HELENA, Mont. – Carroll College and Rocky Mountain had battled for 33 minutes each shot was met by another, each hustle play by an equally impressive one from the other team. After 33 minutes, it was tied but it wouldn't stay that way.
 
With 6:36 left in the game Rocky Mountain's Riley Bradshaw hit a tough bucket to tie the game at 68. The Carroll defense then held the Bears scoreless for six minutes while scoring six-straight. It would be enough of a cushion for the No. 13 ranked Saints as they earned a 78-72 win, their sixth straight to move to 17-3 on the year and hold on to the share of the Frontier Conference lead at 7-1.
 
Early, Rocky Mountain was on fire from the field. After the Saints tied the game with 14:51 left in the first half, the Bears went on a 10-2 run to build a 21-13 lead with 11:32 on the clock.
 
The Saints found their own rhythm and went on a 11-2 run to take a 28-27 lead with 5:55 remaining. Match Burnham hit a bucket with 51 seconds left to tie the game at 38 which held at the half.
 
Carroll built a 61-55 advantage with 10:24 left in the game but a quick 7-0 run gave the Bears a 62-61 lead. Three lead changes and two ties later, the two teams were again tied at 68 with 6:36 remaining. The Carroll defense would stiffen and the Saints began to build a lead.
 
Imhoff hit a pair of tough shots for the final four points of his team-high 23 and Zach Taylor hit a bucket and nailed a pair of free throws and the Saints held on for the six-point win.
 
"I was impressed by our ability to really come together as a group and dig to a new level defensively," head coach Carson Cunningham said. "It's been our emphasis for weeks. It's going to remain our emphasis for the rest of the year. This is a high-scoring team that shot well."
 
Four Saints scored in double figures, Imhoff had 23, Taylor 17, Oliver Carr 15 on 6-6 shooting from the field and 3-3 from the free throw line. Helm was 3-5 from the field for 11 points.
 
The Saints were 28-56 (50 percent) from the field and 19-21 (90.5 percent) from the free throw line.
 
Rocky was led by Taylor Longo with 26. Bradshaw had 12 and Zach Hinton added 14. The Bears were 29-59 (49.2 percent) from the field and 8-11 (72.7 percent) from the free throw line.
 
Carroll held a slight advantage on the boards with 32 to Rocky's 29.
 
The Saints next play on the road at MSU-Northern, next Friday in Havre.