By Ron Smith
November 19, 2018
 
(HELENA, Mont.) In a battle of NAIA top-10 teams, #7 Carroll of Montana (3-1) held court at home and defeated #8 Westmont (4-2) by a score of 59-50.
 
Freshman guard Iyree Garrett led the Warriors with 20 points while recording five assists and three steals. Lauren Tsuneishi and Maud Ranger both contributed 10 points. Tsuneishi also had five assists and three rebounds while Ranger pulled down five rebounds.
 
Scoring was limited by both teams in the first quarter with each team scoring 10 points. Kaitlin Larson drained a three-pointer on the Warriors' first possession and Tsuneishi scored from beyond the arc to record Westmont's last points in the period.
 
In the second frame, Ranger fired off a 23-foot attempt with the shot clock about to expire to pull the Warriors within one (16-15) with 6:54 to play before halftime. After the Saints' Emma Madsen recorded a bucket to make the score 18-15, Tsuneishi scored from about 21-feet away to knot up the game at 18-alll with 3:49 to go.
 
The Saints outscored the Warriors 9-4 in the final 3:30 of the second quarter, resulting in a 27-22 halftime advantage by Carroll.
 
The third quarter saw both teams recorded 16 points, but the Warriors couldn't keep pace in the fourth quarter as Carroll outscored the Warriors 16-12.
 
The Warriors won't play again for 10 days. Thursday, November 29, Westmont begins Golden State Athletic Conference play in Phoenix against #22 Arizona Christian (5-0).