Montana girls edge Wyoming in 2 overtimes
By GREG RACHAC
Of The Gazette Staff
Marnee Overton was the smallest player on the court Saturday night, but her 5-foot-2 stature was never a problem.
Overton played the biggest.
Baker's Overton made several key plays down the stretch, hitting two 3-pointers late to help lift the Montana girls all-stars to an 84-81, double-overtime victory over Wyoming at Rocky Mountain College's Fortin Center.
With the victory, Montana avenged Friday's 73-68 loss in Sheridan, Wyo., and avoided being swept for the second straight year. In addition, Montana upped its lead in the series to 12-8.
Overton credited the victory to an all-around effort.
"We played much better," said Overton, who scored a team-high 16 points. "It was all about team chemistry. We were more of a team tonight."
Trailing by three points with 36 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Overton made a deep 3 from the left wing to tie the score a 64.
After a miss at the buzzer by Wyoming's Laura Merritt on the other end, the game went into overtime for just the second time in the 11-year history of this series.
"I was trying to get it to Kelly (Pankratz), she's our best shooter," Overton said of her long 3-pointer in regulation. "But everyone was in a rush and we were running out of time, so I just launched it. I don't even know."
In the first overtime session, Overton continued to make plays, which included a stellar pass to Shepherd's Quinn Halverson, who was fouled on the play and made two free throws to give Montana a seven point advantage
Although Wyoming ended up forcing a second extra session - thanks to two clutch free throws by Kelsey Boedeker with one second left - Overton remained key.
She hit another 3 to open the second OT, assisted Sara Meyer down low to give Montana a five point lead and made a key defensive play to break-up a sure layup on the other end of the floor with time winding down.
"It kept swinging one side to the other," said Montana coach Brian Henderson. "It was two evenly-matched teams leaving it out on the floor.
"It says a lot for the character of the girls, and that's why they're all-stars. We really started playing well together in the second half."
Wyoming led nearly the entire third quarter, building a seven point lead on a Randa Clabaugh 3 at the 7:45 mark. Montana, however, battled back and eventually took the lead with 1:03 remaining in the frame on a Pankratz layup that started on the other end by a blocked shot by Meyer.
Wyoming would grab the lead in the fourth quarter on a 3 from the top of the key by Boedeker with 3:42 left, and led from that point until Overton tied it with her big shot.
"We kept our heads in the game," said Meyer, a 6-foot-1 post from Livingston. "After (Friday) night we really wanted to win. We wanted to fix the mistakes we made and play like we knew we could play."
On Friday night, Montana missed 23 free throws, which eventually did the team in. On Saturday, Wyoming had its struggles from the line.
"Ultimately it was the missed free throws," said Boedeker, whose team shot 27-for-47 from the stripe. "We missed them throughout the game, and that eventually caught up to us."
Malta's Pankratz added 14 points for Montana, while Hardin's Dvera Tolbert added 13 (before fouling out) and Meyer 10.
Lima's Amy Allen scored just six points - including two key free throws at the end of the first overtime - but pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds.
Wyoming's Hillary Carlson, a 6-3 force headed to the University of Wyoming, scored a game-best 22 points and pulled down 10 boards. Boedeker added 18 while both Merritt and Josie Stewart chipped in 11.
"I'm proud of the kids," said Wyoming coach Frank McCarthy. "They battled right to the wire and the game could have gone either way. It was a great effort."
NOTES: It was the first double-overtime game in series history. The last time a game went to overtime was in 2003, when Wyoming pulled out a 77-75 win in Sheridan. ... Prior to the game, Tolbert was awarded the Northern Sports Network's Ms. Basketball Award for Montana. ... The Montana girls again shot poorly from the free throw line, making just 21 of 40 shots. ... Clabaugh and Boedeker each played 34 minutes, which led both teams. ... Meyer added nine rebounds and four blocked shots for Montana.
