BILLINGS, Mont. — The Dickinson State Blue Hawks earned a hard-fought, 61-55 upset victory over the Rocky Mountain College Bears on Sunday at the Fortin Education Center to close out the Hampton Inn Green and Gold Classic.
Dickinson State (5-7, 0-1) started strong, outscoring the Battlin' Bears 18-12 in the first quarter. Junior guard Anhelica Shanrock led the charge early, scoring seven of her game-high 23 points in the opening frame. The Blue Hawks shot 50% from the field in the first quarter and displayed balanced contributions on both ends of the court.
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The defensive battle intensified in the second quarter, with both teams struggling offensively. The Blue Hawks managed to outscore Rocky Mountain 9-5, holding the Bears to just 15.4% shooting in the period. Senior guard Kayden Steele and senior center Samantha Oase combined for key baskets to give DSU a 27-17 lead at halftime.
Rocky Mountain (8-5, 0-0) surged in the third quarter, cutting into the Blue Hawks' advantage with a 22-point period. Sydney Dethman powered the Bears' comeback attempt with 11 of her team-high 21 points coming in the quarter. The Blue Hawks weathered the run thanks to contributions from junior forwards Whitney Edwards and Brae Eneboe , who combined for eight points in the period, maintaining a narrow 43-39 lead heading into the fourth.
The Blue Hawks sealed the game in the final quarter, outscoring the Bears 18-16. Shanrock delivered clutch shots from beyond the arc, hitting three three-pointers in the quarter. Dickinson State's defense held Rocky Mountain to 33.3% shooting in the fourth and forced crucial turnovers to preserve the lead.
Shanrock finished the game shooting 8-of-14 from the field, including 5-of-6 from three-point range, while adding four steals and three assists. Eneboe provided valuable minutes off the bench, contributing 10 points and four rebounds. Edwards added six points and a team-high six rebounds.
Overall, the Blue Hawks shot 44% from the field and 40% from three-point range, compared to 32.7% and 26.3% for the Bears. DSU held a decisive edge on the boards, out-rebounding Rocky Mountain 33-22, and received 17 points from their bench compared to just four for the Bears.
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