BOZEMAN — The Montana State women held off Idaho 59-56 in the Big Sky Conference opener Thursday after the Vandals missed a potential game-tying shot at the buzzer.
The Bobcats bulit a 10-point halftime lead, 31-21, after freshman Taylee Chirrick knocked down four 3-pointers in a four-minute span in the second quarter. Chirrick scored all of her career-high 14 points in the second quarter.
Idaho, though, began chipping away after the break, trimming the lead inside five on multiple occassions.
The Vandals had a shot as time expired, but the 3-point heave clanged off the iron to give Montana State a 1-0 start in conference play and an 11-2 record overall.
Montana State's Esmeralda Morales led all scorers with 17 points. Marah Dykstra scored 15 for the Bobcats, who struggled from the field in the win. MSU shot just 36.1% from the floor and 5 of 12 from the foul line, but the Bobcats hit 10 of 22 3-point attempts.
Idaho, on the other hand, struggled from beyond the arc, making just 6 of 22 attempts, and didn't shoot a single free throw.
MSU is back in action at home on Saturday taking on Eastern Washington.
