MAKAWAO, Hawaii (Interstat) — Montana State used a dominant second quarter to defeat Hawaii 72-56 in a women’s nonconference basketball game Saturday. The Bobcats outscored the Warriors 23-6 in the period to take a 34-17 halftime lead and never trailed again. Taylee Chirrick led all scorers with 26 points for Montana State, while Addison Harris added 20. Keiara Curtis paced Hawaii with 14 points. Montana State forced 29 turnovers, converting them into 31 points. The Bobcats improved to 7-4 overall, while Hawaii evened its record at 6-6.

MAKAWAO, Hawaii (Interstat) — Taylee Chirrick scored 26 points and Addison Harris added 20 as Montana State pulled away in the second quarter and withstood a Hawaii rally to defeat the Warriors 72-56 in a nonconference women’s basketball game Saturday. The game, part of the 2025-26 WBB Maui Classic, was a stark contrast in execution. Montana State (7-4) forced 29 Hawaii turnovers, converting them into 28 points, while the Bobcats committed just 13 turnovers themselves. The Bobcats also dished out 17 assists on their 30 made field goals. Hawaii (6-6) was plagued by offensive inconsistency, scoring only six points in the second quarter as the game turned. After a tightly contested first quarter ended tied at 11, Montana State seized control with a 23-6 second-period outburst. The Bobcats’ defense was the catalyst, generating 10 steals before halftime and repeatedly turning Hawaii miscues into transition opportunities. Chirrick, a 5-foot-11 guard from Roberts, Montana, was the focal point, hitting 12 of her 22 field goal attempts and adding two assists in 34 minutes. Her performance came after scoring just 16 total points in her previous two games against Oregon and Oregon State. Harris, a 6-1 forward from Camas, Washington, complemented her with efficient scoring, going 8-for-15 from the floor and blocking a shot. The most important part of the game was Montana State’s overwhelming defensive pressure in the second quarter, which built an insurmountable lead. After Hawaii’s Keiara Curtis hit a 3-pointer to open the period and give the Warriors a 13-11 edge, the Bobcats locked down. Over the next seven minutes, they unleashed a 21-2 run, fueled by six Hawaii turnovers. Chirrick and Harris combined for 14 points during the decisive stretch, which gave Montana State a 32-15 lead. Hawaii never got closer than 11 points the rest of the way. Hawaii showed resilience after halftime, outscoring Montana State 21-13 in the third quarter behind 10 points from Curtis to cut the deficit to 47-38. The Warriors shot 50% from the field in the period, including 4 of 7 from 3-point range. Curtis, a 5-8 guard from Seattle, finished with a team-high 14 points. The Bobcats quickly quashed any comeback hopes by opening the fourth quarter on a 15-4 run, restoring a 20-point advantage at 62-42. Chirrick and Harris scored 12 of those 15 points, with Harris capping the run with a 3-pointer. For Hawaii, Bailey Flavell scored 11 points and Jade Peacock added seven points, two assists and a block. The Warriors shot a respectable 45.8% from the field and 50% from 3-point range but were undone by their giveaways and a 3-for-7 performance at the free-throw line. Montana State shot 47.6% overall and went 8 for 10 at the line. Montana State’s Jamison Philip filled the stat sheet with five points, three assists, three steals and a block. Ella Johnson contributed four points, three steals and two blocks. National Statistical’s ELO system had given Montana State an 81.1% probability to win. Hawaii next hosts UC Riverside on Jan. 1 to open Big West Conference play. Montana State travels to face Northern Colorado on Jan. 1 to begin Big Sky Conference action.

Hawaii, Montana State Meet in Maui Classic MAKAWAO, Hawaii (Interstat) — The Hawaii women’s basketball team looks to build on a recent win and reach .500 when it faces Montana State in a neutral-site nonconference game Saturday at the 2025-26 WBB Maui Classic. Despite being the designated visiting team, the Rainbow Warriors (5-5) will play in their home state against the Bobcats (6-3) at 4 p.m. local time. Hawaii snapped a five-game skid with a 61-47 home victory over Hawaii Hilo on Dec. 11. Imani Perez, a key player for the Warriors, scored eight points with two blocks in 20 minutes in that contest. The forward is coming off a dominant performance on Dec. 6 at Cal State Fullerton, where she recorded a double-double with 10 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks in a narrow 82-80 loss. Montana State enters following a 69-44 road loss at Oregon on Dec. 14. Guard Jamison Philip led the Bobcats in that defeat with 14 points and four rebounds. Philip dished out seven assists in a 99-57 rout of North Dakota on Dec. 6, highlighting a Montana State offense that has scored 86 or more points in three wins this season. The Bobcats own a notable road victory, defeating Colorado 71-70 on Nov. 30. Hawaii’s schedule has been challenging, with four of its five losses coming by 10 points or fewer. This game is the final nonconference tune-up for both teams before each begins its respective conference schedule in January. Hawaii opens Big West play at home against UC Riverside on Jan. 1. Montana State starts Big Sky Conference action on the same day at Northern Colorado. Player to Watch: Hawaii’s Imani Perez. Her defensive presence and ability to stuff the stat sheet, as shown by her recent 13-rebound, 5-block game, will be crucial against a Montana State team capable of high-scoring outputs. Key Stat: Montana State averages 75.2 points per game. Hawaii allows an average of 66.2 points. The Warriors’ ability to slow the Bobcats’ offense could determine the outcome.