Newcomers Lead Balanced Attack as MSU Knocks-Off UM Western

Tuesday, October 30

BOZEMAN

6 p.m.

Montana State University

Montana Western (Ex.)

Montana Western

Montana State

Claire Lundberg connexts on a short jumper against UM Western.

Photo by: Andrew Pedersen

Newcomers Lead Balanced Attack as MSU Knocks-Off UM Western

10/30/2018 11:27:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

“Oliana really did a nice job getting her teammates involved,” Binford said. “We had a lot of players getting their feet wet, and I was happy with the flow and our rotations. We really have a lot of interchangeable parts.”

By: Tom Schulz

Montana State newcomers Claire Lundberg and Martha Kuderer finally got to dust off their uniforms. After sitting out last season under NCAA transfer rules, the former Seton Hall standouts combined for 40 points to guide the Bobcats to a 79-60 victory over UM Western in exhibition action on Tuesday night in Worthington Arena.

Lundberg finished with a team-high 22 points on eight-of-ten shooting, while Kuderer chipped in 18 points, including a perfect five-of-five outing from the line.

"They were excited to get into uniform," said MSU 14^th-year head coach Tricia Binford. "They showed their potential and physicality."

Binford also lauded the team's balance as junior Oliana Squires notched the games' only double-double with 10 points and 11 assists. Veterans Madeline Smith and Tori Martell added nine points, apiece.

"Oliana really did a nice job getting her teammates involved," Binford said. "We had a lot of players getting their feet wet, and I was happy with the flow and our rotations. We really have a lot of interchangeable parts."

Montana State took a 42-26 lead at intermission shooting 55 percent from the field. The Bobcats maintained a healthy lead in the second stanza, building its largest lead at 69-42 on a pair of Lundberg free throws with 7:52 remaining.

The Bobcats finished the contest shooting 51 percent from the field and connected on nine 3-pointers. MSU also held a 38-32 advantage under the boards. Smith paced the Bobcats with nine rebounds.

"We definitely have some work to do, especially with our close-outs and ball pressure," Binford said. "Montana Western is a very solid team and it will be fun to watch them this season. They did a nice job challenging us and forced us to play an entire 40-minutes."

UMW's Brianna King, who was the 2018 Frontier Conference Player of the Year, finished with a game-high 25 points, while Tori Anderson and Savanna Bignell chipped in ten points, apiece.

Montana State will open its regular-season hosting Carroll College on Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 11 a.m. in the annual Bobcat School Day game.