Bobcat Rally Falls Short

Wednesday, March 7

Reno, NV

6:30 p.m. (MT)

Montana State University

16-15

Idaho

18-12

Montana State

Idaho

WBB_178_Hannah Caudill turns the corner on Taylor Pierce

Senior Hannah Caudill

Photo by: Brooks Nuanez

3/7/2018 9:49:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

“I loved our fight,” Binford continued. “We gave ourselves a chance and got back in the game. I’m proud of our effort; proud of the legacy our seniors are leaving for those to come; and proud of our underclassmen for stepping up in the second half of the season.”

By: Tom Schulz

After getting down 13-points following the first quarter, the Montana State women's basketball team won two of the final three frames, but it wasn't enough as Idaho held on for a 78-74 victory over the Bobcats on Wednesday night in quarterfinal action at the Big Sky Conference Tournament.

Idaho (18-12) held a 16-point advantage at the eight-minute, 18-second mark of the second period, before Montana State (16-15) closed out the quarter on a 22-13 run to cut the margin to seven points at intermission.

The Bobcats shot just 18 percent from the field in the first quarter before its offense started clicking in the second period shooting 44.4 percent from the floor. The Bobcats capitalized on Vandal miscues turning UI's turnovers into seven points during the run.

"Idaho got off to a great start," said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. "We didn't execute the way we wanted and we didn't knock down the open shot. But, I give a lot of credit for what our kids accomplished over the next 30-minutes.

"I loved our fight," Binford continued. "We gave ourselves a chance and got back in the game. I'm proud of our effort; proud of the legacy our seniors are leaving for those to come; and proud of our underclassmen for stepping up in the second half of the season."

MSU opened the second half cutting a 15-point deficit down to nine points heading into the final quarter. The Bobcats got back into the contest as freshmen Tori Martell and Laura Pranger scored seven and five points, respectively.

The Bobcats opened the final 10-minutes with a 12-5 run to close to within 62-60 with 3:42 remaining. The Montana State run was ignited by senior point-guard Hannah Caudill who connected on a three-pointer, before finding Pranger cutting down the lane on two occasions.

Sophomore Oliana Squires also recorded four straight points during the stretch, before Blaire Braxton connected on a baby hook to get MSU to within two.

Leading by two with 2:12 remaining, UI's First-Team All-Big Sky selection Mikayla Ferenz registered seven consecutive points to give the Vandals a nine-point lead with 33-seconds left. The Bobcats cut the margin to 76-74 with two-seconds to go before Idaho closed out the contest with a pair of charity tosses.

Pranger, a product of Centennial, Colorado, finished with a career-high 17 points, connecting on seven-of-13 from the field, which included a career-best three 3-pointers. Also in double-digits for MSU were Squires 14, and Caudill, Martell and Rebekah Hatchard with 10 points, apiece.

The rebounding battle was even as each team pulled down 40 rebounds, and each giving up 11 offensive boards. MSU was led under the glass by Delany Junkermier with six rebounds and Caudill with five.

Caudill also dished out a game-high eight assists.

Idaho was led by Ferenz with a game-high 27 points.

NOTES:

Caudill finished her career with a school-record 507 assists
Caudill recorded 81 3-pointers this season, the most ever in a single-season
Caudill's 156 assists were the fourth highest ever recorded in a single-season
Caudill finished with 1,052 career-points, which ranks 19^th all-time at MSU
The Bobcats connected on a school-record 311 three-pointers this season, shattering the old mark of 245 set last season.