Gonzaga Takes Bite out of Bobcats

Sunday, December 6

Spokane, WA

2 p.m.

Montana State University

5-3

Gonzaga University

6-3

Montana State

Gonzaga

Lindsay Stockton had six points and five assists in her Spokane homecoming at Gonzaga, Sunday afternoon.

12/7/2015 9:06:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

“I’m proud of our team,” said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. “I thought our defense in the first half was the best we’ve had this season. We took some steps forward from our Cal Poly and San Diego games. I thought we did a nice job with our composure given the atmosphere in the gym."

By: Tom Schulz

Gonzaga used a late third quarter spurt and back-to-back three-pointers by Fairfield's Jill Barta in the fourth quarter to pull away from a tight game and notch a 65-52 win over Montana State, Sunday afternoon in front of 6,000 fans at the McCarthey Athletics Center.

"I'm proud of our team," said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. "I thought our defense in the first half was the best we've had this season. We took some steps forward from our Cal Poly and San Diego games. I thought we did a nice job with our composure given the atmosphere in the gym.

"We showed good fight," Binford said. "We're a good shooting team and we didn't get shots to fall and that happens. We'll take some time for finals and work on the details heading forward."

Montana State was in the game for much of the contest as a Peyton Ferris three-pointer at the top of the arc pulled the Bobcats to within 30-29 at the 5:28 mark of the third quarter, but the Zags used a triple and two free throw tosses in the final 27-seconds of the stanza to take a nine-point advantage into the final quarter.
MSU closed to within 46-41 on a Lindsay Stockton layup at the 6:31 mark, before Barta scored seven consecutive points in just over a minute of action to put the game away.

Montana State (5-3) was led in the loss by Ferris with 14 points, while Riley Nordgaard and Jasmine Hommes added 11 points, apiece.
Spokane natives Stockton and Hannah Caudill ran the Bobcat offense as Stockton finished with six points and five assists, while Caudill finished with a game-high seven assists.

Gonzaga (6-3) used its size under the boards, out-rebounding the Bobcats 40-32. MSU was led under the glass by Nordgaard with nine rebounds.

For the game, MSU shot 37 percent from the field, but connected on just three-of-16 from beyond the arc. GU also shot 37 percent, but went eight-of-16 from long distance.

Gonzaga was paced by Elle Tinkle with 11 points and six rebounds.

MSU will host UM Western on Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. in Worthington Arena.