BUTTE, Mont. – Montana Tech kept pace early but the No. 11 Carroll College Fighting Saints gained momentum running away with a 62-49 victory.
The Orediggers (7-16, 3-10) kept pace with the top team in the conference in the first quarter not falling back more than six points in the opening frame. The Saint had a slight lead at the end of the first up 16-14.
But at the opening of the second quarter, the Saints charged ahead going on a 14-4 run in the first five minutes. Carroll hit 3 of 5 three-point attempts aa the sprinted out to a 30-17 lead. The Orediggers didn't give up and cut the lead to 35-28 at the break.
Carroll shot 11 of 26 from the field in the first half but had the advantage on the boards leading 16-10 in rebounds.
Jamie Pickens had 12 of her 19 points before the break leading the Saints.
The went 9 for 23 from the field in the first half as the finished the second quarter with a 11-6 run.
Tavia Rooney had 14 of her 18 points in the first half going 5 for 9 from the field and keeping Tech on the Saints heals. Rooney finished shooting 7 of 17 in the game and made 4 of 7 from the free throw line.
The Saints started pulling out ahead in the third quarter leading 50-37 at the end of the quarter.
The Orediggers went 7 for 22 in the second half and finished the game shooting 35.6% from the field.
Kyndall Keller, who playing in her first game in two weeks, scored 12 off the bench in the second half shooting 5 for 7 from beyond the arc. Keller finished with 18 points leading the Saints 24 bench points.
Carroll outrebounded Tech 35-24 in the game led by Pickens with 8.
Rooney finished with nine rebounds for the Orediggers and
Aubrie Rademacher had five to go with seven points.
Soda Rice was the only other Orediggers in double-figures with 10 points. Rice went 3 for 6 from the field and a perfect 4 for 4 from the free throw line.
Tech had just four points from their bench.
Montana Tech has two regular season games left. The Orediggers travel to Great Falls Saturday for a 2 p.m. game against the Argos.
