HELENA, Mont. – Another fourth quarter lead slipped between the fingers of Lady Argos basketball despite the best efforts of senior center Whitney George. George scored a career high 19 points, including 7 in the final period, but UGF still lost to Carroll College 78-72.
 
George and freshman guard Jenna Randich combined to create a devastating inside-outside combination in the first half. Randich went 3-4 from 3-point range, while George scored 12 points off 6-9 shooting for 21 of UGF's 39 first half points, helping the Lady Argos to a 5-point lead at the half. 
 
Most of George's success came in the first quarter. Thanks to her 10 points, UGF outscored the Fighting Saints 12-6 in the paint during the opening 10 minutes. That gave the Lady Argos a confident 7-point lead heading into the second quarter.
 
In the following 10 minutes, Carroll's offense started to find a rhythm. The Saints shot 50 percent in the period, but thanks in part to two threes from Randich, they only shaved 2 points off UGF's margin before going into the locker room at the half.  
 
Both George and Randich cooled off in the third quarter, but fortunately for the Lady Argos, so did Carroll. Senior guard Nneka Nnadi and junior guard Stephanie McDonagh combined for 11 points in the period which was enough to keep the Saints at bay. McDonagh hit a buzzer-beating layup at the end of the period to keep UGF up by 4 heading into the final 10 minutes. 
 
As has become a bit of a habit, the Lady Argo's offense stalled in the fourth quarter. UGF shot 29 percent in the quarter while Carroll's offense went 5-10 from the field and 13-18 from the free-throw line. An 8-0 run for the Saints stole the slim lead from UGF and turned it into a 7-point Carroll advantage with a minute left.
 
Two late threes from senior guard Darah Huertas-Vining made things interesting in the final minute, but Carroll's free-throw shooting was too good down the stretch.
 
Giving life to Carroll's offense was a string of UGF turnovers in the second half. The Saints turned the Lady Argo's missteps into 11 points off turnovers in the second half. All 10 of UGF's points off turnovers came in the first half.
 
George played by far her best offensive half of the season. She was one rebound away from a double-double, finishing with 19 points and 9 rebounds before fouling out with three minutes left. 
 
Thanks to the late threes, Huertas-Vining finished as the team's second leading scorer with 12 points.
 
Carroll's defense did an excellent job slowing down the Lady Argo's leading scorer, Stephanie McDonagh. The junior guard averages 16 points per game, but only scored 9. It was only her second game of the season with fewer than 10 points.
 
UGF is now on a 10-game losing streak with a record of 12-15 (1-15). The Lady Argos will look to put an end to that streak in a home game against Rocky Mountain College on Friday, February 24 at 5:30 p.m.