No. 17 Montana Tech stifles BU offense in 81-38 decision

Box Score
Frontier Standings

BUTTE, Mont. -- No. 17 Montana Tech University limited Bellevue University to 20.6 percent shooting and used a 22-4 opening quarter to secure an 81-38 Frontier Conference women's basketball victory on Friday evening at Kelvin Sampson Court.

With the loss, the Bruins fell to 9-15 overall and 5-14 in Frontier Conference play. MTU improved to 19-4 on the season and 15-4 in league action.

The Orediggers shot 43.3 percent from the field, including 9-for-24 from 3-point range, and went 14-for-15 at the free-throw line. BU finished 13-for-63 from the floor and 3-for-22 from beyond the arc but did convert 9-of-11 free throws.

Montana Tech turned 20 Bruin turnovers into a 25-5 advantage in points off turnovers and posted a 41-11 edge in bench scoring. The Orediggers also held a 48-42 advantage on the glass and doubled up BU 32-16 in points in the paint while posting a 13-6 margin in second-chance points.

Joy Beran led Bellevue with eight points, going 4-for-4 at the line, and added four rebounds. Drasoni Kyles finished with nine points, six rebounds, one assist, and a block to pace the backcourt. Jhanel Coleman provided seven points and three boards off the bench, while Zakiyyah Muhammad totaled five points, four rebounds, a block, and a steal. Karoline Ellison contributed eight rebounds.

MTU was led by Hadley Humpherys, who scored a game-high 20 points on 5-for-12 shooting and a perfect 10-for-10 at the line while grabbing eight rebounds. Olivia Nielson added 12 points, all from 3-point range (4-for-6), and Kylie Konen chipped in 11 points and three rebounds. Hallie Neibauer finished with seven points, and Kameryn Ketcham added six points off the bench.

How It Happened

Montana Tech set the tone immediately, scoring the game's first eight points on baskets from Brooke Badovinac and Humpherys and a pair of free throws by Liv Wangerin. Coleman scored in the lane at the 5:59 mark of the first quarter to put BU on the board, but the Orediggers continued to build their advantage behind balanced scoring and transition opportunities, taking a 22-4 lead after 10 minutes.

The Bruins settled in offensively in the second quarter, matching MTU for stretches as Muhammad and Kyles contributed in the paint. However, the Orediggers continued to get production from their starting group and reserves. Konen and Nielson combined on a 3-pointer-and-layup sequence, and Montana Tech maintained control on the glass to carry a 37-16 lead into halftime.

Kyles opened the second-half scoring with a driving layup at the 8:56 mark of the third quarter to cut the deficit to 37-18, the closest BU would come after the break. The Orediggers answered with a sustained stretch that featured a Konen layup and two 3-pointers from Nielson, along with inside scoring from Humpherys and Halle Haber. A late 3-pointer by Nielson and a fast-break layup by Avery Carlson extended the margin to 57-24 heading into the fourth quarter after a 20-8 third-period advantage.

In the final frame, Kyles again scored early on a jumper, but Montana Tech's depth continued to produce. Konen scored on back-to-back possessions, and Rachel Van Blaricom and Neibauer added baskets as the Orediggers kept the lead above 30 points. Ketcham capped the night with a 3-pointer from the left wing with 46 seconds remaining to give MTU its largest lead at 81-38, and BU was unable to mount a late run.

Top Performers

Bellevue University

Drasoni Kyles – 9 points, 4-for-10 FG, 1-for-6 3FG, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block

Joy Beran – 8 points, 2-for-11 FG, 4-for-4 FT, 4 rebounds

Jhanel Coleman – 7 points, 2-for-10 FG, 1-for-2 3FG, 2-for-2 FT, 3 rebounds

Zakiyyah Muhammad – 5 points, 2-for-8 FG, 1-for-1 FT, 4 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal

Tarryn Godsey – 4 points, 1-for-5 FG, 2-for-4 FT, 3 rebounds, 2 steals

Montana Tech University

Hadley Humpherys – 20 points, 5-for-12 FG, 10-for-10 FT, 8 rebounds

Olivia Nielson – 12 points, 4-for-9 FG, 4-for-6 3FG, 4 rebounds

Kylie Konen – 11 points, 5-for-7 FG, 1-for-1 FT, 3 rebounds

Halle Haber – 8 points, 4-for-7 FG, 4 rebounds

Hallie Neibauer – 7 points, 3-for-7 FG, 1-for-4 3FG, 3 rebounds

Kameryn Ketcham – 6 points, 2-for-7 FG, 2-for-4 3FG

Inside the Numbers

• MTU outshot BU 43.3 percent to 20.6 percent from the field and 37.5 percent to 13.6 percent from 3-point range.
• The Orediggers went 14-for-15 (93.3 percent) at the foul line; the Bruins finished 9-for-11 (81.8 percent).
• Montana Tech held a 48-42 edge on the boards and posted a 13-6 advantage in second-chance points.
• The Orediggers turned 20 BU turnovers into 25 points, while the Bruins managed just five points off 12 MTU turnovers.
• Montana Tech's bench outscored BU's reserves 41-11, helping the hosts sustain their lead throughout.

Up Next

The Bruins will travel to Dillon, Mont., tomorrow, Feb. 14, for a 6 p.m. (CT) Frontier contest at the University of Montana Western.