(RMC release)
BILLINGS – The Rocky Mountain College women’s basketball team took another step in its climb up the Frontier Conference by defeating No. 7 Lewis-Clark State, 62-54, on Thursday night in the Fortin Education center.
Rocky (12-1, 2-1 Frontier) has now won six straight games for the second time this season and just the third time in the last 15 years. Thursday’s win snaps an 11-game losing streak to Lewis-Clark State (11-3, 2-1) and it is the first win over the Warriors since 2013.
The Battlin’ Bears dominated the glass to a 42-24 advantage and they took advantage of 14 offensive rebounds for 19 second chance points. That – along with 30 points in the paint – helped them balance the 37.7 percent shooting.
Rocky never feel behind by more than two points during the first few minutes and then mounted a 17-5 run in a nearly seven minutes stretch into the fourth quarter to build a 10-point cushion they never relinquished. Justyn Juhl and Brooke Jones scored 15 of the team’s points during the run and they held LC State to just 2 of 6 from the floor.
The lead remained in double figures into the fourth quarter, but the visiting Warriors would get within 53-46 at the 4:53 mark of the fourth. Mikayla Jones would secure Rocky’s win with five points on the next two possessions to extend the lead back to double digits.
Rocky held LC State to 42.6 percent from the field and only 4 of 15 from beyond the arc. They converted 15 Warrior turnovers into 14 points.
Brooke Jones led the Battlin’ Bears with 20 points to match her career high. She shot 6 of 10 from the field and added six rebounds and three steals.
Mikayla Jones finished with 11 points and Alecia Chamberlin added nine points. Hailee Farstveet scored six points with five rebounds and four assists.
LC State got 15 points and six steals from Jansen Edmiston.
The Battlin’ Bears will look for a second consecutive win over a ranked opponent on Saturday when they welcome No. 10 Montana Western to the Fortin Center. The action will tip at 5:30 p.m.
