BUTTE — Montana Tech swept through Montana Western during a Saturday afternoon Frontier Conference doubleheader at the HPER Complex, though in very different ways.
In the women's game, the Orediggers built a double-digit lead by halftime and then rolled to a 83-67 victory to halt a two-game skid while dealing the Bulldogs their fifth straight loss.
Liv Wangerin led Tech (14-8 overall, 5-3 in Frontier play) with a game-high 20 points, Hadley Humphreys scored 12, Kia Wasson added 11 and Halle Haber scored 10.
Western (7-14, 2-7) was paced by 17 points from Payton Hagy — who connected on four 3-pointers — 14 from Kenzi Pedersen, 11 apiece from Isabella Lund and Trinidie Nichols, and 10 from Maddy Moy.
The men's game wasn't decided until the final second. The teams exchanged 15 lead changes and eventually found themselves tied 66-66 with 11 seconds remaining and the Orediggers with possession.
Keeley Bake then drained a step-back, go-ahead jump shot with 0.7 seconds remaining as Tech fended off Montana Western 68-66 for its eighth straight win while snapping a two-game winning streak for the Bulldogs.
Hayden Diekhans led Tech (20-2, 8-1) with 20 points, Ifeanyi Okeke had 18, Michael Ure scored 15 and Bake had 9. Tech now has a two-game lead atop the conference standings.
Western (12-10, 4-5) got a game-high 21 points from Jalyn Stepney and 9 from Abi Adedo, Alan Kane and Kolter Merritt.
Montana Tech is on the road for its next four games beginning with a road trip to Providence on Thursday. Montana Western will host Rocky Mountain College the same day.
