GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Seniors ruled the game for the University of Providence women's basketball team in a 72-53 win over Northwest University. UP's three seniors combined to score 44 points, grab 24 rebounds, and snatch away 8 steals.
 
The Lady Argos led almost the entire way, trailing only by a point or two for the first few minutes and was on pace to win by over 25 points before taking their foot off the gas in the fourth quarter.
 
Besides that fourth quarter performance, the team was almost perfectly consistent on offense. The team scored 19 points in the first quarter, 22 in the second, and 22 in the third and shot 46 percent, 45 percent, and 50 percent respectively from the field.
 
UP also dominated the glass with a 53-32 rebounding advantage that included 20 offensive rebounds. Four of the team's five starters had 7 or more boards.
 
What held the team back from truly running away with the game was poor shooting from three and some sloppy handling of the ball. After hitting over 40 percent from 3-point range in four of the first five games, the team made just 4 of 17 attempts for a percentage of 23.5. UP also had 18 turnovers, the third game in a row with 18 or more.
 
Most of the 3-point misses and turnovers came from the team's underclassmen, while the senior class of Stephanie McDonagh, Molly Herron, and Kallee Wilson looked like the seasoned veterans that they are. Not only did they score, rebound, and play defense at a high level, but they also only accounted for 3 of the team's turnovers and shot a combined 3-6 from distance.
 
McDonagh led the way with another stuffed stat sheet of 22 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 assists. She has now scored 75 points in the last three games, shooting 12-22 from long range.
 
Often the team's unsung hero over the past few years as a shutdown perimeter defender and good rebounder that didn't score many points, Molly Herron has blossomed into an all-around star in her senior season. She scored 12 points and grabbed a season high 8 rebounds giving her double-digit point totals in three of the past four games.
 
The only other player to score 10 or more against NU was Wilson who continued to be a double-double threat in every game. She only had 1 double-double this season but has come close in just about every contest. This time she was 3 rebounds shy with 10 points and 7 boards.
 
The win keeps UP undefeated on the year with a record of 6-0. Next, for the Lady Argos will be another home game, this time against San Diego Christian College on November 13 at 5:30 p.m.