Montana State Heads to Big Sky Championship Game After Topping NAU 76-71

Wednesday, March 11

Boise, ID/CenturyLink Arena

5:30 p.m.

Montana State University

25-6,19-1Big Sky

Northern Arizona

16-15,12-8Big Sky

Northern Ariz.

Montana St.

WBB_1920_BRAXTON_JACKSON_STEAL_NAU_BSCT_BN

Blaire Braxton started and Maddison Jackson finished it, the biggest steal of the game that helped cement a 76-71 Bobcat victory over Northern Arizona in semifinal action of the Big Sky Tournament, Wednesday evening.

Photo by: Brooks Nuanez

Montana State Heads to Big Sky Championship Game After Topping NAU 76-71

3/11/2020 9:05:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score MSU-NAU Box Score

Freshman Darian White and senior Blaire Braxton lead the Cats

By: Bill Lamberty

BOISE, Idaho – In a season with so many games decided late in the fourth quarter, Montana State faced one more make-or-break defensive possession in Wednesday's Big Sky Conference Semifinal.

Northern Arizona possessed, down three, a chance to tie the game. Montana State defended, one possession away from qualifying for the second Big Sky Tournament Championship in four years. And with 16 seconds remaining, in the game's biggest moment, Blaire Braxton was there.

The only one of Montana State's five seniors that comes off the bench got her hand on a pass toward the paint from Northern Arizona's Khiarica Rasheed, Madison Jackson ripped the ball from the clutches of an NAU player and shoveled it to Darian White, who was fouled. On the possession that ensued Oliana Squires sank two free throws, and MSU secured the victory to advance to Friday afternoon's Big Sky Conference Championship Game.

That Braxton started the sequence to cap a brilliant 11-point, nine-rebound game was not lost on Bobcat forward Fallyn Freije, the Big Sky's Player of the Year. "This girl does so much for this team that is not noticed," Freije said, "she does so much that's not on stat sheets. In practice she's keeping the team together, she's doing a lot of stuff off-court for this team, she's there for everybody. She is totally a glue person of this team, and for her to have that big of a steal at the end of the game shows that she is going to go every possession as hard as she can."

Braxton was one of three Bobcats in double-figures scoring, with White, who scored 19, and Freije, who netted 11. Braxton led all players in rebounds, logged two steals, and didn't miss a shot. The Highlands Ranch, Colorado, product finished 3-for-3 from the floor and 5-for-5 from the line. And she served as the steadying force so often in a game that saw NAU answer every time the Big Sky regular season champion Bobcats seemed poised to pull away.

"I thought she (Braxton) was phenomenal today for us," Binford said, "but she's been doing this all year long. On the glass, on the defense, whatever we ask of her."

With the Lumberjacks leading through much of the first quarter, Braxton snared three defensive rebounds during her four minutes of playing time in the period. Early in the second quarter she made two free throws that tied the score at 20, then came up with a steal. She made two more free throws with just under five minutes remaining in the half, and with Montana State leading 30-25 two minutes later she grabbed another rebound, then grabbed a steal, and battled to secure an offensive rebound. MSU led 35-28 at halftime, and Braxton had scored six points and grabbed six rebounds.

During a third quarter that saw Northern Arizona trim the Bobcat lead to four points Braxton converted a basket and a free throw, and White began to exert control. The freshman point guard scored six points and dished out an assist in the third quarter, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.

Braxton opened the scoring in the period with a layup, and eventually Montana State built a 10-point lead, 65-55, with 6:50 to play. MSU led 72-63 with 3:28 to play after Freije's jumper in the lane, but a three-pointer and a layup by NAU trimmed the lead to five. A pair of Lauren Orndoff free throws cut the lead to three with 1:39 to play, and it remained 74-71 until Braxton's deflection led to the game-clinching steal.

"The resilience of this team," MSU coach Tricia Binford said, "we continue to get everybody's best punch, and this team certainly finds ways. I want to credit Northern Arizona, I thought they played a fantastic game."

While Braxton's play late in the game proved crucial, she said her mindset began even before tipoff. "At the beginning of the game we get in our huddle after they (announce) our starting lineup, and today the big emphasis was every hustle play, every 50-50 ball, every rebound is ours," she said. "I think we did that, but I can't preach that if I don't do it. However much time was left on the clock, I said let me get the ball out of one of their best player's hands. It was a team effort, there was ball pressure all the way around the court, I was just the one that ended up being there."

For the second straight game in her hometown, White was a force difficult to contain. Her team-high scoring output was only the tip of the spear. She had three steals, grabbed three rebounds, and dished out an assist. Freshman Madison Jackson, also from the Boise area, scored seven points, while Tori Martell and Oliana Squires added eight each.

But Binford said the emphasis was on defense, as it always is in March. "It's really that time of year, to be quite honest. When you can get stops and kids (are) ready to make plays."

That formula added up to one more game for the Bobcats, which arrives Friday at 1 pm. Montana State plays the winner of the Idaho-Idaho State game with the Big Sky Championship on the line.

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