BILLINGS, Mont. -- The Montana Tech women's basketball team began Frontier Conference play Saturday with a 56-35 loss at the hands of Rocky Mountain College.

Aubrie Rademacher and Liv Wangerin highlighted the stat line for the Orediggers with seven points each. Wangerin and Halle Haber added a team-high eight rebounds each, and Rademacher blocked three shots.

Rocky Mountain never trailed in the game. The Battlin' Bears led 15-8 after the first period and continued to extend the lead, finishing up a 12-0 run early in the second before Montana Tech (9-5, 0-1 Frontier) rebounded to cut the deficit to five, 24-19, at halftime.

After the break, Tech cut the lead to a single point early in the third before another Rocky run gave the home team some breathing room. RMC led, 41-30, after 30 minutes of play. The Battlin' Bears (9-5, 1-0) held the double-figure lead throughout the final period to hang on for the win.

Montana Tech will carry on with Frontier Conference play Thursday at home against MSU-Northern. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.

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