Montana 84, Wyoming 81 (2OT)
Wyoming All-Stars - Josie Stewart 2-9 6-8 11, Dana Seth 0-5 0-1 0, Laura Merritt 3-9 4-9 11, Hillary Carlson 7-15 8-14 22, Brianna Barnette 1-1 0-0 2, Jenika Bird 1-6 1-6 3, Randa Clabaugh 2-8 0-0 5, Kristi Dilts 1-4 0-0 2, Courtney Johnson 2-10 2-2 7, Kelsey Boedecker 5-12 6-7 18. Totals: 24-79 27-47 81. 3-point goals: 6-25 (Boedecker 2-7, Merritt 1-1, Johnson 1-3, Stewart 1-4, Clabaugh 1-5, Dilts 0-1, Bird 0-1, Seth 0-3). Fouls: 31. Fouled out: Stewart. Rebounds: 43 (Carlson 10). Assists: 14 (Clabaugh 4). Steals: 11 (Stewart 4). Blocked shots: 7 (Carlson 3, Johnson 3). Turnovers: 23.
Montana All-Stars - Marnee Overton 6-14 1-4 16, Quinn Halverson 2-3 5-8 9, Kasey Foote 1-1 1-2 3, Dvera Tolbert 6-8 1-3 13, Kelly Pankratz 4-10 5-6 14, Leslie Saunders 4-7 0-2 8, Amy Allen 1-7 2-2 4, Jessica Overstreet 2-3 1-2 6, Sara Meyer 3-9 4-9 10. Totals: 29-65 21-40 84. 3-point goals: 5-18 (Overton 3-9, Overstreet 1-1, Pankratz 1-3, Ryan 0-1, Saunders 0-2, Allen 0-2). Fouls: 30. Fouled out: Tolbert. Rebounds: 51 (Allen 12). Assists: 17 (Saunders 4, Foote 4). Steals: 12 (Overstreet 3). Blocked shots: 6 (Meyer 4). Turnovers: 25.
Halftime - Wyoming 26, Montana 25.
End of regulation: Montana 64, Wyoming 64.
End of first overtime: Montana 74, Wyoming 74.
By GREG RACHAC
Of The Gazette Staff
Marnee Overton was the smallest player on the court Saturday night, but her 5-foot-2 stature was never a problem.
Overton played the biggest.
Baker's Overton made several key plays down the stretch, hitting two 3-pointers late to help lift the Montana girls all-stars to an 84-81, double-overtime victory over Wyoming at Rocky Mountain College's Fortin Center.
With the victory, Montana avenged Friday's 73-68 loss in Sheridan, Wyo., and avoided being swept for the second straight year. In addition, Montana upped its lead in the series to 12-8.
Overton credited the victory to an all-around effort.
"We played much better," said Overton, who scored a team-high 16 points. "It was all about team chemistry. We were more of a team tonight."
Trailing by three points with 36 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Overton made a deep 3 from the left wing to tie the score a 64.
After a miss at the buzzer by Wyoming's Laura Merritt on the other end, the game went into overtime for just the second time in the 11-year history of this series.
"I was trying to get it to Kelly (Pankratz), she's our best shooter," Overton said of her long 3-pointer in regulation. "But everyone was in a rush and we were running out of time, so I just launched it. I don't even know."
In the first overtime session, Overton continued to make plays, which included a stellar pass to Shepherd's Quinn Halverson, who was fouled on the play and made two free throws to give Montana a seven point advantage
Although Wyoming ended up forcing a second extra session - thanks to two clutch free throws by Kelsey Boedeker with one second left - Overton remained key.
She hit another 3 to open the second OT, assisted Sara Meyer down low to give Montana a five point lead and made a key defensive play to break-up a sure layup on the other end of the floor with time winding down.
"It kept swinging one side to the other," said Montana coach Brian Henderson. "It was two evenly-matched teams leaving it out on the floor.
"It says a lot for the character of the girls, and that's why they're all-stars. We really started playing well together in the second half."
