BILLINGS -- The Carroll College men's basketball team swept Rocky Mountain College over the weekend to win their fifth and sixth consecutive games of the Frontier Conference season. The women's teams didn't play after their games were canceled due to COVID-19.
Carroll College 74, Rocky Mountain College 56 (Saturday)
The Carroll College men's basketball team made 7 of 9 3-point attempts in the first half to open up a 49-20 lead en route to a 74-56 Frontier Conference win over Rocky Mountain College on Saturday.
Dennis Flowers III canned three first-half 3-pointers, Shamrock Campbell made two and Gui Pedra and Ifeanyi Okeke each added one as the Fighting Saints built an insurmountable lead. As a team, the Saints made 18 of 30 field goal attempts (60%) and all six of their free throw attempts in a sizzling shooting performance. Rocky, meanwhile, made just 9 of 27 from the floor, including a 2-of-9 mark from 3-point range, in the opening 20 minutes.
Flowers finished with 15 points and Campbell, who added another 3-pointer in the second half, added 13. Jovan Sljivancanin had a game-high 20 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Maxim Stephans led Rocky with a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Carroll College 72, Rocky Mountain College 67 (Sunday)
Carroll College needed overtime but still ran its win streak to six games with a 72-67 men's basketball win at Rocky Mountain College on Sunday.
The weekend sweep of the Battlin' Bears is the third consecutive sweep for the Fighting Saints, who are now 11-5 overall and 8-4 in conference play. Rocky is going the opposite direction and has now lost eight consecutive games since an 83-59 win over Montana Western on Jan. 5. The Battlin' Bears are 1-9 overall and 1-9 in Frontier play.
Rocky hung tough on Sunday, though, leading Carroll 28-26 at halftime. The second half was close throughout with neither team leading by more than five points. The Saints rallied to take a 57-53 lead with 3:24 to go, but the Bears closed the game with four straight points from Nick Hart to force the overtime period.
Both teams continued to struggle to score in the extra session, but Rocky managed to take a 64-62 lead on a Maxim Stephans bucket with 1:55 to go. Brendan Temple gave the lead back to Carroll with an and-one basket and the free throw with 1:14 left, Gui Pedra drilled a 3-pointer 45 seconds later, and the Saints iced the game at the free throw line.
Jovan Sljivancanin scored a game-high 22 points, making 8 of 11 free throws. He added seven rebounds. Shamrock Campbell had 18 points and Temple chipped in 11.
Hart led Rocky with 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting. Sam Vining had 15 points, and Stephans added 12.
Carroll will look to extend its win streak with home games against Montana State-Northern on Feb. 6 and 7. Rocky will look to get back in the win column the same days at Montana Western.
