BUTTE -- The No. 25-ranked Montana Tech women's basketball team used a stellar fourth quarter to overcome a late double-digit deficit, topping No. 15 Rocky Mountain, 59-56, Friday evening inside Valley Bank Arena. 

Trailing by 24 points late in the third, the Orediggers closed the game on a 31-4 run to claim the victory. 

Brooke Badovinac led the way for Montana Tech (7-1, 3-1 Frontier Conference) with 15 points and six rebounds, while Hadley Humpherys scored 10 points. 

The early minutes were back-and-forth as Tech led 6-5 on a Halle Haber jumper 2:02 into the contest, but the Battlin' Bears (4-3, 2-2) took control from there with a 12-0 run. Rocky Mountain carried that momentum into a 36-22 halftime lead. 

The third started much the same as Rocky Mountain began the second half with a 16-4 run, but then Montana Tech woke up. 

Badovinac nailed a jumper with 2:30 left in the penultimate quarter to start the relentless run. Tech cut the lead to 18 by the start of the fourth, when the Orediggers trailed 52-34. 

The fourth was all Tech. Haber kept the momentum going with a stickback layup to start the quarter, followed by back-to-back 3-pointers from Badovinac and Avery Carlson that trimmed the deficit to 10. Trailing by seven, Izzy Arave hit consecutive 3s that cut the lead to 52-51 and made it a 23-0 Oredigger run. 

Badovinac came up with another big play 2 minutes later, stealing the ball just outside the Rocky 3-point line and going coast-to-coast to tie the score at 55. On the next possession, Humpherys came up with a steal and found Badovinac for the go-ahead layup with 1:41 on the clock. 

Following a RMC free throw, Humpherys converted a contested layup to make it a three-point Oredigger lead, and Tech hung on for the victory. 

Montana Tech shot 10-for-17 from the field in the final period, including a perfect 4-for-4 from 3-point range. 

The Orediggers got seven points and six rebounds off the bench from Hallie Neibauer, and Haber finished with seven points and five boards. Kylie Konen blocked four shots to go with her four points and six rebounds. 

Paige Wasson led all scorers with 16 for Rocky Mountain. 

Montana Tech will put its unblemished home record on the line again Saturday at 5:30 p.m. against No. 16 Carroll.

Visit Montana Tech athletics' home online, GoDiggers.com, anytime for up-to-the-minute news and coverage of the Orediggers. Give Montana Tech athletics a like on Facebook, and follow the Orediggers on X and Instagram at @DiggerAthletics.

###