BUTTE, Mont. – No. 12 Montana Tech held off a second half rally by Rocky Mountain winning 89-82.

The Orediggers jumped out to a 9-2 lead at the beginning of the game. The Battlin’ Bears cut the lead to two before the Orediggers went on a 21-7 run and a 33-17 lead. Tech would lead by as many as 16 in the half finishing the half up 48-35.

Tech shot 52.9% from the field in the first half and shot 4 for 12 from three.

Rocky shot 39.4% from the field in the first half and hit just 1 of 12 three-point attempts.

The Bears cut into the halftime deficit opening with a 13-7 run in the first five minutes trailing 55-48. Kael Robinson hit a three with 11:06 to go in the game putting the Bears back 59-58. But that would be as close as the Bears got to the lead.

Chrishon Dixon scored eight of his 15 total points down the stretch keeping the Orediggers out front. Dixon finished the game going 6 for 8 from the field with three assists.

Caleb Bellach led the Orediggers with 21 points and nine rebounds. Bellach shot 8 of 14 from thew field and went 3 for 6 from beyond the arc. All six of his second half points came in the final ten minutes.

Tech finished shooting 53.2% from the field in the game. The Orediggers outrebounded the ears 37-31.

Hayden Diekhans had 12 points, nine rebounds, and a pair of blocks.

Asa Williams had 13 points and two blocks.

Keeley Bake was perfect off the bench going 2 for 2 from three-point range and 4 for 4 from the free throw line. Bake also had two rebounds and two assists to go with his ten points.

Rocky shot 43.8% from the field in the game. The Bears went 3 for 6 from long in the second half but went 4 for 18 in the game. Rocky had just one point from their bench.

Nick Hart led the Bears with 24 points, 17 rebounds, and four steals. Hart went 8 for 12 from the field and 8 of 11 from the free throw line.

Maxim Stephens had 22 points, five rebounds, and three blocks.

Kael Robinson had 19 points and Beau Santistevan finished with 14.

The Orediggers (21-4, 9-3) are now two games up in the Frontier Conference standings. MSU-Northern (18-7, 7-5) won their fifth straight game today and Providence has lost two straight (13-12, 7-5) trail the Orediggers going into the final three games of the regular season.

Montana Tech hosts Carroll College Thursday for the final home game of the regular season.

Box Score