BUTTE, Mont. – The No. 20 Argos (14-8, 3-7) held an advantage through the third period, but the Argos succumbed to a big 27-16 fourth period by Montana Tech in a 66-57 loss to the Orediggers (12-8, 2-7) on Friday evening at the HPER Complex.
 
Emilee Maldonado led the Argos offensively with 17 points, while also grabbing six rebounds, dishing out three assists, and a steal. Parker Esary tallied a back-to-back double-double as she earned her 12^th on the season with 14 points and 12 boards.
 
Mesa Williams and Mollie Peoples were the Orediggers top scorers with 17 and 16 points, respectively. On the board, Kaylee Zard grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.
 
The Orediggers would score the first two field goals of the match, 4-0, but that would be the largest lead that either team would have through the first 10 minutes. Following an 11-8 Oredigger lead, the Argos outscored Tech 7-2 to close out the period and take a 15-13 lead.
 
Following a 15-15 tie, the Argos would take a 6-0 run to retake the lead, 21-15. The Argos maintained the advantage through a 26-19 lead, however a Tech field goal and a pair of free throws would close out the half with a four-point Argo advantage, 26-22.
 
Tech would close the game back within one to open the third, but 7-1 lead would put the Argos back up by six with 5:46 left in the period, 33-27. The Orediggers rallied over the next four minutes of clock to outscore the Argos 10-3 to take the lead with a minute remaining, 37-36. A Pimperton three would put the advantage back on the Argos side and a field goal from Maldonado would give the Argos a two-point advantage headed into the final quarter, 41-39.
 
An Esary layup put the Argos up by four to open the final 10 minutes, 43-39. Over the following two minutes of clock, the Orediggers would post a 10-0 run to lead the Argos by six, 49-43. The Argos struggled to overcome the deficit but the Orediggers wouldn't let things get closer than four points as they maintained their lead over the final seven minutes of the game and take the 66-57 victory.
 
Up Next
The Argos will return home as they host the Carroll College Fighting Saints and Rocky Mountain College Battlin' Bears in back-to-back games on Friday, February 1 and Saturday, February 2.