Benedictine Mesa Women's Basketball falls to Montana State-Northern, 50-74.
 
Benedictine Mesa opened the game with strong energy but faced early challenges against Montana State-Northern. The scoring began with Montana's Maddie Williamson hitting a layup and free throw to put them ahead 3-0. The Redhawks responded with a layup from Alize Ruiz to narrow the deficit. Both teams traded defensive stops, with Benedictine's Nyah Henderson keeping the Redhawks competitive with a layup. However, Montana's consistent shooting widened the gap. Despite efforts from Benedictine's bench, including a late layup by Dyamond Butler-Worley, the quarter ended with Benedictine trailing 19-11.
 
Benedictine Mesa showed determination in the second quarter, making strategic substitutions to match Montana's intensity. Key plays from Alize Ruiz and Dyamond Butler-Worley helped the Redhawks stay in the fight, but Montana's defensive efforts and timely scoring extended their lead. The Redhawks found moments of success with strong rebounding from Ruiz and contributions from Butler-Worley, but turnovers hindered their ability to close the gap. Benedictine's late free throws brought them within 12 points, closing the half at 39-27.
 
The Redhawks faced difficulties finding offensive rhythm in the third quarter. Alize Ruiz provided a brief spark with a layup, but turnovers and missed opportunities plagued Benedictine and Montana capitalized. Despite Benedictine's efforts to gain momentum, Montana's defense remained dominant. A late three-pointer from Alexia Wilcox, assisted by Naomi Elliot, gave the Redhawks a moment of hope, but the quarter ended with Montana firmly in control, leading 61-38.
 
Benedictine Mesa's offensive efforts gained some momentum in the final quarter, with Nyah Henderson hitting a jumper assisted by Ruiz. However, Montana State-Northern's consistent rebounding and strong defensive play stifled the Redhawks' attempts at a comeback. Alexis Emerson-Berryhill provided a late push with consecutive layups, but Montana's steady scoring secured their win. The game concluded with a 74-50 victory for Montana State-Northern.
 
Key Performances:

• Dyamond Butler-Worle: 10 points, 1 assist, 1 steal
• Alize Ruiz: 14 rebounds, 8 points, 2 assists
• Nyah Henderson: Key contributions on both ends of the court

 
Looking Ahead:
The Redhawks will look to bounce back on Friday, December 20th, when they face Montana Tech in the Cactus Classic at 6:00 PM.