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Rocky Mountain College Athletics

Rocky Mountain College Battlin' Bears

Events and Results

Events and Results

Thatcher vs Menlo '23
Spencer Farrin (Moscow, ID)
68
Winner Rocky Mountain RMC 20-10, 10-5
62
Menlo MENLO 21-10, 12-5
Winner
Rocky Mountain RMC
20-10, 10-5
68
Final
62
Menlo MENLO
21-10, 12-5
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Rocky Mountain RMC 16 8 16 28 68
Menlo MENLO 10 16 13 23 62

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

Rocky Women’s Basketball Defeats Sixth Seeded Menlo College 68-62

The Battlin’ Bears (20-10) moves on to the second round, where they will take on host school Lewis-Clark State College. Tip off will be at 6:30 pm (MT) in Lewiston, Idaho. Winner of tomorrow’s match up will move on to the NAIA National Championship Final Site in Sioux City, Iowa.

LEWISTON, Idaho- A season high 30 points from Kloie Thatcher helped spark a 68-62 win over Menlo College to help Rocky Women's Basketball advance to the NAIA Women's Basketball National Tournament Second Round. 

After Menlo got out to an early 4-0 lead, the Battlin' Bears found their rhythm from the field, going on a 16-5 run to take a 16-9 lead, capitalized by a Kloie Thatcher three pointer at the 3:10 mark of the first quarter. The Rocky women would go ice cold however, failing to score another point until the 7:11 mark in the second quarter.

Turnovers plagued the Battlin' Bears in the first half, giving the ball up 12 times going into the break. A strong defensive effort still allowed the Battlin' Bears to keep the game within two points as Menlo took a 26-24 lead going into the halftime break. 

While turnovers were still an issue in the third quarter, adding five more to their total, Ky Buell helped propel the Rocky offense, scoring eight of her 14 points in the quarter. Buell hit a three pointer with under a minute remaining and followed it up by swiping a steal that led to a foul and free throws that gave Rocky a 40-36 lead. Menlo's Alberte Frisch hit a contested three pointer on the following possession to cut Rocky's lead to one going into the fourth quarter. 

As the fourth quarter opened up, Kloie Thatcher took the game over. Thatcher scored or assisted on all but one of the Battlin' Bears' first six baskets, beginning the quarter on a 15-6 run to give the Rocky women a 55-45 lead with 5:14 left in the game. The Oaks of Menlo College would not go down quietly however, responding with an 8-2 run of their own to cut the Rocky lead to four with just over a minute remaining. The Battlin' Bears were able to take care of the ball in the final minute and Rocky went 8-10 from the free throw line in the final 30 seconds to secure the six point victory in Lewiston. 

"I thought we really set the tone on the defensive end tonight." Coach Wes Keller said. "I'm really proud of our kids."

The Battlin' Bears were led by a season high 30 points, four assists, three rebounds, and four steals from Kloie Thatcher, 14 points, three rebounds, and two steals from Ky Buell, and 14 points and four rebounds from Gracee Lekvold. Dominique Stephens pulled down a team high six rebounds. 

The Oaks were led by 22 points, nine rebounds, and three steals from Kiara Brown, while Alberte Frisch added 16 points. 

The Battlin' Bears (20-10) moves on to the second round, where they will take on host school Lewis-Clark State College. Tip off will be at 6:30 pm (MT) in Lewiston, Idaho. Winner of tomorrow's match up will move on to the NAIA National Championship Final Site in Sioux City, Iowa. 
 
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