Bobcat Women Rally for Road Win at Northern Colorado

Saturday, January 21

Greeley, CO

2:05 p.m.

Montana State University

NORTHERN COLORADO

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

1/21/2012 5:27:00 PM | Women's Basketball

The Montana State women’s basketball team overcame two double-digit deficits and played stifling defense down the stretch to notch a 52-51 road win at Northern Colorado, Saturday afternoon to move the Bobcats into second place in the Big Sky Conference.

By: Tom Schulz

Boxscore: Montana State 52, Northern Colorado 51 (pdf)

The Montana State women's basketball team overcame two double-digit deficits and played stifling defense down the stretch to notch a 52-51 road win at Northern Colorado, Saturday afternoon to move the Bobcats into second place in the Big Sky Conference.

Montana State (13-6, 5-2) got off to s a slow start and trailed Northern Colorado (12-8, 4-3) by 12 points, before going on a 13-0 run to take its first lead of the game following a Chelsea Banis layup at the mid-point of the opening stanza. The Bears answered closing out the half on a 19-5 run to enter intermission with a 34-21 advantage.

“We played too soft and made a bunch of bad decisions in the first half,” said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. “We challenged them at halftime and I'm proud of the way they responded, especially with our defense and rebounding.”

The Bobcats opened the second period on a 17-2 run to retake the lead on another Banis basket at the 11:53 mark. MSU pushed its advantage to 52-44 with 4:25 remaining following two Banis free throws.

MSU would not score for the remainder of the game, but played stellar defense to thwart the Bear attack down the stretch, including three attempts by D'shara Strange in the final ten seconds to hold on for the win.

“We had some big stops and big rebounds in the second half,” Binford said. “To be able to sweep this road trip despite not playing our best ball gives us a lot of confidence in our ability.”

Rachel Semansky, a 6-foot native of Highwood, paced the Bobcats with a team-high 15 points, including ten points in the second half. Also hitting double-figures was Banis with 10 points. All ten Bobcats scored at least a point in the victory.

For the game, MSU shot 39 percent from the field, including 50 percent in the second stanza. The Bocbats defense held the Bears to 33 percent for the game and just 20 percent in the second half.

“To hold a team like Northern Colorado to five baskets and 17 points in the second half is a good step for our defense,” Binford said. “We certainly have some things we need to take care of on the offensive end.”

Northern Colorado held a slim 37-35 advantage under the boards, but the Bobcats out-rebounded the Bears by seven in the final twenty minutes. Ashley Albert led MSU with a team-high 10 rebounds.

UNC was paced in the loss by Lauren Oosdyke with 27 points.

The Bobcat win was its fourth straight victory.

MSU will host Portland State on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 7:05 p.m. in Worthington Arena.