Williams, Diggers dunk Montana-Western

Asa Williams did a little bit of everything on Thursday night.  After a thunderous first-half dunk only three minutes into the game got a large Kelvin Sampson Court on their feet, the junior guard was unconscious in the second half going 5 of 6 from beyond the three-point line and scoring 21 as the Orediggers beat Montana-Western 86-61 in Frontier Conference Men's Basketball.

But it was his hot hand in the second half that the Orediggers would need after the Bulldogs scored the first 8 points of the half erasing an 8-point halftime lead.  A Tanner Haverfield shot from way downtown would give the Bulldogs a 40-39 lead with 17:15 to go before Williams found his groove.  His first bomb at the 14:25 mark would break a 43-all tie before Bulldog reserve post Jacob Ankeny would put one of his own in from the left corner.  Williams would answer with another at the 13:45 mark and yet another two possessions later putting the Diggers up 54-46 with 12:15 to go.  The Diggers would get strong play from Michael Ure and backup point guard Keeley Bake in the second half.  Ure would hit a three pointer from the top of the key at the 9:45 mark and Bulldog coach Lindsey Wooley's screams for an illegal screen would cost the Bulldog bench technical.  Bake would hit both technical free throws giving the Diggs a 61-47 lead and it was all Montana Tech from there.  Reserves from both sides would close out the game.

Williams would share scoring honors with fellow guard Caleb Bellach who also had 21 and would be joined in double-digits by sophomore forward Michael Ure who had 14 and freshman forward Hayden Diekhans who would add 10.  With the win, the 12th-ranked Orediggers improve to 20-4 overall with an 8-3 mark in the Frontier Conference.  The Bulldogs drop to 8-16 overall and 3-8 in conference play.  Montana Tech will face Rocky Mountain College Saturday afternoon at 4pm at Kelvin Sampson Court.