Cats take Down Thunderbirds on Senior Day

Saturday, February 19

BOZEMAN

2 p.m.

Montana State University

17-10,12-4Big Sky

Southern Utah

15-10,11-5Big Sky

Southern Utah

Montana St.

Darian White (0) recorded 10 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals as the Bobcats knocked-off Southern Utah on Saturday afternoon.

Photo by: Jack Murrey

2/19/2022 5:31:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

“Those two have meant so much more to this program than stats could ever reflect,” Binford said.

By: Bill Lamberty

Feb. 19, 2022 -BOZEMAN, Montana – It was a day for the defense. And a day for the seniors.

Montana State held Southern Utah to 27% shooting from the floor and 19% from the arc, in a dominant 65-47 win over a Thunderbird team tied in the Big Sky standings with the Bobcats when the day dawned. The runaway win pushed Montana State's record to 12-4 in the Big Sky, a full game ahead of third-place SUU but one-half game behind Idaho State (13-4).

"I could not have asked for a better focus on the defensive end," said Ellen Kreighbaum Women's Head Coach Tricia Binford. "Our adjustments from the first time we played them were executed by our kids extremely well. We did a great job of keeping them out of the paint, especially in the first half attacking their ball handlers that got us on a lot of isolation at their place."

While the team result was positive, a pair of individuals enjoyed moments in what is likely their final Worthington Arena game. Seniors Gabby Mocchi and Ashley Van Sickle each enjoyed moments on Saturday, with Van Sickle collecting five points and five rebounds and Mocchi scoring eight points with five boards.

"Those two have meant so much more to this program than stats could ever reflect," Binford said. "I'm happy that they contributed to the win, but they are both amazing teammates and such hard workers, and they will leave a great legacy in this program."

Plenty remains to be decided in 2021-22, though. The Cats finish the regular season with four road games in the last two weeks. MSU plays a makeup game at Portland State on Monday, visits rival Montana on Saturday, then finish at Sacramento State (March 2) and Northern Colorado (March 4).

With all that ahead, the Bobcats stayed in the moment on Saturday. Kola Bad Bear's back-to-back layups, a jumper by Leia Beattie and a triple by Katelynn Limardo staked MSU to a 9-0 lead. The Thunderbirds pulled to within 11-7, but a three-pointer by Mocchi and free throws by Darian White pushed Montana State's lead to 17-8 after the first quarter.

A conventional three-point play by White and a layup by Beattie to close the second quarter gave MSU a 33-16 halftime lead. SUU would never again be within single digits. The Thunderbirds shot 54% in the third quarter, but only trimmed three points off MSU's lead. The margin bulged to 24 in the final period before a Binford engineered an appropriately rousing ovation for her seniors.

The Bobcats enjoyed outstanding balance. Limardo scored 12, with Bad Bear and White adding 10. Bad Bear grabbed nine rebounds, with Limardo and Lexi Deden snagging seven each. White dished out five assists. The Bobcats shot just 33% from the floor but hit seven of their 22 three-pointers and drained 14 of 19 tries from the charity stripe.

The defensive end is where the Bobcats did much of their best work on Saturday. In addition to holding Southern Utah to poor shooting, MSU forced 15 turnovers. White and Beattie each snared three steals, while Limardo and Taylor Janssen both blocked two shots. SUU guard Cherita Daugherty, who scored 19 against the Bobcats in Cedar City last week, managed just seven points on 2-for-13 shooting (1-for-6 from three-point range) on Saturday.

#GoCatsGo