Cold Spell Snaps Bobcats Win Streak

Tuesday, November 24

BOZEMAN

7 p.m.

Montana State University

3-1

University of San Diego

4-0

San Diego

Montana State

Peyton Ferris posted 18 points and 11 rebounds against San Diego, Tuesday night.

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

11/24/2015 10:56:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

San Diego used a 15-2 run in the final six-minutes to claim a 62-49 win over Montana State, Tuesday night in Worthington Arena, snapping MSU’s win streak at three games.

By: Tom Schulz

San Diego used a 15-2 run in the final six-minutes to claim a 62-49 win over Montana State, Tuesday night in Worthington Arena, snapping MSU's win streak at three games.

The Bobcats opened the contest on fire, connecting on seven-of-nine attempts from the floor in the opening seven minutes. MSU opened up 20-14 lead after the first quarter. However, the Bobcats went cold in the second stanza hitting just two-of-ten shots as the Toreros entered intermission with a 32-27 advantage.

San Diego (4-0), who entered the contest ranked No. 12 in this week's College Insider Mid-Major Top-25 poll, pushed its lead to 38-30 at the 4:10 mark of the third quarter. Montana State (3-1) rallied with an 11-4 run, cutting the margin to 42-41 on a Lindsay Stockton layup in the waning moments of the period. The Bobcat rally was sparked by back-to-back three-pointers from newcomer Riley Nordgaard.

With the scored tied at 47-all with 6:02 left, USD used a pair of three-pointers and a five-of-six effort from the free throw line down the stretch to secure the win. The Bobcats closed out the final six minutes going one-of-five from the floor, while committing four turnovers.

"It was a game of momentum," said MSU 11^th year head coach Tricia Binford. "We had a lot of fight, but San Diego is a good team and they responded. We lost our composure and started forcing things. In our three wins, we shared the ball at a high-level. I felt in the second-half we started to force things, individually.

"This was a good experience against a team we really respect," Binford said. "And hopefully, we'll grow from this game."

Junior Peyton Ferris came off the bench to guide the Bobcats recording her first double-double of the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds. The Twin Bridges product converted seven-of-ten from the field and was four-of-six at the line.

"We need games like this to prepare us for conference," Ferris said. "We'll learn from this, and hopefully next time, things will fall our way."

Nordgaard finished with nine points, all coming in the second half. She also added seven rebounds. Senior Jasmine Hommes struggled from the floor going just one-of-eight, but picked up her game on the defensive end with six rebounds and a career-high four blocks.

For the game, the Bobcats shot 37 percent from the field, including 46 percent in the first half. The San Diego defense forced MSU into 21 turnovers, while committing just 11 miscues.

The Toreros were paced by Malina Hood with 19 points and eight rebounds.

Montana State will travel to Cal Poly this weekend for the ShareSLO Holiday Tournament. The Bobcats open play against Evansville on Friday at 6 p.m. (MST).