HELENA, Mont. - The Carroll College Men's Basketball team outlasted No. 12 Montana Tech in a physical, highly competitive Frontier Conference game on Saturday, winning 84-77 in front of a packed Carroll College PE Center.

The Fighting Saints (10-9, 4-4) improved back over .500 on the season, and evened their Frontier Conference record with a wildly entertaining 84-77 win over No. 12 Montana Tech.

Emotions were high, as Carroll students and fans packed the Carroll College PE Center for the highly-anticipated rivalry game. Today's game was the lone chance for the Saints to host the Orediggers this season, with the Frontier's unbalanced rotating schedule.

Brayden Koch (Helena, Mont. / FR) would open the scoring with a layup on Carroll's opening possession, but Montana Tech would take control of the early stages of the game from that point on. The Orediggers would see their lead grow to as large as seven points, but Carroll managed to remain within striking distance. 

Near the five-minute mark of the first half, Koch would make three free throws, giving the Saints their first advantage since the opening minute. Carroll would finish the half on a 13-7 run, and take a six point lead with them into the break. 

Koch finished the opening period with eight points, while Andrew Cook (Huntington Beach, Calif. / SO) and Trent Rogers (Bozeman, Mont. / FR) each scored ten for the Saints.

The game got progressively more physical as the day wore on, with both teams fouling at a high-clip and reaching the bonus early and often in the second half.

The second half would be a showcase of the two top scorers in the Frontier Conference, as Montana Tech's Caleb Bellach and Carroll's Andrew Cook went shot-for-shot in the half. Bellach would score 19 points in the second half, while Cook posted 16 second half points of his own.

Carroll held a 10 point lead midway through the second half, but the Orediggers would not give up. Montana Tech managed to trim the Carroll lead to just one point with just over a minute remaining on an Asa Williams three pointer.

Gui Pedra (Sao Paulo, Brazil / JR) sent the student section into a frenzy with an emphatic two-hand slam dunk on the ensuing possession, and Andrew Cook secured a late steal and made a string of clutch free throws to put the finishing touches on the 84-77 victory.

Andrew Cook finished with a team-high 24 points, while Brayden Koch posted a career-high 22 points to lead the Saints. Gui Pedra and Trent Rogers each provided double-digit scoring off of the bench, scoring 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Montana Tech's Caleb Bellach led all scorers, finishing the night with 27 points and nine rebounds.

The Saints will turn their attention towards a visitng Rocky Mountain College team, Thursday at the Carroll College PE Center at 7 p.m.

Visit www.carrollathetics.com for a preview of that game, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athletics.