GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Brittany Tackett overcame the flu bug to hit a huge bucket with 57 seconds remaining and senior guards Catelyn Orlandi and Natahnee Spencer added a pair of free throws each to seal it and help the Lewis-Clark State College women's basketball team stave off the University of Great Falls 78-70 in Frontier Conference play on Friday night.
 
The win lifts the Warriors, ranked No. 2 in the NAIA, to 20-0 overall and 8-0 in conference play. The 20 consecutive wins to start the season is a program best and is the third longest win streak in school history. LCSC won 25 straight in 1999-2000 and 22 straight in 2006-07.
 
Great Falls slips to 12-6 overall and 1-6 in league play.
 
"I've got to give Great Falls a ton of credit," LCSC coach Brian Orr said. "We had a hard time defending them all night long. Eventually we got some stops in the second half. Considering all things, this was a great win."
 
The Warriors found themselves in a rare tightly contested game this season. LCSC used an 11-0 run early in the second quarter for a 27-18 lead behind five points from Spencer and four from Orlandi. Great Falls, however, responded and took a 39-36 lead at halftime.
 
The two teams continued to go back and forth in the second half, although Great Falls put together a spurt to take a 52-42 lead. The Warriors then ended the quarter with a 12-2 run to tie the contest at 54.
 
Orlandi sparked an 8-0 run to start the final quarter with a 3-pointer and sophomore post Jossilyn Blackman's three point play ended the run to give the Warriors a 62-54 lead. Great Falls, however, wouldn't go away and rallied to tie the contest at 66 at the 5:23 mark.
 
Hailey Turner put the Warriors back ahead with a bucket with 4:30 left and Tackett scored on an offensive rebound to make it a four-point lead.
 
A Great Falls bucket was counted by a bucket by senior Megan Risinger, who returned to the Warrior lineup this week after a two-week absence with an ankle sprain. Risinger's bucket with 2:50 left put LCSC ahead 72-68.
 
Molly Herron cut the margin to two points with a bucket with 1:10 left for Great Falls, but Tackett, who was ill all day, managed to answer with her big bucket to give the Warriors some breathing room a 74-70. Orlandi and Spencer then hit their free throws for the final.
 
"Brittany has the flu and she struggled to stay on the floor really," Orr said. "But she really came up big at the end when every possession was critical."
 
Orlandi, the conference's Player of the Week for her two performances a week ago, kept up her strong run with another big outing. She finished 10-of-22 from the field for 24 points. She also had nine assists, three rebounds and two assists.
 
Spencer finished with 10 points, while Brooke Litalien added nine. Tackett finished with eight points and six boards, while Risinger had eight points, seven boards and two assists. Blackman had seven points and seven rebounds.
 
"Goose (Orlandi) obviously had a great night and we hit some big 3s in the game," Orr said. "I'm glad we had Megan back. She got some big buckets for us, too, but I thought her defense was a big factor tonight."
 
For the game, the Warriors finished 29-of-62 from the field for 46.8 percent accuracy, and 8-of-19 from the 3-point line (42.1 percent). Great Falls was 29-of-69, 42 percent and 7-of-23 from the 3-point line for 30.4 percent.
 
Great Falls did have a 45-30 rebounding advantage, but also committed 17 turnovers.
 
"It was a great game," Orr said. "Great Falls has struggled at times during league play but they had some players really step up like we haven't seen before tonight.
 
"But we answered the call. This team has so many weapons that we are hard to guard. Everybody says you just can't key on one player."
 
The Warriors resume play on Saturday night when they take on Montana State-Northern in Havre, Mont. Tipoff is at 5 p.m., PST.