BILLINGS, Mont.– No. 17 ranked Carroll College narrowly outlasted No. 20 ranked Rocky Mountain College in a 56-54 win during the first game on First Interstate Bank Court's newly renovated gym floor in the Fortin Education Center.

The Battlin' Bears led the Fighting Saints 29-26 at the half, but was outscored 15-6 in the third period. Nevertheless, the two teams remained close down the stretch.

With just 1:57 remaining on the clock, both teams sat tied at 51-51 before Carroll's Taylor Salonen knocked in a pair of free throws and bucket in the final minutes to give the Saints a 55-51 cushion. Scoring in the paint, drawing a foul, and sinking the resulting free throw, Rocky's Markaela Francis rallied the Battlin' Bears back within a point with just two seconds left. 

However, Salonen sank a free throw in the final seconds to give the Saints their fifth consecutive win.

"It was a hard fought game that came down to offensive rebounds," said Rocky's head women's basketball coach, Wes Keller. "Ultimately, we just couldn't come down with the board on offense and it's hard to win games like that."

The Saints held a 20-9 advantage in offensive rebounds and a 45-32 edge in boards overall.

Both teams struggled from deep on the night with just the Battlin' Bears landing 1-of-9 from beyond the arc while the Saints hit just 3-of-22. Rocky shot 39.2 percent from the field in comparison to a 37.33 field goal percentage from Carroll. Three Battlin' Bears scored in the double digits. Kloie Thatcher had 13 points and four steals while Markaela Francis flirted with a double double with 12 points and nine rebounds. Destinee Pointer scored an additional 10 points.

Carroll College's Christine Denny had a team-high 14 points and a team-high seven rebounds while Kamden Hilborn scored 10 points with six assists. Salonen had five points and six rebounds.

The Battlin' Bears will next travel to Dillon, Montana to face No. 22 ranked Montana Western on Saturday.