BUTTE -- Montana Tech used a 14-4 run to start the second half to take a lead it would never relinquish against Lewis-Clark State, as the Orediggers stunned the No. 3-ranked Warriors 67-64 in Frontier Conference men's basketball action on Thursday.
Trailing 32-29 at halftime, Tech built a 43-36 lead six minutes into the second half. Dylan Pannabecker, Drew Huse, Taylor England and Troy Owens Jr. scored in the crucial stretch to start the second half, with Owens' 3 pushing the Orediggers' lead to seven points at the 14:19 mark. Tech got the lead to as large as 10 at 63-53 with 5:54 to play before holding off the Warriors' late comeback attempt.
England had a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds to lead Tech, which also got double-digit scoring from Sindou Diallo (13) and Huse (12).
Jake Albright paced Lewis-Clark with 15 points off the bench, but the Warriors turned the ball over 17 times and made only 11 free throws in the game. Tech, comparatively, had just 12 turnovers and made 19 free throws.
Tech improved to 16-11 overall and 8-8 in Frontier play. It's just the second conference loss for Lewis-Clark, which fell to 25-2 overall and 13-2 in league play.
The Lewis-Clark State women won the first game of the doubleheader, outlasting Montana Tech 62-60 in overtime.
Peyton Souvenir had 16 points to lead the Warriors, and Columbia Falls native Kiara Burlage added 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Tavia Rooney, the freshman from Townsend, had another monster double-double for the Orediggers, recording 20 poitns and 19 rebounds in the loss.
