Montana Western uses big second quarter in win over Montana Tech

In an instance that reflected the first game, the Bulldogs pulled away with a big second quarter as Western held off the Orediggers, 71-47.

The teams started with five empty trips down the floor before Mesa King’s lay-in got Western on the board.

Aubrie Rademacher’s three-pointer gave Tech a brief lead with a tick under seven minutes to play in the quarter.

Tech and Western went into the first media timeout tied at 6-6 with 4:22 left in the first quarter.

A backdoor pass in the lane from Kyla Momberg was deposited into the basket by Emily Cooley to regain a two-point lead for Western with 3:34 to go in the quarter. Payton Hagy followed with a three-pointer.

Jordan Sweeney’s turnaround jumper a split-second before the shot clock expired and Joelnell Momberg’s three-pointer extended the lead.

Western led Tech after ten minutes, 16-9.

Brynley Fitzgerald started the second quarter with a long three-pointer behind the left elbow of the arc, as Western stretched their lead to double-digits 31 seconds in.

Western’s 10-1 run extended their lead to 16 points, which forced Montana Tech head coach Jeff Graham to take a timeout with 7:42 left in the half.

Tavia Rooney’s three-pointer snapped the run with 6:54 to play in the second quarter. She followed up the basket with an assist on Macy Mayer’s lay-in.

Fitzgerald’s lean-in and bank off the glass was met with contact. Fitzgerald sank the free-throw, and Cooley’s layup extended the lead to 20 with 1:51 to play in the half.

The Bulldogs scored Tech 22-8 in the second quarter and led the Orediggers at the half, 38-17. Fitzgerald led the Bulldogs in the first half with 15 points, while Rooney led the Orediggers with seven points.

Madison Allen’s three-pointer 1:55 into the second half got Tech on the board first. She followed up with a field goal and Rooney fed Soda Rice’s drive to the basket to kick off a 7-2 run.

Sweeney and Hagy answered the Tech run with five unanswered points to reestablish a 24-point lead, 48-24, with 5:08 left in the third quarter.

Shainy Mack’s three-pointer off a Fitzgerald feed past in the left corner kept the Bulldogs out front by 25.

Orediggers’ shots were coming up short, and Western took advantage with Fitzgerald sinking three-pointers.

Western led Tech at the end of three quarters, 57-34.

Dani Urick started the fourth quarter with a drive from the left for Tech basket, which was answered by three-pointers from Sweeney and Joelnell Momberg.

Western shot 47.5% from the field, which included 11-of-29 from beyond the arc.

Fitzgerald led all scorers with 26 points for Western. Cooley added ten for the Bulldogs.

Tech shot 31.4% from the floor, and converted 4-of-14 from behind the arc.

Rademacher led Tech will 11 points, and Rooney chipped in ten for the Orediggers.

“We just couldn’t make a shot early,” Graham said. “You have to be able to make shots. Teams are going to take away Tavia and Dani. Credit to Western, they did a great job.

Montana Western will host No. 11 Carroll College on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Montana Tech will host Rocky Mountain College on Saturday at 2 p.m.