BILLINGS, Mont. – Finished with non-conference play, the No. 20 ranked Battlin' Bears are set to take on Frontier Conference opponent Montana Tech on Thursday.

The women's basketball game will pit the Frontier Conference's two scoring leaders against each other Thursday evening. Rocky's Markaela Francis averages 16.77 points per game which is second only to Montana Tech's Mesa Williams who averages 18.29.

Francis leads the Battlin' Bears in both scoring with 218 points and rebounds with 127 boards. Her 56.4 field goal percentage this season ranks No. 12 nationally. Two other factors on the court this season have been junior guard Destinee Pointer and freshman forward Mackenzie Dethman. Pointer averages 11.9 points per game and is fresh off a 24-point performance against Yellowstone Christian College in which she sank six three pointers. Dethman averages 10 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

Beyond Williams' scoring threat, the Battlin' Bears will have to contend with Orediggers' Tavia Rooney who is a big reason why the team ranks No. 1 in the nation for total rebound margin at 13.85. Averaging 12.07 rebounds per game, the freshman forward broke Montana Tech's school record for most rebounds in a game with 22 against William Jessup in November. Besides dominating the glass, the Orediggers are the second best team in the country from beyond the arc at a 39.2 three point field goal percentage.

Last February during their most recent contest against Montana Tech, the Battlin' Bears won 83-75 behind a 24-point performance from Francis and a 22-point performance from Kloie Thatcher.

The game will take place at First Interstate Arena at MetraPark at 5:30 p.m. Find links to follow along online at gobattlinbears.com/coverage.