GREAT FALLS, Mont. - The No. 11 Carroll College Women's Basketball team advanced to the Frontier Conference Championship after defeating the University of Providence 67-52 on Monday in Great Falls.

The Fighting Saints (24-5, 14-1) once again have advanced to the Frontier Conference title game after knocking off No. 4 seed Providence (15-14, 5-10) in the semifinal round of the Frontier Conference tournament.

A rare Monday game, and an even rarer morning game saw the Saints take on Providence for the fourth time in less than two months. 

Carroll ended the first quarter with a four-point, 20-16 lead, thanks in large part to Kyndall Keller (Havre, Mont. / JR) and Jamie Pickens (Helena, Mont. / SR). The pair each scored six points in the opening frame for the Saints.

The second quarter was one to forget for the Saints. An uncharacteristically bad quarter for the Saints saw them shoot just eight percent from the field as a team (1-12). The poor shooting allowed the Argos to creep right back into the game, and Providence would carry a two point lead into halftime, 30-28.

The Saints, finding themselves down at the half, made some terrific halftime adjustments, as has been the case all season, and quickly righted the ship. Carroll shot 66 percent from the field in the third quarter, led by Jamie Pickens' 11 points. Carroll's 25 point explosion saw them take a 53-40 lead into the final frame.

Carroll's depth and seniority proved to be too much to overcome for the Argos. Carroll's front court, Pickens and Maddie Geritz (Boise, Idaho / R-SR) combined for 12 points and the Saints would march on to a 67-52 win to advance in the tournament.

The win was a significant one for Head Coach Rachelle Sayers, as it marked No. 250 in her Carroll career.

Pickens was dominant on Monday, posting yet another double-double with a game-high 26 points and 12 rebounds. Keller and Gertiz each kicked in 12 points, while Sienna Swannack (Nine Mile Falls, Wash. / GR) added 10 points of her own.

Reed Hazard scored 13 points for the Argos in the loss.

Carroll will now play No. 15 and second-seeded Montana Western in the Frontier Conference Championship game tomorrow night at 5 p.m. from the Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls.

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