by GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Despite reaching its highest point total against a conference opponent this year, the Lewis-Clark State College women’s basketball team could not outdo No. 24 Great Falls in the opening round of the Frontier Conference Tournament on Tuesday night. The fifth-seeded Warriors fell to the fourth-seeded Argos 86-80.
The loss eliminates LCSC, now 21-10, from the playoffs. To advance to nationals for the 18th time in 20 seasons, the Warriors must hope for an at-large berth. The tournament bracket and at-large bids for the NAIA National Championship, to be held in Independence, Mo., will be announced on March 11.
With points coming easy on both ends, Tuesday night’s game came down to which teams’ offense would blink in the final minutes.
“Eighty points, that’s enough to win,” said LCSC head coach Brian Orr. “Offensively, I thought we were good enough to win the game, but we just couldn’t get stops.”
Natahnee Spencer (Nez Perce Tribe) led with 21 points, Caelyn Orlandi had 18, Tanis Fuller had 16, and Brittany Tackett tallied 10, but Great Falls (22-8) countered with five of its own in double digits.
After trailing 42-39 at halftime, the Warriors stayed close throughout the second half and even led, 63-62, with 8:35 remaining. However, this was LCSC’s final lead as UGF hit clutch shot after clutch shot to stay one or two possessions ahead.
Argo post Lindsey Abramson did a lot of the damage, turning in 16 points and 14 points, though Erin Legel’s 19 points and nine assists made a difference as well. Stephanie McDonagh and Nneka Nnadi added 15 points apiece, and Darah Huertas-Vining had five assists and 13 points, including a couple of key layups down the stretch.
“Huertas-Vining had two drives – scoop shots, tough shots – and they both went in. I thought that was big,” Orr said regarding how UGF pulled away in the end. “And we just had a couple empty trips.”
Great Falls, propelled by 21 assists, coupled a 50 percent night from the field with a penchant for getting to the foul line where they went 24-for-35. LC State shot 43 percent, but spent limited time at the line, going 15-for-19.
The Warriors, who have seen all of their losses come against ranked opponents this year, shot it pretty well from the outside (7-of-19) as Spencer and Orlandi hit three 3-pointers apiece.
Outrebounded 44-35 in their lost to the Argos at home on Feb. 7, LCSC did a much better job of fighting for boards on Tuesday and finished only three behind, 37-34.
Fuller, who passed Amanda Campbell and is now ranks seventh in program history for career points (1,465), led the team with nine boards, while Orlandi and Megan Risinger added five apiece. Fuller also ranks seventh all-time in rebounds at 706.
“I was really proud of the way we battled,” said Orr. “I’m disappointed in how it went down tonight, but not disappointed in our effort.”
Tuesday night stands as the first postseason win for Great Falls since 1985.
