Box Score

Box Score

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Pittsburg State Women's Basketball team was able to withstand a late 14-2 run by Montana State-Billings to earn a 77-71 win in its season opening game at the CCA Tipoff Classic on Friday (November 8).

Pitt State had its largest lead of the game, 16 points, at 71-55 with 4:58 remaining in the game. By the 1:04 mark, the Yellowjackets had cut Pitt State's lead to four at 73-69 on a transition layup by Kayleen Goggins. Brigit Hesser was fouled just 10 seconds later and hit both of her free throws to extend the lead.

Lizzy Jeronimus added two more free throws, just two of 10 she made in the game, to extend Pitt State's lead further to 77-69 with 34 second remaining. Billings' Bobbi Knudsen added two free throws for her team to cap the scoring for the game. A steal by Cathy Brugman with three seconds left sealed the win for the Gorillas.

Jeronimus led four Gorillas in double figures with 22 points. She also share the team lead in rebounds with Kylie Gafford with six. Starters Alex Bordewick and Antqunita Reed added 13 and 10 points, respectively. Morgan Westhoff came off the bench to score 12 points on 4-for-5 shooting from three-point range, all in the first half.

The Gorillas shot .429 from the floor and .462 from three point range. Pitt State's three point shooting made the difference in the game, as the Gorillas made only one more shot than the Yellowjackets, but two more threes. The Gorillas held MSUB to just 22 percent from three-point range.

There were four ties and six lead changes in the game. After a 16-16 tie at 9:39 in the first half, the Gorillas went on a 8-0 run started by a layup by Bordewick and fueled by back-to-back threes by Bordewick and Westhoff.

Back-to-back threes by Westhoff gave the Gorillas their first double digit lead of the game at 34-22 with 3:58 remaining in the first half.

The Gorillas had their largest lead of the game, 16 points, for the first time at 3:02 in the first half on free throws by Jeronimus.

Pitt State had a 42-39 lead at half time and maintained at least a nine-point lead through the second half until BIllings went on its run.

Montana State BIllings Knudsen led all scorers with 23 points. Goggins chipped in 17 and Annie DePuydt, 10. Janiel Olson was the game's leading rebounder with 10.

Pitt State will continue CCA Tipoff Classic play on Saturday as the team will match up with Concordia-St. Paul at 8:15 p.m. (CST). Live audio for the game will be available at GoToros.com/live