Skip To Main Content

Rocky Mountain College Athletics

Rocky Mountain College Battlin' Bears

Events and Results

Events and Results

Thatcher vs UMW '23
Brandon Stinson
55
Rocky Mountain ROCKY MO 18-10, 10-5
64
Winner Montana Western MONTANA 25-4, 12-3
Rocky Mountain ROCKY MO
18-10, 10-5
55
Final
64
Montana Western MONTANA
25-4, 12-3
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 OT 1 F
Rocky Mountain ROCKY MO 14 9 0 15 17 55
Montana Western MONTANA 15 12 0 20 17 64

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Brandon Stinson | Sports Information & Media Coordinator

Rocky Women’s Basketball Falls to No. 15-Ranked Montana Western 64-55 in the Frontier Conference Tournament Semifinals

The Battlin’ Bears (19-10, 10-5 conf.) will await the NAIA Selection Show on March 2nd at 6:00 pm (CT) to find out if they’ve been selected as an at-large bid for the NAIA National Championship Tournament.

GREAT FALLS, Mont.- The Battlin' Bears' efforts to repeat as Frontier Conference Champions fell short, as they dropped their matchup against No.15-ranked Montana Western 64-55 Monday afternoon. 

The Rocky women saw a slow start in the first quarter, as the Bulldogs ran out to a 10-2 run to open up the ball game. Ky Buell helped the Battlin' Bears settle back in with a jumper to end the run. Buell would beat the first quarter buzzer with a layup that cut the initial Western lead down to just one at the end of the first quarter. 

Kloie Thatcher grabbed a defensive rebound to open up the second quarter, went coast to coast, then drew a foul, getting to the line to hit both free throws and gave Rocky their first lead of the ball game just 20 seconds into the second quarter. The Battlin' Bears would struggle from the field in the second quarter, shooting only 2-12 and only 1-7 from three point range. Thatcher went strong to the basket and finished a tough layup to cut the Rocky deficit to four going into halftime. 

Kloie Thatcher was an offensive force to start the third quarter, coming out of the break hitting a layup, then sinking a three pointer on the following possession. Both teams would then trade baskets on four consecutive possessions as the offense for both sides picked up. Ky Buell floated one in after a Dominique Stephens offensive rebound to give Rocky the lead back with 3:57 remaining in the third quarter. Unfortunately for the Battlin' Bears, Buell's runner would be the last point they would score in the quarter, as Montana Western rattled off a 10-0 run, eight of those points from Jordan Sweeney to stretch their lead to nine headed into the final quarter. 

The Battlin' Bears would show no quit, as after Montana Western opened the quarter with a Brynley Fitzgerald three pointer, Rocky would fight back with a 12-4 run to bring the Bulldog lead down to four. The Battlin' Bears were active defensively in the fourth quarter, forcing five turnovers, most of which led to quick baskets on the other end. Dominique Stephens put in a mid range jumper to bring the score to 58-55 Bulldogs with only 2:30 remaining. Western's Jordan Sweeney proved to be the difference in the end, however, as she hit a mid range jumper to extend the lead back to five, then sank her final two free throws to clinch the Western win 64-55. 

The Battlin' Bears were led by 21 points, four assists and four steals from Kloie Thatcher, 12 points, five rebounds, and three steals from Ky Buell, and 13 points from Gracee Lekvold. Dominique Stephens also pulled down eight rebounds. 

The Bulldogs were led by 31 points and six rebounds from Jordan Sweeney. Brynley Fitzgerald also added nine points, eight rebounds, and five steals. 

The Battlin' Bears (19-10, 10-5 conf.) will await the NAIA Selection Show on March 2nd at 6:00 pm (CT) to find out if they've been selected as an at-large bid for the NAIA National Championship Tournament. 

Note- the current box score indicates that the game ended in overtime. This is incorrect and is in the process of being fixed. All stats that show up as "4th quarter" are actually 3rd quarter stats, and all "overtime" stats are actually the 4th quarter stats. 
 
Print Friendly Version