Montana Lady Griz shoot lights out to beat Boise State, advance to WNIT 2nd round (2024)

MISSOULA— The Montana women's basketball team put together one of its best shooting performances of the year to add another milestone in a season full of them on Wednesday night at Robin Selvig Court.

The Lady Griz scored their most points against an NCAA Division I opponent this season in defeating Boise State, 92-66, in the first round of the WNIT to win their first postseason tournament game since 2014. It was their first game since losing in the Big Sky tournament semifinals eight days earlier in Boise.

They advance to face North Dakota State (21-11) in the round of 32 at 6 p.m. MT on Monday in Fargo, North Dakota. They went through a quick turnaround for the first-round game,finding out their foe as well as the date and location of the game just over 48 hours before tip-off.

"I think we played with a little more freedom," Montana head coach Brian Holsinger said. "Obviously being at home makes a big difference. We played looser and we looked like we were having a little more fun, didn't look so tight."

The Lady Griz shot 60% (15 of 25) on 3-pointers, their second-best mark this season, and were on pace in the first half to break the program's single-game record, which they set earlier in the year at 19. They came into the game eighth in the nation in 3-point percentage (37.7%) and third in made 3s per game (10.7) while Boise State was 41st in 3-point defense (28.2%).

Montana shot 52.5% overall from the field, also its second-best mark and well above its season average of 43.1%, to eclipse its average of 72.2 points per game. Boise State came in holding teams to 36.4%, the 22nd-best mark in the country, and giving up just 58 points, the 45th-best mark.

Holsinger credited fresh legs from time off and playing a nonconference team that doesn't know their tendencies well, especially on a quick turnaround, with helping his team play loose. It also helps having a trio of seniors in Maggie Espenmiller-McGraw, Carmen Gfeller and Gina Marxen who want to extend their college careers as long as possible.

"We come in with that mindset that any one of these games could be our last, so we're trying to soak it up, have fun," Espenmiller-McGraw said. "I think tonight that allowed us to play pretty free knowing that these are our last moments together. So might as well just soak it up and give it all we got."

Espenmiller-McGraw led five Montana players in double figures with 20 points. She made four 3-pointers and broke the program's single-season record for made 3s, surpassing McCalle Feller, who had 75 in the 2015-16 season. She's up to 79 in her final college season and her first year at Montana after transferring from Iowa State.

Macey Huard hit three triples in pouring in a career-high 16 points off the bench as the Lady Griz dealt with foul trouble to Gfeller and Espenmiller-McGraw.Mack Konig also scored 16 points, making two 3-pointers.

Gfeller added 14 points, 11 of which came in the second half as UM outscored Boise 46-27 after leading 46-39 at halftime. Marxen matched her with 14 points, making four triples and carding a game-high nine assists.

"She looked tired in Boise in my opinion," Holsinger said of Marxen. "I don't know why. But here tonight looked she looked fresh and ready."

Boise State sophom*ore guard Mya Hansen, a Billings Central grad, surpassed her season scoring average by pouring in 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting while adding six rebounds, five assists and three steals. Natalie Pasco had 21 points to lead the Broncos, who committed 18 turnovers and shot 34.8% against a full-court press Holsinger sprung on them.

The Lady Griz (23-9) were playing in their first postseason tournament since 2015 while Boise State (21-14) was in its first since 2019. They had already tallied their most league wins since 2015, their first 20-win season since 2016 and their first Big Sky tournament win since 2018.

"I think it really just sets up the precedent for the future that this team comes to play in the Big Sky," Espenmiller-McGraw said of the win. "I think this was a big stepping stone for the teams to come after this. I think we're just trying to set that expectation that we are a top contender in the Big Sky and hopefully the next teams that come will be able to do even better than we did."