In a Frontier Conference battle on Saturday evening, the Montana Tech Orediggers pulled away in the second half to defeat the Skylights 65-55. Both teams fought hard through four quarters, but Tech's sustained pressure after halftime ultimately made the difference.

Montana Tech got out of the gate quickly, establishing a 10-0 run early as Olivia Nielson buried a corner 3-pointer and Liv Wangerin added interior scoring. Northern struggled to get its offense going at first, with missed shots and turnovers.

Northern began to claw back as the quarter progressed. Ciera Agasiva hit a free throw and later connected on a 3-pointer to keep Northern within striking distance. Lauren Gunn capped the period with a three of her own to bring the Skylights within two at the end of the quarter.

The second quarter saw both teams jockeying for momentum. Tech's Halle Haber hit a layup to tie the game early, and both sides traded defensive stops and baskets. Northern's balanced scoring kept them in the lead, while Tech's bench contributed valuable minutes.

Leading into halftime, neither team had been able to build a significant advantage, and the game remained tight as Northern carried a slim lead into the break.

After halftime, Montana Tech flipped the script. The Orediggers opened the third quarter with relentless offense — driven by Wangerin's scoring and strong play from the bench. Tech went on a decisive run, tightening up on defense and forcing Northern into turnovers.

Northern managed a few buckets here and there, including a couple of 3-pointers from Agasiva, but couldn't keep up with Tech's scoring pace. Tech outscored Northern significantly in the quarter and took control of the game.
Northern started the fourth quarter with resolve, pushing the tempo and attempting to cut into Tech's lead. Agasiva and Taya Trottier each got to the rim and knocked down open looks, but Northern couldn't make enough stops.

Tech responded at key moments, using free throws and late baskets to maintain a 10-plus point cushion. Despite a late run from the Skylights, Tech's defense held firm and shut down Northern's final efforts.

Montana State-Northern

• Ciera Agasiva: Tallied a team-high 17 points with multiple 3-pointers to keep Northern competitive.
• Lauren Gunn: Contributed 11 points and played a strong all-around game.
• Taya Trottier: Posted double digits with 10 points and played tough defense.

Montana Tech

• Liv Wangerin: Led all scorers with 21 points and grabbed 6 rebounds as part of Tech's offensive engine.
• Halle Haber: Added 13 points and contributed consistently in the key third quarter.
• Rachel Van Blaricom: Came off the bench to score 7 points and help sustain the Tech lead.