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Rocky Mountain College Athletics

Rocky Mountain College Battlin' Bears

Events and Results

Events and Results

Lee vs UMW '25
Finn Rolseth
68
Montana Western (MT) WESTERN 10-8, 2-3
79
Winner Rocky Mountain (MT) ROCKY 15-3, 4-1
Montana Western (MT) WESTERN
10-8, 2-3
68
Final
79
Rocky Mountain (MT) ROCKY
15-3, 4-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Montana Western (MT) WESTERN 29 39 68
Rocky Mountain (MT) ROCKY 35 44 79

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

#19 Rocky Men’s Basketball Rebounds From First Conference Loss to Defeat Montana Western 79-68

BILLINGS, Mont.- All five starters tallied double-figures as the No. 19 Rocky men secured another home victory to round out the first conference rotation. 

After totaling 21 turnovers in their loss on Thursday, the Battlin' Bears limited their mistakes in Saturday's win to hold a big second-half lead. Rocky was efficient from inside, shooting 54.8% from the field, their third-best mark of the season. 

How it Happened
While the three-point shot wasn't falling at a high rate for the Rocky men in the first half, they controlled the paint on both ends and shot 53.3% from the field through the first twenty minutes of play. A 10-2 run midway through the half built a lead as large as 11 for the Battlin' Bears, but Jalyn Stepney would score the final four points of the half for either team as Montana Western cut their deficit to just six. 

The Rocky men came out of the gates firing in the second half, beginning the first six minutes on a 19-5 run featuring baskets on nine of their first 13 shots. Defensively, they were just as impressive, forcing five Bulldog turnovers in that stretch to build a 20-point lead with 14 minutes to play. 

Montana Western had no quit, stringing together a run to cut their deficit to 12 and force a Battlin' Bear timeout with eight minutes to play. While the Rocky men were able to temper the Bulldog run temporarily with a pair of Omari Nesbit jumpers, Kyle Gruhler and Jacksen Burkley hit back-to-back three-pointers to again slice their deficit to ten points with five minutes remaining. 

From then on, however, the Rocky men slowed the game down and remained efficient from the floor and the free throw line, as they made four of their final five shots from the field and made six of eight free throws to hold off the Montana Western momentum and snag their 15th win of the season. 

Notable Statistics
Royce Robinson led all five starters in double figures, finishing with a career-high 19 points, two blocks, and two steals. Jaylon Lee tallied his twelfth double-double of the year in an overall dominant night, tallying 17 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, and three blocks. 

Also in double figures were Omari Nesbit (14), Carter McCoy (12,) and Jesse Owens (12). Nesbit and McCoy each added three steals a piece, while Owens added four assists and hit three three-pointers. The Rocky men shot 54.8% from the field overall despite shooting 27.8% from three. 

Jalyn Stepney and Alan Kane each tallied 16 points for the Bulldogs. 

Up Next
The Battlin' Bears (15-3, 4-1 conf.) will look ahead to another home matchup on Thursday, January 23rd, welcoming the University of Providence at 7:00 pm (MT). 
 
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