LEWISTON, Idaho – The Montana Tech women's basketball team made eight of its first 11 shots against Lewis-Clark State on Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately for the Orediggers, the next eight made shots took 47 attempts.

Picking up its defensive effort after the first quarter, LCSC remained undefeated on the season with a 68-46 win over the Orediggers in Frontier Conference play at the LCSC Activity Center.
LCSC, ranked No. 2 in the NAIA, improved to 15-0 overall and 3-0 in FC play with the win, while Tech slipped to 7-7 and 1-2.

The Orediggers came out on fire in the contest and jumped out to a 20-14 lead. Even after going scoreless the first five minutes of the second quarter, Montana Tech managed a 26-25 halftime lead. However, Tech again went scoreless for five minutes to start the third quarter and LCSC was able to pull away.

"I thought Montana Tech outplayed us the first half," LCSC coach Brian Orr said. "They outhustled us. I don't know how many offensive rebounds they had but it seemed like a bunch. They were quicker to the ball. And we didn't take care of the ball either. Just some uncharacteristic turnovers. It looked like we rushed things a little bit. We hurried some things and made some bad decisions, too."

The Warriors found their shooting touch and offensive rhythm in the second half as they outscored Montana Tech 43-20.

"Offensively, I thought we passed better, found the open player, and we shot it better," Orr said. "And then I thought our defense, especially in the second half, was really, really good. That might be the difference in the game."

The Warriors held Tech to just 27.6 percent shooting from the field, 16-of-58. After the first quarter, Tech's shooting percentage fell to 17.8 percent (8-of-45) and the Orediggers were only 3-of-19 from the 3-point line (15.8 percent).

"I don't think anyone got their (scoring) average," Orr said of the Tech players. "Martha Dembek was averaging about 17 points a game and we had several people on her (she finished with six points on 2-of-13 shooting). I know (Hattie) Thatcher had some baskets on us, but I thought we did a better job of containing her in the second half. I thought our defense just really picked it up in the second half."

Junior post Brittany Tackett also was a difference maker. LCSC's 6-foot forward from Coeur d'Alene was a perfect 9-of-9 from the field for a game-high 22 points. She also had six rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots, and a steal.

"She was good," Orr said. "For a player to go 9-for-9, that is huge. The thing about her is that she's such a hard matchup for other teams because of her athleticism. What we tried to do is get her the ball away from the basket and have her attack. She did a super job once she got it. The way she can go right or left makes her really hard to guard."

Senior guard Caelyn Orlandi had another solid game for the Warriors as well. She finished with 20 points, five assists, three rebounds, and two steals. Orlandi now has 478 career assists, which places her fifth on the program's all-time list and just six behind Amanda Campbell for fourth on the list.

Both teams finished with 38 rebounds. Megan Risinger led LCSC with nine boards, but it was her 3-point shot early in the fourth quarter that started a 14-3 Warrior run that put the game away.

LCSC finished 26-of-59 from the field for 44.1 percent and 5-of-24 from the 3-point line, 20.8 percent. The Warriors have struggled some with their 3-point shooting of late, but did hit three in the final quarter.

"We are not used to being behind at halftime," Orr said. "I challenged the team. How are we going to react? Are we going to come out and be selfish or are we going to come out and share the ball? What about our intensity level? I thought we responded.

"The thing about our team is that everyone is a weapon, everybody is a tough matchup."

LCSC will hit the road for the first time in conference play this week. LCSC will play in Billings, Mont., on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. against Rocky Mountain, and then will take on Montana Western in Dillon, Mont., at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.