GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Lewis-Clark State's women's basketball team came oh so close to the upset of #14 Providence University but the Warriors couldn't quite make the play they needed when they needed it in the 74-71 Frontier Conference loss.
 
"It was a tough loss but we made some strides in our team development this weekend," coach Brian Orr said. "But, we need to get better at finishing the game. Hopefully this was a lesson learned."
 
The No. 23 Warriors (13-8, 4-6) led by six points on a number of occasions in the first quarter and went up by seven on Delaney Henery's 3-pointer with 9:25 left in the second quarter. The Argonauts (16-5, 7-3) responded by steadily chipping away at the LC lead. They claimed it on a 3-pointer by Steph McDonagh with 7:57 left in the third – a shot that led to a back-and-forth battle for the remainder of the quarter.
 
As the fourth quarter unfolded, Providence expanded its lead to nine with 6:33 left in the game but the Warriors came back on a 3-pointer and field goal by Lauren Johnson, and field goals from Hailey Turner and Jossilyn Blackman to close to within 65-62 with 3:27 remaining.
 
From that point forward, it was a back-and-forth battle until McDonagh's 3 with 12 seconds remaining for the 74-71 final.
 
"They made their 3s," Orr said. "We just couldn't stop Steph (30 points)."
 
But there were bright spots for the Warriors.
 
"We got off to a great start, moved the ball well, hit some shots and had several really good defensive possessions," Orr said. "In the second half, we did a good job of getting the ball inside but the perimeter shots we were hitting in the first half stopped falling in the second."
 
He had praise for Turner's 14-point, 15-rebound night.
 
"I thought Hailey had one of her best games as a Warrior," Orr said.
 
Johnson finished with a team-best 15 points, Henery had 13 and Blackman 12 as the Warriors shot 44.3 percent from the field and match the Argos on the boards with 37.