GREAT FALLS, Mont. – The No. 20 Carroll College women's basketball team committed 20 turnovers and the 21st-ranked University of Great Falls outscored the Saints 21-11 in the second quarter en route to a 57-52 UGF win in the Frontier Conference Semifinals, Friday in Great Falls.
The Saints started the game, hot outscoring the Argos 16-7 in the first quarter behind seven points from
Hannah Dean off of the bench.
The Argos shooters came alive to start the second quarter and UGF went on a 7-0 run to start the frame. The Argos took their first lead with 1:17 left to play in the half and never trailed again. UGF took a 28-27 lead into the half.
Great Falls built their largest lead of the game, 46-38, with 59 seconds left to go in the third quarter before
Katie Estey hit a bicket with 34 seconds left in the half to cut the lead to 46-40 entering the fourth quarter.
Carroll cut the lead to 46-44 with 8:34 left in the game but UGF hit back-to-back buckets to build the lead back to 51-44.
The Saints cut the lead to 55-52 with 23 seconds on the clock when Estey was fouled on a driving layup and hit her free throw. Carroll forced a turnover and had one more chance to tie it with seven seconds left to play but Estey's contested three fell short. UGF hits a pair of free throws to seal the 57-52 win.
Estey led the Saints with 20 points, despite making a long trip from Cheney, Wash., after a graduate school interview this morning.
Hannah Dean ended the game with 15 points and eight rebounds.
Cassidy Hashley tallied nine rebounds to lead the Saints.
The Saints outrebounded UGF 46-32.
Carroll was 19 of 53 (35.8 percent) from the field while UGF was 19 of 59 (32.2 percent).
"We did a lot of things well, but we had 20 turnovers. Very untimely turnovers," Carroll coach
Rachelle Sayers said. "And a lot of that is on me. I've got to do a better job preparing our players."
The Saints now wait until Wednesday to learn their first-round opponent in the NAIA Tournament. The team will hold a watch party, details will be announced early next week.