(Editor's note: University of Montana athletics press release)
OGDEN, Utah—The Montana women’s basketball team lost 66-56 at Weber State on Saturday afternoon at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.
The Lady Griz (9-4, 2-2 BSC) fell behind 16-4 after the first quarter and trailed the final 36 minutes of the game, more than half of it by 10 or more points.
Montana shot 32.1 percent, two days after struggling to score in a 69-61 loss at Idaho State. The Lady Griz were averaging 71.6 points on 45.0 percent shooting prior to Christmas.
“I don’t know what happened to us over the break,” said first-year coach Brian Holsinger. “Whatever happened to us, we have to figure it out.
“We’re just not a good team right now, that’s the bottom line. We didn’t play well either game. As good as we were early (in the season), I’m not sure we’d win any games with the way we’re playing.”
Montana went just 1 for 10 in the opening period with nine turnovers. That allowed Weber State (7-6, 3-1 BSC) to build a lead it would never relinquish.
The Lady Griz fell behind early at Idaho State as well, 11-2, and got outscored in the first quarter by both teams 36-16.
“We’re not executing on offense, and I don’t know exactly what it is right now,” said Holsinger. “We’ll figure it out and get it turned around and get back to playing the way we should.”
Trailing 35-23 at the half, Montana got to the line 13 times in the third quarter and outscored Weber State 17-11 in the period.
With its lead down to 46-40 entering the fourth quarter, Weber State opened the final period scoring the first eight points to go up 54-40.
The lead reached 17 points midway through the final period before a late push by Montana cut the final margin to 10.
Katerina Tsineke and Sammy Fatkin both hit 3-pointers in the final two and a half minutes, two of just three 3-pointers in the game for Montana, and Kylie Frohlich and Dani Bartsch both scored inside.
“I was proud of the kids at the end,” said Holsinger. “They played with confidence and with a sense of urgency we didn’t have most of the game.”
Abby Anderson had 14 points, Fatkin added 13 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals. Back after missing the Idaho State game, Sophia Stiles had seven points and 10 rebounds.
Carmen Gfeller was limited to nine points on six shots, just the second time this season she has not reached double digits.
Kori Pentzer had 20 points to lead Weber State. She went 7 for 10 and hit four of her five 3-point attempts.
The Wildcats, who had made just 38 3-pointers through their first 12 games, hit a season-high eight against Montana and shot 44.2 percent, the best an opponent has shot against the Lady Griz this season.
Montana will host Eastern Washington (2-8, 0-1 BSC) on Thursday at 7 p.m., then play at Montana State (7-8, 2-2 BSC) on Sunday, Jan. 9, at 1 p.m.
