Nov. 20, 2010

Box Score | Photo Gallery

LOGAN, Utah - Montana out-scored Utah State, 41-27, in the second half to overcome a 35-24 halftime score, as the Lady Griz beat the Aggies, 65-62, Saturday night in women's basketball action at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

UM hit six of its eight three-pointers (75.0 percent) in the second half, while USU missed all six of its second half three-pointers, including a three from the right corner by senior guard LaCale Pringle-Buchanan in the waning seconds that was just off the mark.

The Aggies fall to 0-3 on the young season, while the Lady Griz even their ledger at 2-2. Montana now leads the series, 6-2. USU starts the season with an 0-3 record for the first time since 2007-08, a season ledger that started 0-5.

Sophomore center Banna Diop netted a game-high 17 points, including topping her previous career-high of 13 points with 14 in the first half alone. Junior forward Ashlee Brown added 16 points, while dishing out a career-best six assists in her first start of the season after being ill in the season's early going. Pringle-Buchanan added nine points, while sophomore guard Jenna Johnson logged career highs with six points and four assists.

Diop and Brown both pulled down nine rebounds, a new career-best for Brown and a new season-high for Diop.

UM's Katie Baker snared 16 rebounds, leading the Lady Griz to a 51-39 rebounding advantage.

Lexie Nelson and Kenzie De Boer came off the Lady Griz bench to net 13 points apiece, while Baker added 11 points for the game's only double-double. Torry Hill drained was 3-of-4 from three-point range for all nine of her points.

Montana shot 32.4 percent (22-of-68) from the field, but nearly doubled that percentage from behind the arc at 63.6 percent (7-of-11). UM was also 14-of-19 (73.7 percent) at the free pitch stripe. Utah State ended the game shooting 39.0 percent (14-of-32) from the field. USU also shot 27.3 percent (3-of-11) from beyond the arc, while shooting 52.0 percent (13-of-25) from the free throw line.

The Aggies jumped out to a 20-10 lead, as Pringle-Buchanan drained a three-pointer at the 9:39 mark to cap at 7-2 USU scoring spurt. After Montana pulled within 23-19 with 6:09 left in the half on a trey by Alyssa Smith, Utah State stretched its lead back to double-figures, taking an 11-point lead into halftime with a 35-24 advantage.

The Lady Griz clawed at the Aggies' lead, cutting it down to 43-42 with 11:06 to go on a De Boer three-pointer before later tying the game at 45-all on another three, this one by Nelson with 9:43 on the clock. Nelson hit a jumper at the 8:58 mark to give Montana its first lead of the night at 47-45. The Lady Griz and Aggies traded leads and shared ties until another Nelson jumper put Montana on top for good at 59-58 with 2:08 to go. UM opened a 63-58 lead on a Baker layup with 44 seconds left.

A layup by Brown pulled USU within 63-60 with 34 ticks to play, and the Aggies fouled UM's Stephanie Stender on the inbounds pass. Stender made one-of-two free throws for a 64-60 lead. A putback by Brown drew the Aggies within 64-62 with 17 seconds left, and USU again fouled Stender on the inbounds play and she again made one-of-two at the charity stripe. Pringle-Buchanan missed a three with nine seconds left and Stender got the rebound, but she stepped out-of-bounds, giving USU the ball and setting up Pringle-Buchanan's final shot attempt.

Utah State hits the road to take on in-state rival BYU on Tuesday, Nov. 23 in Provo, Utah. Tip time is set for 4 p.m. MT.

The Aggies play another in-state rival on the road, heading to Ogden, Utah on Saturday, Nov. 27 at 2 p.m. to face Weber State. USU returns to the friendly confines of the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum to take on the third of a four-game stretch against in-state foes in Southern Utah on Monday, Nov. 29 in a 7 p.m. (MT) tipoff.

For Aggie women's basketball tickets contact the USU Athletics Ticket Office at 435-797-0305 for more information or visit the Utah State athletics web site at www.UtahStateAggies.com.

Fans can follow USU women's basketball and Coach Pebley on Twitter at http://twitter.com/UTAHSTATEofmind and Utah State Athletics at http://twitter.com/USUAthletics.