CHANDLER, Ariz. -- Despite 23 points from Brayden Koch and 17 from Michael Ure, the No. 6-ranked Montana Tech men's basketball team suffered its first loss of the 2024-25 season Tuesday afternoon, 73-70, to No. 9 The Master's at the Cactus Classic.

The top-10 showdown started out as a back-and-forth affair, featuring four ties and six lead changes in the first half. The Orediggers (11-1) led 34-33 after Ure's layup with 5:52 remaining in the half. But The Master's finished the opening chapter on a 12-4 run to lead by seven, 45-38, at intermission.

Tech closed the deficit several times in the second but never could retake the lead. A three-point play by Ifeanyi Okeke 4 minutes into the half cut the lead to three, but TMU inched back ahead and held a single-digit lead for the duration.

Trailing by nine with 4:50 to go, Montana Tech again closed the gap. Keeley Bake's free throw with 2:16 remaining made it a one-possession game, 71-68, and both teams buckled down on defense in the late going.

Koch drew a foul shooting a 3-pointer with 5 seconds on the clock and made two of the free throws to cut it to 71-70, but a miss on the third and an ensuing pair of TMU free throws gave the Mustangs the win.

Koch added seven rebounds to go with his game-high in points, and Bake made five assists for Tech.

Quincy Phillips led The Master's (12-2) with 15 points, highlighting four Mustangs in double figures.

Montana Tech will break for the holidays before returning to the court December 28 for a 4 p.m. date with King's (Alberta).

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