BILLINGS, Mont. - A 12-point margin was unrepresentative of a game that featured 10 ties and 12 ties and 15 lead changes in Lady Argo basketball's 68-56 loss to Rocky Mountain College. UGF led after the first half, but a 27-point fourth quarter from the Battlin' Bears decided the final verdict.
 
Even play was the story in the first quarter. Both teams led for 4-5 minute stretches with the largest lead for each squad holding at 3 points.
 
In the second quarter, the Lady Argo defense shut down the Rocky Mountain offense. With 4 turnovers and a shooting percentage of 23, the Battlin' Bears only put 7 points on the board in the 10-minute period, allowing UGF to take a slim 25-22 lead into the half.
 
A large part of that defensive effort came from UGF center Whitney George and her ability to defend the paint. The senior had 5 of her 7 blocks in the second quarter and changed several other shots on top of that.
 
Rocky quickly regained the lead at the start of the third quarter, scoring the first 7 points out of the locker room. The game then turned into the Battlin' Bears against Whitney George. The 6-4 center went from brick wall defender to top offensive threat, scoring 9 points in the third quarter which accounted for all but 4 of the Lady Argo's points in the period.
 
Despite the efforts of George, Rocky finished out the period with a 41-38 lead. To make matters worse, the Battlin' Bears solved the George problem in the fourth quarter. She didn't score or register a block in the final 10 minutes of the game.
 
Fouls became a big issue in the third quarter. The Lady Argos sent RMC to the free-throw line 24 times in the final 20 minutes of play, while UGF shot just eight. The other significant factor was 3-point shooting. The Battlin' Bears made twice as many shots from long range than the Lady Argos.
 
UGF's offense was a three woman show. Seniors Nneka Nnadi, and Whitney George along with junior Stephanie McDonagh combined to score 40 of the team's 56 points. All three came close to double-doubles.
 
With 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 blocks, George wasn't all that far from a triple-double. Her 7 blocks were a season high for the senior, and her 8 rebounds were her third highest total of year. She also shot a perfect 5-5 from the field.
 
McDonagh was the team's leading scorer in the game, sticking right around her season average of 16.1 ppg with a 17-point effort, while adding 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 assists. Nnadi was the team's second leading scorer with 12 points, and she too had 8 boards.
 
The Lady Argo's losing streak is now at 6 and team is now one more loss away from a .500 record at 12-11 (1-11). Next for UGF will be another road contest, this time against Montana Tech on February 9 at 5:30 p.m.