POCATELLO, Idaho — Montana State’s Marah Dykstra recorded a career-high 29 points, including 18 in the second half, as the Bobcats flexed their muscle in the fourth quarter en route to a 74-60 win over Idaho State on Saturday at Reed Gym.
Montana State (24-2, 14-0 Big Sky) captured its 17th straight win, matching the MSU single season record for consecutive victories with the 1987-88 and 2019-20 Bobcats.
Dykstra, a junior from Vancouver, B.C., connected on 10 of 17 from the field, including a career-best 6 of 11 from long distance. She also added four rebounds, three assists and a steal.
“Marah was shot-ready,” said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. “Idaho State did a nice job taking the paint from us, so we were able to get Marah into some pick-and-pop situations and she got the hot hand.”
Idaho State (9-15, 4-9) jumped out early taking a 10-2 lead in the first five minutes, but the Bobcats responded with a 14-4 run as Katelynn Martin’s free throws at the 2:28 mark gave MSU its first advantage at 16-14. Dykstra hit a corner 3 as the opening quarter expired to give the Cats a five-point lead.
Montana State owned three six-point leads in the second period but was never able to break away from the Bengals. MSU held a 38-33 cushion at intermission as both teams shot over 50% from the field. Montana State forced 18 turnovers, but the Bengals dominated the boards, outrebounding the Bobcats 20-4 to keep within striking distance.
‘We were a little sloppy with the ball in the first quarter but were able to clean things up in the second,” Binford said. “Our biggest concern was under the glass, and we addressed that and did a much better job in the second half.”
Dykstra remained hot in the second half hitting a pair of free throws to give the Bobcats a 43-36 lead at the 7:48 mark of the third quarter. ISU quickly responded rattling off an 11-3 run over the next five minutes taking a 47-46 lead on a Tasia Jordan layup with 2:02 left in the stanza.
Dykstra’s triple as the third quarter ended gave MSU a 52-49 advantage heading into the final frame.
MSU opened the final quarter on an 11-4 run capped by a Natalie Picton steal and lay-in with 5:33 remaining giving the Cats a 63-53 lead. A pair of Picton free throws with 1:04 left gave the Bobcats its largest lead of the contest at 74-58.
Picton finished with 13 points, three assists and a career-high six steals.
“I thought Natalie had one of her best defensive games as a Bobcat,” Binford said. “She created a lot of chaos for 94-feet and was a big spark coming off the bench. Our bench did another outstanding job.”
Esmeralda Morales also posted double figures with 13 points, including a timely three-pointer with 3:44 remaining. The senior from Spanaway, Wash., did most of her damage at the free throw line connecting on 8-of-8 attempts. Morales has converted 27 consecutive free throws, breaking the Bobcat school-record of 25 straight set by Rebecca Mercer during the 2007-08 campaign.
Freshman Taylee Chirrick led MSU under the boards with a team-high five rebounds. After being outrebounded by 16 in the first half, the Bobcats held a 14-11 advantage in the final twenty minutes. Chirrick also added eight points, four steals and three assists.
For the game, MSU registered 17 steals, converting them into 29 points. MSU’s school record 373 steals are second in the nation to date.
MSU’s win over the Bengals also clinched a first-round bye for the Bobcats at the Big Sky Conference tournament, March 8-12 in Boise, Idaho.
Montana State hosts Montana on Saturday at 2 p.m. in Worthington Arena.
