GREAT FALLS — Christine Denny scored 21 and grabbed nine rebounds as the Carroll College women's basketball team defeated the University of Providence 71-63 in UP's home opener on Saturday.
The game was close throughout, featuring nine lead changes, but Carroll pulled away for good late in the fourth. Danielle Wagner added 16 points for Carroll and Jamie Pickens scored 14. Emilee Maldonado led UP with 18 points and eight rebounds, while Parker Esary scored 14.
Carroll moves to 11-1 and 5-0 in Frontier Conference play on the season, while Providence falls to 1-2, 1-2.
In the men's game, Providence escaped a second-half comeback from Carroll to hang on for a 84-75 win.
UP built a 47-26 lead by halftime behind stingy defense and 16 first-half points from Marcus Stephens. However, Carroll found its touch from beyond the arc in the second half, closing the deficit to within 10 multiple times before bowing out.
Stephens finished with 22 points, while Zaccheus Darko-Kelly had 19 for the Argos. Providence moves to 3-0, 3-0 on the season.
Gui Pedra and Shamrock Campbell each had 14 for the Saints, who fall to 5-4, 2-3.
The two programs will face off again on Sunday in a men's and women's doubleheader.
