BUTTE — Peyton Kehr scored a game-high 21 points and Tiara Gilham added 14 as the MSU-Northern women fended off Montana Tech 64-57 on Saturday at the HPER Complex in the first game of a two-day doubleheader to close out the regular season.
With the win, Northern (6-12 overall, 5-9 in the Frontier Conference) locked up the No. 4 seed in the upcoming playoffs while holding Tech at No. 5, meaning that the Orediggers (4-13, 4-13) will travel to Havre for the first round.
Tech could have flipped the seedings and hosted the Skylights in the postseason if the Orediggers had swept Northern this weekend.
The game was tied at 16 after one quarter, before Northern pulled ahead in the second to take a 39-28 lead into halftime.
Sydney Hovde added 7 points and 11 rebounds for the Lights.
Tech was led by 18 points from Mesa Williams and 12 from Dani Urick.
Montana Tech men 65, MSU-Northern 64
Sindou Diallo led all scorers with 19 points and Drew Huse added 13 as the Tech men held on on for a one-point win over the Lights.
Diallo, who went 8-for-18 from the field, hit the go-ahead bucket with 49 seconds remaining in a game that saw four ties and the lead change hands 12 times.
Tech improves to 12-9 overall and 12-7 in the Frontier. Northern drops to 6-11, 5-11.
CJ Nelson led Northern with 18 points and Mascio McCadney scored 14.
Tech and Northern play another doubleheader tomorrow to conclude the regular season. The women tip off at 2 p.m and the men after.
