BUTTE – The Montana Tech women's basketball team won their first conference game of the season by downing the Rocky Mountain Battlin' Bears 57-44 in their conference home opener.

The Diggers (5-5, 1-3) improve to .500 on the year after losing their last two games.

Rocky (7-6, 0-4) have yet to win in conference play.

The Bears jumped out to a quick lead netting the first seven points in the game.

Kelsey DeWit got into foul trouble early with two personal fouls before the one minute mark.

Junior Kabri Emerson initiated Tech's scoring with a pair of free throws. While Rocky would extend their initial lead to 14-4, but the Orediggers would battle back to take a 34-29 lead into the break.  

Tech hit 6 of 6 from the free throw line and hit 42.9 percent from the field.  

Sophia Baetz scored all 13 of her points off the bench in the first set to get Tech on top.

The Orediggers outscored Rocky 23-15 in the second half for the victory.

Emerson finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds in the game.

DeWit had 10 points and two rebounds in just 12 minutes of action.

Brittany Kumm led the Bears with 14 points, four rebounds and two assists.

Montana Tech is home again on Saturday. They host Dickinson State at 2 p.m. at Kelvin Sampson Court.