Briefs: UM, MSU women pick up Big Sky victories

Americans edge Helena Bighorns

HELENA - Great Falls net minder Lauren Massie stopped 26 of 27 shots, and the Americans edged the Helena Bighorns 2-1 on Saturday night.

Jeff Heimel’s Americans, who improved their record to 29-10-2 on the season, have won three straight contests.

Connor Barta registered the game-winning goal midway through the third period. The deciding tally was while Great Falls was on the penalty kill. Ricards Bernhards opened the scoring six minutes into the second period. Miles Giorgione and Tyler Garcia earned the assists. Great Falls outshot its opponent 43-27.

Helena’s (21-17) Cody Vanthournout tied the game at one midway through the second, a power play goal that was assisted by Ryan Daugherty.

Valley leads Lady Griz to another victory

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Kayleigh Valley scored 26 points and the Montana Lady Griz earned a sweep of their weekend road trip with a 61-57 victory over Northern Arizona here Saturday in a Big Sky Conference women’s basketball game.

Harrah Doran scored 14 points as the Lady Griz prevailed despite playing without injured star McCalle Feller (ankle). Coach Robin Selvig’s UM team improved to 8-5 in the Big Sky and 15-9 overall.

For Northern Arizona (2-9, 6-18), Kaleigh Paplow and Alyssa Rader scored 13 points apiece.

MONTANA (15-9, 8-5 BSC)

Valley, Kayleigh 10-19 5-7 26; Doran, Hannah 6-13 0-1 14; Sims, Alycia 4-9 0-0 8; Anderson, Sierra 2-7 0-0 5; Vining, Haley 1-6 0-0 3; Staudacher, Rachel 1-4 1-1 3; Isaak, Mekayla 1-3 0-0 2; Henderson, Jace 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-61 6-9 61.

NORTHERN ARIZONA (6-18, 2-11 BSC)

Paplow, Kaleigh 5-8 2-4 13; Rader, Alyssa 4-12 3-6 13; Leyva, Taylor 4-8 2-2 11; Coggins, Rene 2-10 2-2 7; Preston, Catelyn 2-6 0-0 6; Willadsen, Mariah 1-4 2-2 4; Cotton, Bradlee 1-1 0-0 2; Young, Shay 0-0 1-2 1; Mulder, Monique 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-49 12-18 57.

Montana…20 13 21 7 - 61

Northern Arizona…16 11 16 14 - 57

3-point goals--Montana 5-13 (Doran 2-5; Anderson 1-2; Valley 1-3; Vining 1-3), Northern Arizona 7-17 (Preston 2-4; Rader 2-3; Paplow 1-2; Coggins 1-7; Leyva 1-1). Fouled out--Montana-None. Rebounds--Montana 31 (Doran 8), Northern Arizona 40 (Rader 11). Assists--Montana 16 (Vining 4), Northern Arizona 12 (Rader 4). Total fouls--Montana 14, Northern Arizona 13. A-482

Nordgaard, Hommes spark MSU women

CEDAR CITY, Utah - Junior forward Riley Nordgaard had 17 points and nine rebounds as Montana State maintained its hold on first place in the Big Sky Conference women’s basketball race with an 87-66 triumph over Southern Utah.

The Bobcats of coach Tricia Binford improved to 12-1 in the Big Sky and 19-5 overall. Southern Utah fell to 0-12 and 2-21.

The MSU women hit 11 treys, including by each by Nordgaard, Hannah Caudill and Delany Junkermier. Peyton Farris scored 13 points off the bench for Montana State, which took control by outscoring the Thunderbirds 20-12 in the second quarter.

Haley Blodgett had a career-high eight rebounds. She also had seven blocks.

MONTANA STATE (87)

Lindsay Stockton 2-5 1-2 6, Delany Junkermier 3-5 0-0 9, Riley Nordgaard 6-13 2-3 17, Alexa Dawkins 2-2 0-0 4, Jasmine Hommes 7-16 1-2 15, Peyton Ferris 4-7 5-6 13, Annika Lai 1-4 3-3 5, Margreet Barhoum 3-8 0-0 7, Michelle Seitz 0-2 0-0 0, Hannah Caudill 3-5 0-0 9, Haley Blodgett 1-2 0-2 2. Totals: 32-69 12-18.

SOUTHERN UTAH (66)

Dari Frandsen 3-11 2-2 11, Jessica Richardson 4-6 1-3 9, Ashleigh Munns 2-7 5-6 11, Breanu Reid 2-9 3-4 8, Jamie Smith 3-13 0-0 9, Taylor Baird 4-9 3-5 11, Donna Koerber 4-7 0-0 8, Tiffany Dunlap 0-1 0-0 0, Tiarra McDonald 0-5 2-2 2. Totals: 22-68 16-22.

MSU…21 20 24 22 - 87

S. Utah…20 12 14 20 - 66

3-pointers: MSU 11-27 (Stockton 1-2, Junkermier 3-5, Nordgaard 3-8, Ferris 0-1, Barhoum 1-4, Seitz 0-2, Caudeill 3-5), S. Utah 6-17 (Munns 2-5, Reid 1-2, Smith 3-8, McDonald 0-2). Rebounds: MSU 39 (Nordgaard 9), S. Utah 50 (Frandsen 11). Assists: MSU 15 (Stockton 3), S. Utah 13 (Smith, Baird 3). Steals: MSU 12 (Nordgaard 4), S. Utah 9. Turnovers: MSU 18, S. Utah 26. Fouls: MSU 21, S. Utah 22. Fouled out: Richardson. Att: 1,211.

Senglin helps Weber State down PSU

OGDEN, Utah - Jeremy Senglin scored 24 points and Weber State downed Portland State 87-78 on Saturday.

Senglin was 7 of 14 from the field, helping the Wildcats (18-7, 10-2 Big Sky) stay a half-game behind conference leader Montana (16-8, 11-2), which beat Northern Arizona 85-67 earlier in the day. Weber State shot over 57 percent, including 9 of 22 from beyond the arc. Joel Bolomboy scored 19 points with 11 rebounds and Ryan Richardson added 14.

Cameron Forte led Portland State (8-15, 4-8) with 17 points. Calaen Robinson scored 15 points and Donivine Stewart had 12.

Weber State closed the first half with a 17-7 run — including three 3-pointers by Richardson — and led 48-34 at the break.

Portland State got it to two with 3:35 to go. But Weber State made 10 of 12 from the line from that point and the Vikings made just 2 of 7 shots down the stretch.

Idaho State holds on to beat Sac State

POCATELLO, Idaho - Kyle Ingram and Gary Chivichyan made two layups in the final 70 seconds to thwart Sacramento State’s comeback bid as Idaho State held on for a 66-64 win on Saturday night.

Sacramento State’s Cody Demps drilled a 3-pointer with three seconds left and missed a three-quarter court heave as time expired.

Ethan Telfair led Idaho State (13-11, 8-4 Big Sky) with 19 points, eight assists and three steals. Geno Luzcando had 13 points and 10 rebounds. Ben Wilson grabbed 11 rebounds for the Bengals, who have won seven of their last eight games.