Wednesday, November 27
Las Vegas, Nev.
3:30 p.m. (MT)
Montana State University
5-1,0-0Big Sky
62
vs
56
East Carolina
3-3,0-0AAC
1
2
3
4
F
Montana St.
11
15
19
17
62
East Carolina
14
8
17
17
56
Freshman Taylee Chirrick
Photo by: courtesy of Utah Sports Information
Bobcats Earn First Road Win of 2024-25 Campaign
11/27/2024 7:57:00 PM | Women's Basketball
“Taylee and Natalie’s pressure really created a spark,” said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. “Start to finish our defense was fantastic. We were able to get a lot of steals and turn them into points.”
Esmeralda Morales scored a team-high 15 points to guide four Montana State players in double-figures as the Bobcats recorded its first road win of the season with a 62-56 victory over East Carolina on Wednesday afternoon at the UNLV Thanksgiving Classic.
Montana State (5-1) opened the contest on a 9-0 run before East Carolina (3-3) responded with 12 consecutive points. The Pirates, picked to finish sixth in the 13-team American Athletic Conference preseason poll, held a 14-11 advantage after one period.
ECU built its margin to 20-12 at the 8:12 mark of the second quarter. A stingy MSU defense picked up the pace as sophomore guard Natalie Picton and freshman Taylee Chirrick disrupted the Pirate backcourt. Behind Chirrick's six points and four points from Dylan Philip, the Bobcats went on a 14-2 run to close out the half with a 26-22 lead.
"Taylee and Natalie's pressure really created a spark," said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. "Start to finish our defense was fantastic. We were able to get a lot of steals and turn them into points."
MSU built a 10-point cushion in the third quarter as an Addison Harris free throw gave the Bobcats a 39-29 lead at the 4:46 mark. Montana State led 45-39 heading into the final frame.
The Bobcats took its largest lead of the contest with 8:32 remaining at 50-39 as Marah Dykstra nailed a three-pointer from the right baseline. ECU closed to within six points in the waning moments, but Morales delivered the dagger with a long three-pointer from the top with 1:10 left to secure the win.
"I really liked our bounce back from the Utah game," Binford said. "We were able to maintain pressure in the backcourt and we were consistent with our principles.
"We still need to work on end of game management, and we need to do a better job on the boards, especially on the offensive glass," she added. "Our bench gave us a nice boost and the starters were very balanced on the offensive end."
Aside from Morales, also hitting double digits were Katelynn Martin, Dykstra, and Philip with 11 points each. MSU registered 17 steals as Picton, Philip and Ella Johnson each grabbed four. ECU outrebounded the Bobcats 39-23. Martin and Picton led MSU under the boards with four rebounds apiece.
MSU finished the contest shooting 49% from the floor while holding the Pirates to 38%.
The Bobcats face Central Florida of the Big XII Conference at 1 p.m. (MT) on Friday.
Montana State (5-1) opened the contest on a 9-0 run before East Carolina (3-3) responded with 12 consecutive points. The Pirates, picked to finish sixth in the 13-team American Athletic Conference preseason poll, held a 14-11 advantage after one period.
ECU built its margin to 20-12 at the 8:12 mark of the second quarter. A stingy MSU defense picked up the pace as sophomore guard Natalie Picton and freshman Taylee Chirrick disrupted the Pirate backcourt. Behind Chirrick's six points and four points from Dylan Philip, the Bobcats went on a 14-2 run to close out the half with a 26-22 lead.
"Taylee and Natalie's pressure really created a spark," said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. "Start to finish our defense was fantastic. We were able to get a lot of steals and turn them into points."
MSU built a 10-point cushion in the third quarter as an Addison Harris free throw gave the Bobcats a 39-29 lead at the 4:46 mark. Montana State led 45-39 heading into the final frame.
The Bobcats took its largest lead of the contest with 8:32 remaining at 50-39 as Marah Dykstra nailed a three-pointer from the right baseline. ECU closed to within six points in the waning moments, but Morales delivered the dagger with a long three-pointer from the top with 1:10 left to secure the win.
"I really liked our bounce back from the Utah game," Binford said. "We were able to maintain pressure in the backcourt and we were consistent with our principles.
"We still need to work on end of game management, and we need to do a better job on the boards, especially on the offensive glass," she added. "Our bench gave us a nice boost and the starters were very balanced on the offensive end."
Aside from Morales, also hitting double digits were Katelynn Martin, Dykstra, and Philip with 11 points each. MSU registered 17 steals as Picton, Philip and Ella Johnson each grabbed four. ECU outrebounded the Bobcats 39-23. Martin and Picton led MSU under the boards with four rebounds apiece.
MSU finished the contest shooting 49% from the floor while holding the Pirates to 38%.
The Bobcats face Central Florida of the Big XII Conference at 1 p.m. (MT) on Friday.
Team Stats
MSU
ECU
FG%
.490
.380
3FG%
.357
.357
FT%
.600
.650
RB
23
39
TO
20
29
STL
17
9
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
15
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
11
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
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