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Rocky Mountain College Athletics

Rocky Mountain College Battlin' Bears

Events and Results

Events and Results

Spencer vs MSUB '24
Finn Rolseth
69
Montana Tech (MT) TECH 20-5, 8-4
75
Winner Rocky Mountain (MT) ROCKY 17-8, 6-6
Montana Tech (MT) TECH
20-5, 8-4
69
Final
75
Rocky Mountain (MT) ROCKY
17-8, 6-6
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Montana Tech (MT) TECH 21 48 69
Rocky Mountain (MT) ROCKY 25 50 75

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

Rocky Men’s Basketball Takes Down No. 15 Montana Tech 75-69

BILLINGS, Mont.- An 18-3 run in the second half that featured five straight three-pointers ignited the Rocky men past the No. 15-ranked Montana Tech 75-69. 

How it Happened
Rocky was the first to strike to open up the contest, as Jesse Owens drained a three-pointer to cap a 10-3 opening run, forcing an early Orediggers timeout. The Battlin' Bear defense impressed to open the contest, as Montana Tech made just three of their first 20 shots from the field.

Omari Nesbit put in a layup with 6:47 to go in the first half to give the Battlin' Bears their largest lead of the half at 11, but the Orediggers would finish the half on an 8-2 run to cut their halftime deficit down to five.

Both offenses came out firing to open the half, as they combined to make eight of their first nine shots from the field. Montana Tech would make its first substantial run of the contest, an 8-2 run that forced a Battlin' Bear timeout after the Orediggers took a six-point lead. 

Jesse Owens would quickly erase the deficit with back-to-back buckets as Montana Tech would hold a 38-37 lead with 14:50 to go. After both teams traded baskets, Colton Spencer would get red hot for the Battlin' Bears, sinking threes on three straight possessions, with Jesse Owens sinking another three on the following possession to force an Oredigger timeout following a 12-3 run and Rocky swiping a five-point lead. The momentum didn't stop following the timeout, as Jaylon Lee swatted a layup attempt, leading to a Royce Robinson three-pointer and an and-one on the following possession to cap an 18-3 run in which the Battlin' Bears went six-of-six from the field and five-of-five from three-point range, igniting the home crowd in the Fortin Education Center and giving Rocky an 11 point advantage with seven minutes to play. 

The Orediggers would battle for the final six minutes of play, but a Royce Robinson dunk with seven seconds remaining would seal the Battlin' Bears' second win over the Orediggers this season. 

Notable Statistics
Royce Robinson had his best night as a Battlin' Bear, as the redshirt freshman flirted with a triple-double after totaling a career-high 22 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, and two steals on the evening. Jesse Owens finished with 16 points with four made three-pointers, and Colton Spencer added 16 points and four threes off the bench. Carter McCoy tallied nine points, ten rebounds, and five assists, while Jaylon Lee snagged 15 rebounds along with two blocks. 

The Battlin' Bears made 13 three-pointers, the second most in a game this season and the most against an NAIA program. Rocky dominated the rebounding margin, outrebounding the Orediggers 42-27 overall, helping them overcome Montana Tech's 19-7 advantage in the turnover category. 

After a slow start for both teams in the first half, the Battlin' Bears shot 58% from the field in the second half, including 10-of-17 from three, while the Orediggers shot 50% from the field, which included eight-of-16 shooting from downtown. 

Ifeanyi Okeke led the Orediggers with 16 points, six rebounds, and two blocks. Levi Torgerson added 15 points on five made threes. 

Up Next
The Battlin' Bears (17-8, 6-6 conf.) play in the Fortin Education Center for the final time in the regular season on Saturday against MSU-Northern, celebrating Senior Day.  
 
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