Northridge (0-2) whittled down MSU's lead with a 14-1 run to close out the half trailing 42-37 at intermission.

"We had a little hiccup in the last four minutes of the first half, but that was mainly due to foul trouble," said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. "Obviously, it's something we'll take a look at, but overall I was proud of the way we opened the game and sustained a good level of play.

"Both Ausha (Cole) and Lindsay (Stockton) got into early foul trouble, but Margreet (Barhoum) came in, played the bulk of the minutes, and did a fantastic job," Binford said. "She hit some big shots while being thrown into the fire."

Barhoum, a redshirt freshman from Edmonds, Wash., tallied all ten of her points in the opening stanza on two 3-pointers and a four-of-six effort from the free throw line.

In the second period, MSU opened on an 11-3 run and never looked back. The Bobcats built its largest lead of the game at 79-57 with four-minutes remaining following an Ashley Brumwell jumper.

"I thought we were balanced, patient and unselfish with our play," Binford said. "Kalli Durham did on awesome job on both ends of the court and Ashley and Ausha were composed and steady throughout the game. When all that comes together, we're a pretty good team."

Aside from Durham, also in double-digits for the Bobcats were Brumwell 14, Jasmine Hommes 12 and Barhoum 10. For the game, MSU shot 43 percent from the field, including 47 percent in the second stanza. Montana State also connected on 25-29 from the line.

The Matadors won the battle of the boards, out-rebounding the Bobcats 49-36. MSU was led under the glass by Brumwell with a team-best eight rebounds. Brumwell also chipped in a team-high five assists and three blocked shots.

Brumwell moved up to fourth on MSU's all-time blocks chart with a career 93 swats.

Defensively, MSU forced 18 Cal State Northridge turnovers, while committing just eight miscues.

Cal State Northridge was guided by Ashlee Guay with a game-high 25 points.

MSU will travel to Wyoming on Friday, Nov. 15.