Teton Women Hold On in Thriller; Men Fall Late in Powell
POWELL, Wyo. — The Williston State College basketball teams split their road doubleheader against Northwest College on Saturday, with the Teton women gutting out an 88–86 victory before the men fell 94–76 in the nightcap.
WOMEN: Williston State 88, Northwest College 86
In one of their most complete offensive outings of the season, the Teton women shot 44.9% from the field and placed five players in double figures, holding off a furious late charge from the Trappers to earn a hard-fought road win.
Dani Jordan delivered a standout all-around performance, posting 18 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals in 37 minutes. She set the tone early and was instrumental in breaking Northwest's pressure late.
Jersey Berg matched Jordan with 18 points of her own while adding 7 rebounds and 2 steals. Taylah Murtagh contributed 16 points and hit two key threes, while Leila Heffernan provided efficient interior scoring with 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
Perhaps the biggest lift came from reserve guard Lucia Bellido, who poured in 15 points and attacked the rim relentlessly, going 5-for-10 from the floor and drawing 10 free-throw attempts.
Williston State won despite being outrebounded 48–39, compensating with strong ball movement (18 assists) and timely shot-making.
Northwest was led by a monster effort from Mckinlee Covolo, who posted 24 points and 13 rebounds, while Madison Kaufman flirted with a triple-double (15 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists). The Trappers attempted 33 threes, knocking down nine, but couldn't convert on a potential game-tying opportunity in the final seconds.
The win moves the Teton women to an encouraging rhythm as conference play draws closer.
MEN: Northwest College 94, Williston State 76
The men's contest told a different story, as Williston State hung close through the first 30 minutes before Northwest's depth and perimeter shooting took over.
The Trappers shot a blistering 54.2% from the field and an eye-opening 50% from three (10-for-20), stretching the Teton defense repeatedly in the second half.
Williston State's Josiah McDonald led all scorers with 24 points, adding 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals in another high-usage performance. Eden Hobbs was highly efficient, scoring 23 points on 9-for-12 shooting, while Carson Haerer chipped in 15.
But Northwest's balanced attack proved overwhelming. Mateo Trujillo anchored the offense with 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, while sharpshooter Travis Theran Archibald caught fire off the bench, hitting six threes and finishing with 19 points in just 16 minutes.
The Trappers outscored the Tetons 49–36 after halftime, using a barrage of perimeter shots and strong ball movement (18 assists) to pull away.
Williston State shot a respectable 41.7% from the field and 80.8% from the line, but couldn't generate the same offensive efficiency as Northwest, nor slow their hot shooting.
