by MSU Communications
Montana State used a 14-0 fourth-quarter run to blow open a close game and top Eastern Washington 65-55 in Big Sky women’s basketball on Thursday.
Bobcat guard Darian White scored a game-high 17 points, extending her double-digit scoring string to 32 games, and Kola Bad Bear (Crow) registered her first double-double against Division I competition this season with 14 points and 10 rebounds to pace Montana State to the road win. The Bobcats shot 57% in the fourth quarter, its first period over 30% shooting in the contest, and White added six steals.
“I thought we showed a lot of grit,” said Bobcat coach Tricia Binford. “We played poorly in the first three quarters, but they were really resilient in the fourth quarter and found a way to get it done.” The win was MSU’s fifth straight over the course of a 10-day period that included wins over Big Sky contenders Idaho and NAU and a home win against arch-rival Montana.
Eastern Washington stayed close for most of the night by turning Montana State’s 18 turnovers into 30 points and holding the Bobcats to 27% shooting through the first three quarters. The Cats shot 21-for-27 from the free throw line to EWU’s 9-for-17.
MSU carried a 23-15 lead into the locker room at halftime but seven unanswered points to open the third quarter allowed Eastern Washington to pull to within 23-22 less than two-and-a-half minutes into the period. When Jaleesa Lawrence turned a steal into a layup with 1:50 to play in the third quarter, the Eagles held a 32-31 lead.
Bobcat guard Leia Beattie converted an and-one three-point play on the next possession, and after a pair of free throws by Lawrence Gabby Mocchi drained three charity tosses for the Cats to closed the third quarter with a 38-34 lead and Montana State never trailed again.
Montana State finished strong, hitting all 10 of its free throws in the fourth quarter and hitting eight of its 14 field goal tries. White scored 10 of her 17 points and Bad Bear 11 of her 14 in the fourth quarter.
