Feb. 18, 2007
Box Score
Missoula, MT--Despite four players reaching double figure scoring, Idaho State dropped its first game in five tries, falling 90-72 to league-leading Montana Sunday afternoon at Dahlberg Arena. The Bengals drop to 11-13 overall, 7-5 in Big Sky play. The Lady Griz improve to 24-2 on the season, 12-1 in league play.
Montana snapped ISU's four-game win streak, extending their own win streak to eight games. Idaho State now heads back home to wrap up league play with four games over the next two weeks in Pocatello.
"You have to give Montana credit," said ISU head coach Jon Newlee. "They played a great game. They knocked down the open shots and kept us at bay from outside. They shot the ball very well today. We just couldn't knock down the big shot to cap off our runs. We never could get that momentum."
Trailing by just three points, 18-15, with 11:56 to play in the first half, Montana went on a 16-2 run to give the Griz a 34-17 lead with 7:42 to play in the first stanza. Idaho State responded well with an 11-0 run over the final three minutes to cut the halftime deficit to just five points, 41-36.
Montana quickly extended its lead back to 17 points with 11:40 to play. ISU got as close as nine points on three different occasions, but were not able to get any closer as UM extended its lead each team to secure the win.
Natalie Doma led the Bengals with 16 points and 12 rebounds, marking her 18th double-double of the season. Doma connected on 6-of-14 shots from the field and 4-of-4 from the charity stripe. The junior center also tallied two assists, two blocks and one steal.
Michelle Grohs scored 15 points with seven rebounds, while Jeni Boesel added 14 and Andrea Lightfoot 10.
Idaho State, which ranks third in the country in three-point field goals per game (8.5), registered just a 3-of-21 mark from downtown. Montana hit 9-of-18 threes in the game.
Mandy Morales and Sonya Rogers paced Montana with 18 points each. Britney Lohman helped with 16 points and Dana Conway added 12.
Montana shot 50.8 percent from the field in the game compared to ISU's 36.4 mark. The Griz also shot 50 percent from long range to Idaho State's 14.3 percent.
Idaho State now returns home to close out the Big Sky regular season with four straight at home. The Bengals host Eastern Washington on Feb. 22 at 7:05 p.m.
