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Weber State's Taylor Smith (20) drives into the heart of Montana's defense on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.

Robert Casey, WSU Athletics

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Weber State's Antoniette Emma-Nnopu (7) rises to shoot against Montana on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.

Robert Casey, WSU Athletics

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Weber State's Rose Bubakar, right, handles the basketball against Montana on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.

Robert Casey, WSU Athletics

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Two huge rallies bookended the women’s basketball game between Weber State and Montana on Saturday afternoon at the Dee Events Center.

Weber State’s early run ended up being just big enough to withstand Montana’s late run and the Wildcats held on for a 73-69 victory.

With the win, Weber State (10-13) improved to 7-6 in the Big Sky, the most conference wins the program has tallied in one season in the last seven years. WSU went 12-6 in 2017-18 and the high win total in five years under Velaida Harris was a 6-14 mark in 2021-22.

Montana (10-15, 6-8) opened the game with an 11-2 lead and it looked somewhat dire early when MJ Bruno knocked down a 3-pointer for that margin with 6:26 left in the first quarter.

In a flash, Weber State knocked the Griz back on their heels. The Wildcats ripped a 19-0 run in a span of just 3:04 of game time. WSU grabbed three steals and held Montana to an 0-of-4 shooting mark while shooting 7 of 7, including four 3-pointers, in the span.

Lanae Billy hit two of her five 3-pointers in the run and Taylor Smith started and ended the rally with her two 3s to give Weber a 21-11 lead.

The Wildcats slowly built the lead from there, going up 25-16 after one and leading 38-25 at halftime. The lead ballooned to 56-34 on a Rose Bubakar 3-pointer at the midway mark of the third quarter. WSU ended the frame up 61-44 and was 11 of 17 from behind the arc.

But that 10-5 rally to end the third was just the start for the Griz, who then opened the third quarter on a 21-5 run. Over 12:23 of game time, Montana shot 11 of 22 and hit six 3s for the extended 31-10 comeback; Weber committed six of its 12 turnovers for the game during the stretch and shot just 4 of 20.

With 1:52 left, Bruno pumpfaked on the left wing, drove into the paint, threw up a wild shot against contact and banked it in. Her free throw made Weber State’s lead 66-65.

But the Wildcats didn’t surrender the advantage. Breaking Montana’s ensuing press with a close-call pass at midcourt, WSU’s Kendra Parra corralled a deflected ball and found herself going down an open lane for a lefty layup. After a stop, Antoniette Emma-Nnopu made one free throw for a 69-65 lead with 57.6 seconds left and that cushion was enough the rest of the way.

Billy’s five 3-pointers led five WSU players in double digits with 16 points. Smith scored 14 points, with eight of them coming in the torrid first-quarter run, while adding five rebounds and four assists.

Parra totaled 13 points, four rebounds and eight assists. Bubakar added 11 points and four rebounds, and Emma-Nnopu totaled 10 points and eight rebounds. Dakota Nap added four assists off the bench as Weber State assisted 19 of its 25 field goals.

Bruno and Avery Waddington each scored 14 points for Montana. Dani Bartsch totaled 11 points and nine rebounds.

Weber State currently sits fourth in the Big Sky standings, one game behind Idaho (16-8, 8-5) after the Vandals lost consecutive road games at Sacramento State and Eastern Washington.

The Wildcats hit the road with opportunity ahead, preparing for matchups against ninth-place Sacramento State on Thursday and 10th-place Portland State on Saturday.