Montana Tech gave Montana State a run for two and a half quarters. But the Bobcat dominated the boards and most of the stretch run in posting a 79-51 victory over the Orediggers.
Senior center Jasmine Hommes scored 17 of her team-high 18 points after halftime and grabbed seven of her 14 rebounds in the final two quarters as MSU notched a 71-31 advantage on the glass. MSU shot just 38 percent but the size advantage over their Frontier Conference foes proved to be a difference. Ten of Hommes’ rebounds were offensive as Montana State grabbed 31 offensive rebounds and scored 18 second-chance points.
Junior Riley Nordgaard shook off a 1-of-6 shooting start to score 16 points to go with 15 rebounds. The transfer from Division II Augustana College sat out last season. Senior point guard Lindsay Stockton scored 15 points and dished out four assists, including scoring 12 points in the first half as MSU struggled to a 28-21 lead.
Junior guard Margreet Barhoum scored 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting to round out double-figure scorers for the Bobcats. Sophomore Hannah Caudill notched a team-high seven of the Bobcats’ 19 assists. Eleven Bobcats played and 10 scored.
Sammy McGree led Montana Tech with 15 points, including 12 after halftime. Shayla Mack, a Tech guard who spent two seasons with the Bobcats as a walk-on from Three Forks, scored 13 points for the Diggers. Mack’s 3-pointer with 7:25 left in the third quarter cut the MSU lead to 32-29. The Bobcats ended the frame on a 21-7 run and never looked back. Montana State outscored Tech by 25 points the rest of the way.
