Butte, Mont. – The University of Providence women's basketball program defeated Montana Tech 67-59 Saturday afternoon.
 
The Orediggers (19-8) scored the first basket of the game but the Argos (20-7) responded with a layup from sophomore Monique Carter to tie the game at two.
 
Both teams struggled to score the rest of the quarter but baskets from sophomore Eliannah Ramirez and Carter plus jumpers from junior Ainsley Thurber and senior Ashlee Maldonado would give the Argos a 11-6 lead heading into the second.
 
The Argos were able to extend their lead to 12 midways through the quarter after a pair of threes from Carter and sophomore Keanna Salave'a.
 
Montana Tech's offense started to click going on a 12-3 run to end the half but a pair of threes from Maldonado and senior Kolby Pimperton kept the Argos up 25-24 going into halftime.
 
UP struck first to start the third with a triple from sophomore Taliah Lee but the Orediggers responded with a 14-4 run to take a 38-33 lead with four minutes to go in the quarter.
 
The two teams would go back and forth the rest of the third but a buzzer beating three from Tech would give a Orediggers three-point lead going into the fourth.
 
The fourth started with both teams trading baskets but Salave'a's fourth three of the day tied the game at 48, and six straight from Maldonado gave UP a five-point lead with just under four minutes to go.
 
Despite late pressure from the Orediggers, a dagger three from Monique Carter would cap off a 67-59 victory for the Argos.
 
Keanna Salave'a led the way with 16 points, and four blocks while Ashlee Maldonado and Monique Carter added 15 points apiece.
 
The Argos will be back in action March 2-4 for the Frontier Conference Tournament in Great Falls, MT. (MST).