Bobcats Maul Lady Griz in Brawl of the Wild

Saturday, March 7

BOZEMAN

2 p.m.

Montana State University

15-14, 9-9BSC

University of Montana

21-8, 14-4BSC

Team	1	2	F
Montana	17	40	57
Montana State	30	35	65

Jasmine Hommes recorded 25 points and 13 rebounds in Montana State's 65-57 victory over Montana on Saturday afternoon.

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

3/7/2015 5:50:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

“Mentally, we are in a totally different place than where we were at in Missoula,” MSU Head Coach Tricia Binford. “During the second half of the Big Sky season we’ve been able to fend off runs by our opponents and close out games.”

By: Tom Schulz

Montana State got exactly what it needed from its seniors, along with a lot of help from its juniors as the Bobcats downed Montana 65-57, Saturday afternoon in front of 2,506 fans in Worthington Arena.

It was déjà vu all over again as the opening of the contest mirrored the first game in Missoula on Jan. 17 as Montana State (15-14, 9-9) jumped out to an early lead. This time, the Bobcats didn't break leading wire-to-wire.

"Mentally, we are in a totally different place than where we were at in Missoula," MSU Head Coach Tricia Binford. "During the second half of the Big Sky season we've been able to fend off runs by our opponents and close out games."

Montana State started the Big Sky season 1-6, but has captured eight of its last 11 league contests.

Montana State stormed out of the gates, carrying the momentum from its pregame Senior Day ceremony, claiming a 24-5 lead at the 8:53 mark following a Jasmine Hommes jumper. Montana (21-8, 14-4) was able to whittle the margin to 30-17 at intermission.

"We wanted to set the tone early and dominate the boards," Binford said. The Bobcats out-rebounded the Lady Griz 22-13 in the opening stanza and shot 44 percent from the field, while holding UM to just 21.78 percent.

UM opened the final period on an 11-3 run to close to within 33-28 six-minutes into the half. Hommes ended the stretch with an old-fashion three-point play and the Bobcats exploded with a 19-4 run as Hommes, Hannah Caudill and Ausha Cole accounted for 14 points in a stretch of six-and-a-half minutes. MSU held its biggest lead at 52-32 with 7:23 remaining.

A Shanae Gilham triple with 22-seconds left got the final score into single-digits.

"We did an outstanding job playing a full, 40-minutes," Binford said. "We're playing our best ball of the season when it matters most."

Hommes finished with her second double-double of the season, posting 25 points and 13 rebounds. The points matched a career-best, while her prowess under the glass was a new milestone. Also in double-digits was Caudill with 10 points, including two from long distance. Cole, Kalli Durham and junior Alexa Dawkins added eight points, apiece.

MSU won the battle of the boards, out-rebounding the Lady Griz 44-36. The Bobcats were led under the glass by Hommes and Jackie Elliott, who corralled nine boards.

Montana State's three seniors – Elliott, Cole and Durham – combined for 20 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in their final game in Worthington Arena.

UM was led by Kellie Rubel, who finished with 16 points.

The Bobcats, who sat in ninth place two weeks ago, finish the regular-season in a tie for fifth place with North Dakota and Northern Arizona.