BILLINGS – Brianna King led the way with 25 points as No. 3 Montana Western cruised past No. 17 Rocky Mountain College, 61-51, in Frontier Conference women’s basketball action on Thursday night.
The game was not nearly as close as the final score might indicate. The Bulldogs suffocated Rocky in the first half, as Western held the Battlin’ Bears to 13 points in the first 20 minutes of action. Rocky shot only 17 percent in the first half and trailed 31-13 at the break.
The Rocky offense got rolling in the second half, as it shot 50 percent from the field, but it was too little too late.
King, the reigning conference player of the week, had an answer every time Rocky scored a bucket.
The point guard poured in 8 of 17 shots and knocked down three triples in 33 minutes of action.
Rocky used a late 14-2 run to get within eight, but the Battlin’ Bears never got closer, as King silenced the crowd with her third 3 of the night.
Britt Cooper recorded a double-double in the victory with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Justyn Juhl and Alecia Chamberlin each scored 13 points for the Battlin’ Bears.
Rocky fell to 15-6 after the loss, while the Bulldogs improved to 17-1 on the season.
It was a completely different story in the men’s game. Rocky jumped out to a 27-11 lead and never looked back as it rolled to the 95-76 victory.
The Battlin’ Bears shot 54 percent in the first half and nailed eight 3s, as Rocky took a 50-28 lead into the locker room.
Western picked up the pace in the second half and actually outscored the Battlin’ Bears 48-45 in the final 20 minutes, but the 22-point halftime deficit was too much to overcome.
Rocky shot 52 percent on the night, including 35 percent from deep. Clayton Ladine led four Rocky players in double figures with 18 points.
Jared Samuelson poured in 17, while Lukas Vining added 15 points and eight rebounds. Kooper Kidgell led the Bulldogs with 18 points.
Rocky is now 14-7 on the season and has won back-to-back games.