Wyoming led nearly the entire third quarter, building a seven point lead on a Randa Clabaugh 3 at the 7:45 mark. Montana, however, battled back and eventually took the lead with 1:03 remaining in the frame on a Pankratz layup that started on the other end by a blocked shot by Meyer.
Wyoming would grab the lead in the fourth quarter on a 3 from the top of the key by Boedeker with 3:42 left, and led from that point until Overton tied it with her big shot.
"We kept our heads in the game," said Meyer, a 6-foot-1 post from Livingston. "After (Friday) night we really wanted to win. We wanted to fix the mistakes we made and play like we knew we could play."
On Friday night, Montana missed 23 free throws, which eventually did the team in. On Saturday, Wyoming had its struggles from the line.
"Ultimately it was the missed free throws," said Boedeker, whose team shot 27-for-47 from the stripe. "We missed them throughout the game, and that eventually caught up to us."
Malta's Pankratz added 14 points for Montana, while Hardin's Dvera Tolbert added 13 (before fouling out) and Meyer 10.
Lima's Amy Allen scored just six points - including two key free throws at the end of the first overtime - but pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds.
Wyoming's Hillary Carlson, a 6-3 force headed to the University of Wyoming, scored a game-best 22 points and pulled down 10 boards. Boedeker added 18 while both Merritt and Josie Stewart chipped in 11.
"I'm proud of the kids," said Wyoming coach Frank McCarthy. "They battled right to the wire and the game could have gone either way. It was a great effort."
NOTES: It was the first double-overtime game in series history. The last time a game went to overtime was in 2003, when Wyoming pulled out a 77-75 win in Sheridan. ... Prior to the game, Tolbert was awarded the Northern Sports Network's Ms. Basketball Award for Montana. ... The Montana girls again shot poorly from the free throw line, making just 21 of 40 shots. ... Clabaugh and Boedeker each played 34 minutes, which led both teams. ... Meyer added nine rebounds and four blocked shots for Montana.
Montana 84, Wyoming 81 (2OT)
Wyoming All-Stars - Josie Stewart 2-9 6-8 11, Dana Seth 0-5 0-1 0, Laura Merritt 3-9 4-9 11, Hillary Carlson 7-15 8-14 22, Brianna Barnette 1-1 0-0 2, Jenika Bird 1-6 1-6 3, Randa Clabaugh 2-8 0-0 5, Kristi Dilts 1-4 0-0 2, Courtney Johnson 2-10 2-2 7, Kelsey Boedecker 5-12 6-7 18. Totals: 24-79 27-47 81. 3-point goals: 6-25 (Boedecker 2-7, Merritt 1-1, Johnson 1-3, Stewart 1-4, Clabaugh 1-5, Dilts 0-1, Bird 0-1, Seth 0-3). Fouls: 31. Fouled out: Stewart. Rebounds: 43 (Carlson 10). Assists: 14 (Clabaugh 4). Steals: 11 (Stewart 4). Blocked shots: 7 (Carlson 3, Johnson 3). Turnovers: 23.
Montana All-Stars - Marnee Overton 6-14 1-4 16, Quinn Halverson 2-3 5-8 9, Kasey Foote 1-1 1-2 3, Dvera Tolbert 6-8 1-3 13, Kelly Pankratz 4-10 5-6 14, Leslie Saunders 4-7 0-2 8, Amy Allen 1-7 2-2 4, Jessica Overstreet 2-3 1-2 6, Sara Meyer 3-9 4-9 10. Totals: 29-65 21-40 84. 3-point goals: 5-18 (Overton 3-9, Overstreet 1-1, Pankratz 1-3, Ryan 0-1, Saunders 0-2, Allen 0-2). Fouls: 30. Fouled out: Tolbert. Rebounds: 51 (Allen 12). Assists: 17 (Saunders 4, Foote 4). Steals: 12 (Overstreet 3). Blocked shots: 6 (Meyer 4). Turnovers: 25.
Halftime - Wyoming 26, Montana 25.
End of regulation: Montana 64, Wyoming 64.
End of first overtime: Montana 74, Wyoming 74.
