BILLINGS, Mont. – Hitting 12 of its first 17 shots from the field, the Lewis-Clark State College women's basketball team got off to a great start against Rocky Mountain on Thursday night. However, it took a defensive steal in the final 10 seconds for LCSC to hang on after things became, well, rocky.
 
Despite jumping out to a comfortable lead early, the Warriors had to hang on to claim an 83-78 victory over the Battlin' Bears in Frontier Conference play. The win was the 16^th straight win to start the season for LCSC, an all-time best in the program. It is also the second-longest win streak overall in program history, trailing only the 22 straight wins in the 2006-07 campaign.
 
LCSC, ranked No. 2 in the NAIA, is now 4-0 in conference play. RMC falls to 8-7 overall and 0-3 in the FC.
 
In Thursday's contest, LCSC used the 70.5 percent shooting in the first quarter to grab a 27-16 lead. It was the third highest point total in the opening quarter by the Warriors this season.  LCSC had 10 assists on its 12 baskets, and had seven players score in the quarter.
 
Turns out the Warriors needed the hot start. The Bears trailed by as much as 20 late in the third quarter, but outscored LCSC 19-5 in the first seven minutes of the final quarter to cut the margin to four at 76-72.
 
LCSC responded when senior guard Brooke Litalien hit a 3-pointer and Hailey Turner followed with a basket to push the lead to nine points, but RMC made another run and cut the lead to 81-78 in the final minute.
 
Rocky Mountain even had a chance to tie with a 3-pointer in the final 30 seconds when it had possession of the ball, but LCSC's Natahnee Spencer came up with a steal and All-American candidate Caelyn Orlandi sealed the deal with two free throws with seven seconds left for the final.
 
"We had a scary fourth quarter," LCSC coach Brian Orr said. "But offensively we played pretty well the entire game. We shot the ball well, especially in the first half. We found our 3-point range and really played well offensively.
 
"But honestly the fourth quarter was a completely different game. We got in foul trouble and we were running people in and out because of foul situations. With our foul trouble, we were having a hard time guarding them in man and they started knocking down 3s. We had 5-6 possessions in a row that we came up empty and most of them were turnovers. Even with that, we still found a way to win."
 
Several Warriors had big nights as LCSC put four player in double figures. The Warriors also played the game without senior starting forward Megan Risinger, who sprained an ankle during shoot-around earlier Thursday. Orr said the injury could sideline Risinger for a couple of weeks.
 
"When it happened, everyone got really down," Orr said. "We only had about 25 minutes of practice to adjust and change things, so I'm really happy with the way we responded. We got off to a great start."
 
Juniors Brittany Tackett and Lauren Johnson, along with Orlandi, put up solid numbers. Tackett, a 6-foot post, scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, both team highs, for her second double-double of the season and third of her LC career. She finished 8-of-13 from the field and had two assists before she fouled out. In her last five games, Tackett is averaging 17.4 points, nearly four above her season average.
 
Orlandi also had a double-double, but it was with 17 points and 10 assists. It's the first time this season she's post such a double-double, but the fourth time overall in her career. Orlandi, who also had six rebounds, moved into fourth place on LCSC's all-time assist leaderboard with 488 in her career.
 
Johnson, a junior guard, provided a spark off the bench with 17 points and was instrumental in the Warriors' 11-of-23 effort from the 3-point line. Johnson was 5-of-7 on 3-pointers.
 
Turner, who started in place of Risinger, also had a solid night with 10 points and eight rebounds.
 
For the game, LCSC was 33-of-65 from the field for 50.8 percent, while RMC was 25-of-63 for 39.7 percent. LCSC also had a 36-31 rebounding edge and finished with 24 assists.
 
Orr said he was happy with the way the Warriors stepped up and made plays when they needed them down the stretch.
 
"The toughest thing about being good and having the win streak is that you have to go out and prove it every single possession," he said. "When you come to town as the No. 2 team in the country, it becomes a big game for them (the opponent). It's a great opportunity to knock off a top five team. That's why I think the experience of this game will help us in the long run. We responded when we needed to. That's what helps build a team."
 
LCSC will be back in action Saturday afternoon in Dillon, Mont., against Montana Western, which lost its first game of the season on Thursday night in a 70-65 setback to Montana Tech. Montana Western is 2-1 in league and 13-1 overall. Tipoff is at 2:30 p.m., PST.