MISSOULA, Mont. – The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team made a late run against the Montana Lady Griz Saturday at Dahlberg Arena, but could not overcome a cold shooting day from the three-point arc in an 86-70 loss at the Lady Griz Classic.
 
The Huskies shot a season-low 14.3 percent from long distance Saturday, making just four out of 27 attempts. Courtney Woods (Brisbane, Australia/St. Margaret's) led NIU with 18 points, all of which came in the second half. Mikayla Voigt (Slinger, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) added 16 points and a season-high four steals, one shy of her career-high. Myia Starks (Oswego, Ill./Nequa Valley) had 11 points as Errin Hodges (Evansville, Ind./Central) chipped in 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
 
NIU (3-3) led 4-2 early on a pair of Starks' jumpers in the first 1:30. Montana then went on an 11-0 run over the next 1:33, with three straight three-pointers from Taylor Goligoski and Katie Mayhue giving the Lady Griz a 13-4 lead with 6:41 to play in the opening quarter. After a Voigt jumper got NIU within six, the Lady Griz scored seven straight points with a Gabi Harrington three-point play making the score 22-6 with 2:25 left in the first. Montana extended the lead to 18, taking a 28-10 advantage into the second quarter. The Huskies used a 7-2 run, capped off by a Voigt three, early in the second to get within 13, 30-17. However, Montana's ability to get high-percentage baskets allowed the Lady Griz to take a 44-27 lead at haftime.
 
"We were not very good out of the locker room in the first quarter and put ourselves in a huge hole," said head coach Lisa Carlsen. "Especially on the road against a good team like Montana, that's a tough thing to overcome."
 
Montana (2-2) grew its lead to 20 three times in the third quarter, with an Abby Anderson free throw making the score 59-39 with 4:31 left in the period. A Mikayla Brandon (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) jumper sparked a 7-0 Huskies run that got NIU within 13, 59-46, with 3:24 to go in the third. NIU closed the gap to 12, 66-54, in the final minute on a three-pointer by Gabby Nikitinaite (Orpington, Kent, UK/Coopers School).
 
NIU got within 11 to start the fourth quarter as a Voigt jumper in the lane made the score 67-56. Montana then tried to run away, going on a 13-2 run in the next 3:12 seconds as threes by Goligoski and Jordyn Schweyen gave the Lady Griz an 80-58 lead with 4:43 to play. NIU had one last run in them. IT started with a block by Abby Woollacott (Rockford, Ill./Rockford Lutheran) that led to a three by Woods. The Huskies then put on the press, which led to three straight Lady Griz turnovers. NIU scored on all three with two Hodges baskets and a Voigt jumper getting NIU within 11, 80-69, with 3:15 to play. Starks split a pair of free throws to make the deficit 10, 80-70, with 2:55 to go but that was as close as the Huskies got.
 
"We made a nice run late, but it was too late to put ourselves in a position to have a shot," Carlsen said. "We'll look at this game and the first quarter and realize we put ourselves in a really tough position. We didn't get enough shots and stops in the second half to be in a legit spot to win."
Montana shot 46.1 percent from the field and held NIU to 41.4 percent. The Lady Griz also held a 48-37 advantage on the glass, turning 15 offensive rebounds into 20 second chance points. NIU scored 18 points of 14 Montana turnovers, while committing 12. Three of those turnovers were in the second half.  McKenzie Johnston led Montana with 18 points and eight assists. Jace Henderson added 16 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists.
 
NIU will take on Nevada on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the consolation game of the Lady Griz Classic.
 
--NIU--