Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Montana
'Cats Down Grizzlies to End Streak
2/6/2010 5:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
OGDEN, Utah -- The Weber State women's basketball team ended a five-game losing streak and handed head coach Carla Taylor her 300th career win with a 59-55 upset of the University of Montana on Friday night at the Dee Events Center.
"It was the hustle plays, and really being aggressive to the ball that was the difference tonight," said Taylor. "I really thought every single one of our players were being aggressive, trying to get tips on the ball, trying to get the steal. We were really like a magnet to the ball tonight, and that's what we've been trying to work hard on in practice all week. It carried over to the game. They really played awesome. Their energy was awesome. It was a tight game, and we played very composed and beat a very good Montana team."
Sarah Conner and Caitlin Anderson each scored 17 points to lead the Wildcats. Conner scored 13 of her points in the first half to give the Wildcats an early spark.
"All this week, we've been really focused on working hard," said Conner. "There's really no tomorrow for us. Every day we have to work hard and win games and upset teams, like we did tonight."
The Wildcats used a 17-6 run to take a seven-point lead with just under 11 minutes to play in the first half, but Montana scored the next seven points to tie the game. Conner then scored on back-to-back possessions to start a 8-0 WSU run, which she also capped with her third three-point field goal of the game.
The Grizzlies then hit back-to-back treys to cut the lead to 25-23, but four free-throws by Caitlin Anderson over the final 1:38 of the half gave the Wildcats a 29-23 lead heading into the locker room.
The Wildcats led by nine points with 15:24 left in the game, but Montana's Lauren Beck hit three-consecutive shots from behind the arc to knot the game at 35-35.
At the 7:06 mark, Montana's Stephanie Stender hit a three to give the Grizzlies their first lead since they led 4-0 in the early going. Montana led by three with 5:18 to play, but back-to-back layups by Anderson and Mikell Woodfield gave the lead back to Weber State.
Sarah Ena split a pair of free throws to tie the game for the seventh time of the night with 1:46 left, but the Wildcats took the lead for good on the ensuing possession as Tonya Schnibbe found Joey O'Neill cutting to the basket for her only field goal of the night.
O'Neill then came up with a big steal and Tonya Schnibbe was fouled on a shot in the lane with 31 seconds left. Schnibbe rimmed out both free throws and the Grizzlies had another shot to tie. The Wildcat defense would force another Montana turnover and Conner iced the game with four-straight free throws over the last 12 seconds. Both times Conner stepped to the line with a two-point lead, and both times she made it a two-possession game.
"That's a pressure situation, but I live for that," said Conner. "That's why I play basketball. Anyone who's a competitor wants to be in that position. It's fun. I love it."
Anderson scored her 17 points on 6 of 8 shooting from the floor, and she added a game-high 10 rebounds for her third double-double of the season. Ali Thorderson and Woodfield each scored six points, while Schnibbe led the game with eight assists. O'Neill recorded a career-high five blocked shots and added a pair of steals, leading a tremendous defensive effort by the Wildcats.
"We did a really good job with the press tonight," said Taylor. "Our three guards at the top of the press were very good. They were aggressive and very smart, changing things up. We were able to make Montana eat up a lot of the shot clock getting the ball up the floor and that helped us in the half court set by limiting the time they had to get into their sets."
The win moved the Wildcats to 8-14 overall on the season and 2-7 in Big Sky play, while the Grizzlies fell to 12-9 overall and 6-3 in the conference. Taylor improved to 300-314 over 22 seasons as head coach at Weber State. The win was a crucial one for the 'Cats, who stayed within two games of fifth and sixth place in the league standings as they chase a postseason tournament berth.
"I think a lot of times during the first part of our season, we were a little too hard on ourselves," said Conner. "We were trying to be that perfect team and it was really actually hurting us. What we've been focusing on now is just letting our mistakes go. You're going to make mistakes, and only one team can win the game. So we've decided to let those mistakes go and make it up with the hustle plays. Tonight it definitely worked for us."
