BILLINGS, Mont. - Minot State University guard Sam Medcalf hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to push the Beavers to a 71-70 win over Rocky Mountain College late Saturday night to salvage a split on the road in nonconference NAIA women's college basketball at RMC's Fortin Center.
The Beavers lost to Carroll College Sunday afternoon 71-60 during the Clock Tower Inn Classic.
In Friday's win, Medcalf was the trailer on the Beavers final push and spotted up for a 25 footer that beat the buzzer and beat Rocky Mountain College.
We never led," MSU head coach Sheila Green Gerding said. "It (Medcalf's 3) wasn't a prayer. She had a good look and knocked it down."
The Beavers trailed 36-22 at half due mainly to poor shooting, but climbed back into the game. MSU scored on a shot by Caroline Folven to cut a four-point Bears lead in half. After a quick foul, Rocky missed a free throw and the Beavers ran a quick play up the court that ended in Medcalf's heroics.
"Rocky's a good team, probably better than they have been in a while," Green Gerding said. "For us to battle back and get the win on the road is huge. We did it by committee."
Medcalf led the way with 16 points, hitting four 3s in the game. MacKenzie Mack had a solid night scoring 15 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out four assists. Holly Siverling also reached double figures with 11 and Folven added nine for MSU.
Janie Rayback lead the way for the Bears (3-6 overall) with 18 points, while Liz Lewis scored 17.
"We got good minutes from Siverling and Catilin Durkin off the bench," Green Gerding said. "We struggled shooting in the first half, but settled down a big and took better shots in the second."
MSU's shooting was even better again Carroll Sunday as the Beavers out shot the Saints 53 percent to 46 percent. However, MSU missed all nine 3-pointers, while the Saints went 7 of 14 on 3s - the difference in the game.
"They hit big shots when they needed to," Green Gerding said. "Threes were huge, we couldn't seem to keep (Alysha Green) from knocking them down. She had a four-point play (after grabbing an offensive rebound on a missed second free throw) and I really think that was the turning point."
Sunday, the Beavers (4-4 overall) also didn't have the balance they had the night before. Mack led all players with 22 points and pulled down 11 boards and Folven scored 18 points, but no other MSU player scored more than six.
"Offensively, it was hard to get anything all night.," Green Gerding said. "(Carroll) did a great job defensively. They were stingy on the perimeter."
"There were certainly some good things from the weekend. Mack and Folven were both solid. I thing our two freshman grew up a bit in (Dora) Garza and Durkin and Sam did a great job of running the point and taking care of the basketball over the two games."
Carroll had four in double figures led by Green's 20 points, including 4 of 6 on 3-pointers. Elly Bruursema scored 11 and Nikki Mills and Amy Allen scored 10 each. Mills grabbed eight rebounds to pace the Saints.
The Beavers are back in action Dec. 1 in their home debut against Rocky Mountain College starting at 7 p.m. at the MSU Dome.
- Daily News Staff