Cat Fight: Bobcats Hold on in Ogden

Monday, March 4

Ogden, UT

6 p.m.

Montana State University

Weber State

Taylor Janssen (24)

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

3/4/2024 9:55:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

“We had a really strong start,” Binford said. “The team shot the ball really well, and I thought defensively we had three quarters being disruptive."

By: Tom Schulz

Montana State built a 15-point advantage with six minutes, 15 second remaining, and withstood a 15-2 Weber State run down the stretch to record a 67-65 victory over the Wildcats in the regular season finale for both squads on Monday night in the Dee Events Center.

"We've got to play smarter," said MSU head coach Tricia Binford on WSU's fourth quarter run. "They battled and we didn't. We gave them too many opportunities."

Montana State (16-15, 10-8) jumped out to a 38-30 lead at intermission as both Marah Dykstra and Taylor Janssen netted 10 points. The Bobcats shot 43.8% from the field, including 50% in the first quarter, which included a four-of-seven performance from beyond the three-point arc.

"We had a really strong start," Binford said. "The team shot the ball really well, and I thought defensively we had three quarters being disruptive.

"Credit Weber (State) for clawing their way back," she added. "But we need to play to win in end of game management."

Montana State held a double-digit lead throughout the third quarter and built a 65-50 margin in the fourth frame following an old fashion three-point play by Dykstra. Over the final six minutes, MSU went zero-of-eight from the field. Natalie Picton's steal and fastbreak layin with 30 seconds left proved to be the dagger the Bobcats needed to withstand the Wildcats' late game onslaught.

Four Bobcats finished in double figures led by Dykstra with 20 points. Picton and Katelynn Limardo added 11, and Janssen 10.

"Marah was a monster," Binford said. "I really liked our offensive balance with four kids in double-figures.

Weber State (7-24, 4-14) outrebounded Montana State 38-30, after owning a one rebound advantage in the first half. Dykstra led the Bobcats with seven rebounds.

Montana State enters next week's Big Sky Conference Tournament as the No. 4 seed and faces No. 5 Northern Colorado on Monday, March 11 at 12 p.m. at Idaho Central Arena in Boise, Idaho. MSU and UNC split their season series, each winning on its home court.