By AUSTIN SMITH
The Lady Griz lost their final non-conference home game of the year to the Temple Owls 61-52 Saturday evening, ending their three-win streak.
Montana started the matchup in control, but Temple’s Shi-Heria Shipp helped bring the score level with a flurry of rebounds towards the five-minute mark. One of two players to achieve a double-double, Shipp locked down the glass on either end of the court and scored a game-high 17 points and 16 rebounds.
There were three lead changes in the final two minutes of the first half, but as the second opened, Shipp scored a jumper that would put the Owls in front for good. Montana forfeited 19 points off turnovers and struggled on the glass, out-rebounded by Temple 52-38.
Senior Lady Griz forward Jordan Sullivan was the second player with a double-double, leading Montana at 16 points and 11 rebounds. Sullivan also had two assists and was 3-4 from the free throw line. Underclassmen McCalle Feller and Alycia Sims combined for 21 points and nine rebounds.
The usual suspects were seemingly absent throughout the evening: Torry Hill and Kellie Cole had eight and six points, respectively, and Maggie Rickman and Carly Selvig brought up the rear with zero and one points.
The Lady Griz will travel to Wyoming on Dec. 17 before they break for the holidays. They will then kick off 2014 conference play with a two-game road trip at Northern Arizona and Sacramento State. They will return to Dahlberg Arena to host the Eastern Washington Eagles on Jan. 9.
GAME STATS (PDF) CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE