Sagan Osborne – Dickinson State Sports and Marketing Information Director
Havre, Mont. – Dickinson State fell 76-58 to Montana State-Northern on Monday night at the Armory Gym in Havre, Montana. Despite a strong first-half performance, the Blue Hawks struggled in the second half, allowing the Skylights to pull away.
Dickinson State (3-4) came out firing, leading 40-33 at halftime behind efficient shooting and solid defense. However, Montana State-Northern (2-2) took control in the second half, outscoring the Blue Hawks 43-18 over the final two quarters.
Senior forward Kayden Steele led the Blue Hawks with a team-high 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. She also contributed two rebounds and one assist in 24 minutes of action. Samantha Oase anchored the team in the paint with 12 points and a game-high 12 rebounds for a double-double, while Katherine Fox chipped in 11 points and two rebounds.
Montana State-Northern used a balanced attack to fuel its comeback. Guard Taya Trottier scored a game-high 17 points, shooting 7-of-10 from the field while dishing out seven assists. Forward Canzas HisBadHorse added 15 points, and Shyan Krass contributed eight points and five rebounds.
The game's momentum shifted in the third quarter, as the Skylights opened the period with a 13-2 run, erasing Dickinson State's seven-point halftime advantage. The Blue Hawks shot just 18.8% in the quarter, scoring only nine points.
Turnovers plagued Dickinson State throughout the game, with the Blue Hawks committing 22, compared to Montana State-Northern's 14. The Skylights capitalized with 20 points off turnovers, while Dickinson State managed 17 in that category.
Despite the loss, Dickinson State outrebounded Montana State-Norther, finishing with a 28-23 edge. The Blue Hawks also found success in second-chance opportunities, scoring 14 points compared to the Skylights' four.
The Blue Hawks shot 42.9% from the field (24-of-56) and 85.7% from the free-throw line (6-of-7). Montana State-Northern finished with a 54.1% field-goal percentage (33-of-61) and a 40.0% mark from three-point range (6-of-15).