BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana Tech women's basketball team defeated Rocky Mountain College 83-77 in overtime Saturday night at the Fortin Center. Kayla DeWit and Mandy Machinal scored all 16 Digger points in OT to lift Tech to victory.

Both teams had a slow start in the beginning of the first half. Tech's Martha Dembek gave the Diggers their first lead (7-6) via a corner three from Hattie Thatcher. The Diggers would heat up and go up by 10 (28-18) off of three-point shot from Kabri Emerson with 7:22 to go in the first. Rocky would use a 13-6 run to pull within three at 34-31 with 50 seconds to go. Dembek ended the Battlin' Bears run with a three pointer at the end of the half to give Tech the 37-31.

Rocky started out the second stanza on a 12-5 five run to take the 43-42 advantage. Emerson gave Tech the lead back at 45-43 with 13:50 to go after completing the old fashion three-point play. Both teams would heat up as they went back-and-forth on the scoreboard. With the score knotted at 55 all, senior Mandy Machinal used an offensive put back to put Tech up by two at 57-55. After a Rocky miss, Machinal assisted on a Rachel Ferris basket forcing a Battlin' Bear timeout. RMC would battle back tying up the contest at 67 all with 20.8 seconds remaining. After a Tech turnover, Rocky got the ball and Jayde Lefevre put up a last second heave but it would fall short forcing overtime.

DeWit started overtime and provided an immediate spark for the Orediggers hitting back-to-back shots to give Tech the 71-67 lead. Rocky's Sam Harper responded completing a three-point play to put the score at 71-70. Tech would go on a 7-2 run highlighted by a Machinal three with 1:01 remaining to give the Orediggers the 78-72 edge. Following a RMC timeout, Jayde Lefevre hit a three pointer for Rocky making the score 78-75. Key free throws by DeWit and Machinal helped Tech hold on to the 83-77 victory. The Duo of DeWit and Machinal scored all 16 points in OT for the Orediggers.

Tech wins its second straight game and improves to 10-17, 2-10 Frontier. Machinal led three Diggers in double figures with a season- and game-high 28 points. Emerson had her eighth double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Dembek chipped in with 19 points. DeWit stepped up big for Tech scoring all of her eight points in overtime.

RMC falls to 10-14, 3-10 Frontier. The Battlin' Bears were paced by Whitney Mitchell who had 20 points, 10 points and six assists.

The Orediggers look to continue their winning ways and sneak into the playoffs when they face Montana Western Thursday, Feb. 26 at 5:30 p.m. in Butte.