GREAT FALLS, Mont. -- Hayden Diekhans scored 18 points, Ifeanyi Okeke added 12, but the No. 9-ranked Montana Tech men's basketball team fell, 77-67, at Providence Thursday in a Frontier Conference matchup.

Montana Tech (20-3, 8-2 Frontier) jumped out to an early 6-2 lead but never could pull away. The Argos battled back with a 13-2 run to take the advantage. Tech responded to take a 19-18 lead after Brayden Koch's 3-pointer with 6:09 left in the first half, but that was the Orediggers' last lead of the game.

Jamil Bowles' layup with 4:36 left in the half gave the lead back to the Argos, and UP never trailed again. Tech tied the game twice before halftime, but another Argos run helped the home team head into the half with a 35-30 advantage.

Providence (13-10, 7-3) extended the lead to double digits early in the second half and never looked back.

Bowles led all scorers with 27 points and 16 rebounds.

Montana Tech will return to Frontier play Saturday at 2 p.m. at MSU-Northern.

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