Bobcat Women Overcome First Half Blues to Tree Wildcats

Wednesday, March 8

Reno, NV

1:05 p.m.

Montana State University

23-6

Weber State

13-18

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Weber State	17	14	13	9	53
Montana State	18	13	17	17	65

Hannah Caudill had a career-high 24 points in MSU's quarterfinal win over Weber State.

Photo by: MSU Sports Information

3/8/2017 4:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Any memories of last year’s early round exit left the minds of the Montana State women’s basketball team with a late 13-3 run in the second quarter to even the score at intermission.

By: Tom Schulz

Any memories of last year's early round exit left the minds of the Montana State women's basketball team with a late 13-3 run in the second quarter to even the score at intermission.

MSU and Big Sky MVP Peyton Ferris hit a jumper coming out of halftime and the Bobcats never trailed en route to a 65-53 win over Weber State, Wednesday afternoon in quarterfinal action of the Big Sky Conference Tournament.

"Weber definitely came out hard and we expected that," said MSU junior guard Delany Junkermier. "They did something different than our game plan and were causing us trouble, but once again our team has been put in many of these situations and knew we could pull it out. People made some big plays at the end."

One of the biggest plays for Montana State (23-6) was Junkermier's three-pointer with 1:13 left to give the Bobcats a 57-53 advantage. The Spokane product had missed on her previous eight attempts from beyond the arc.

"This entire season I've been struggling with my shooting," Junkermier said. "My coaches, as well as my teammates, never told me to stop shooting. I continue to shoot and happened to make some big plays."

Weber State (13-18) held MSU's top scorers to six points as Ferris hit for a season-low four and Riley Nordgaard two. Junior point-guard Hannah Caudill, who missed two games last week due to illness, finished with a career-high 24 points, including a six-of-12 effort from long distance.

"It was pretty tough, I not going to lie," Caudill commented. "Once I get some more sleep I'm sure I'll feel way better on Friday. I'm glad I got through it. I just kind of let it go (three-point attempts) and hoped that it went through the basket. And it did. I lucked out."

MSU held a one-point lead after the opening frame before the Wildcats rattled off an 11-2 run to open the second period.

The Bobcats built their largest lead at 48-39 with 2:16 remaining in the third quarter on a Caudill triple. WSU whittled the margin to one-point, before Junkermier's three-pointer with over a minute remaining. MSU connected on eight-of-eight from the line to secure the win.

"We have to give Weber a lot of credit," said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. "They showed a box-and-1, a triangle-and-2 and a lot different looks denying some of our kids. It wasn't something we've not seen all season. I'm extremely proud of our kids for finding a way to get it done."

For the game, MSU shot 33 percent from the field and 28 percent from three-point range. The Bobcats held a sizeable 54-32 advantage under the glass led by Nordgaard with 13 rebounds.

Weber State was paced by Kallie Quinn with 18 points, including five triples.

MSU will play the winner of Eastern Washington/Idaho on Friday at 1:05 p.m. (MST).