The Northwest College women’s basketball team improved to 3-2 after a 77-66 victory over Miles Community College and a 83-70 win against United Tribes Technical College in Miles City, Montana, to wrap up its season kickoff on the road this past weekend.

NORTHWEST 77, MILES CC 66

Heading northeast to Miles City on Friday the Trappers (3-2) took on the host Pioneers (1-4) looking to rebound after a 1-2 start to the year.

The hosts jumped out early, building a 14-5 lead midway through the first quarter in search of their first victory of the year.

That lead continued to hold throughout the quarter, and even grew to 10 before quarter’s end as the Trappers trailed 23-13 heading into the second.

Northwest jumped out quickly in the second, building momentum after an 11-3 run cut the lead to two after a Jai’La Porter bucket.

Miles City absorbed the blow and re-extended its lead out to 33-26 with 3:36 left in the half.

Northwest responded again just before the break, with Roxanne Rogers cutting the lead back down to two just before the break at 37-35.

The Pioneers again pushed the lead out in the second half, extending the advantage to 43-35 in the first two minutes.

“My girls play really hard but it isn’t consistent for four quarters,” coach Lauren Davis said. “I think once we learn to do that then we won’t find ourselves in holes and having to dig ourselves out of it.”

The Miles City lead grew even further to 50-40, before Northwest took control of the contest.

Tayva Phillips gave Northwest its first lead of the game after a 3-pointer made it 55-52 with 1:32 left in the third quarter.

Brayli Reimer helped Northwest extend it out to two possessions before the end of the third, as her 3-pointer made it 58-53 heading into the fourth.

Northwest kept pushing, when a Phillips 3-pointer made it a double-digit contest — with the Trappers leading 63-53 early in the final period.

Miles City brought the score within single digits, before the Trappers opened up the largest lead of the game up 74-60 with 2:30 left.

“Kudos to my team for being able to dig themselves out of a hole and finding a way to win,” Davis said. “It’s not always going to turn out the way we want it unless we play a consistent four quarters.”

Rogers led the Trappers with 22 points and four assists. Reimer and Phillips were the other two players in double digits with 13 and 10 respectively.

Anna Knight led with 10 rebounds including eight offensive while Reimer led with three steals.

NORTHWEST 83, UNITED TRIBES 70

Staying in Miles City, the Trappers went into Saturday looking to finish the weekend 2-0 against the Thunderbirds (2-3) out of Bismarck, North Dakota.

Northwest came out stronger against United Tribes on Saturday, holding a 14-10 lead midway through the first quarter.

The Thunderbirds answered with a strong run, with United Tribes ending the first with a 22-18 lead.

United Tribes continued to push, extending its lead out to as many as eight up 34-26.

Northwest responded and regained the lead after a Rogers bucket made it 38-36 with two minutes left in the half.

Both teams exchanged baskets late and went into the half tied at 40.

“I just told them the third quarter is the most important one,” Davis said.

Neither team gained a significant advantage in the third quarter, battling back and forth until Northwest gained a 60-59 lead to head into the fourth quarter.

United Tribes regained the lead up 65-64 with 7:43 left, but that would be the final lead of the game for the Thunderbirds.

A Phillips 3-pointer gave Northwest the lead for good, sparking an 18-0 run over the next three minutes to give the Trappers a commanding 82-65 lead.

“Tayva was a really consistent player for us. She’s really just finding her rhythm in the offense,” Davis said. “Something just clicked for her and she had a ton of confidence to step up.”

The Trappers did not relinquish the lead, ending with an 83-70 win to extend their winning streak to three.

Phillips led with 23 just ahead of Rogers with 22, Kamalani Anitielu was the other Trapper in double digits as she finished with 10 points and eight rebounds — tied for the team lead in rebounds with Isabella Gurie.

Carolina Ruiz led with five assists and tied for the team lead with Reimer with three steals.

HOME CAMPAIGN STARTS

After a couple of weekends on the road, the Trappers will open their home campaign this weekend at Cabre Gym as part of the Coach Collins Heart of a Champion Memorial Classic.

Northwest will take on Western Nebraska Community College (4-1) at 5:30 p.m. on Friday to open the 2023-24 home campaign.

“Western Nebraska will have a ton of athletes and will press you for 40 minutes,” Davis said. “If we can handle the press and get them in a halfcourt setting I feel confident we will be able to keep it a tight game and win.”

That will be followed by a matchup against Bismarck State College (1-3) at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

“They are always really solid. Hardworking, big and strong kids with some shooters. Our two home opening games will be tough,” Davis said.

Northwest will then hit the road again back into Montana, taking on Dawson Community College (2-3) at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday in Glendive before taking on the Rocky Mountain JV at 4 p.m. on Wednesday in Billings.

Northwest will return home the following week to take on North Idaho College on Thursday, Nov. 30.

NORTHWEST 77, MILES CC 66

Total rebounds then offensive rebounds in ()

Points — Roxanne Rogers 22, Brayli Reimer 13, Tayva Phillips 10, Kamalani Anitielu 9, Anna Knight 8, Carolina Ruiz 7, Jai’La Porter 6, Isabella Gurie 2

Rebounds — Anna Knight 10 (8), Brayli Reimer 9 (3), Carolina Ruiz 7 (1), Kamalani Anitielu 4 (1), Roxanne Rogers 3 (1), Jai’La Porter 3 (1), Tayva Phillips 2 (1), Kelsi Nicholson 1 (1), Selen Ucak 1 (1)

Assists — Roxanne Rogers 4, Carolina Ruiz 3, Brayli Reimer 2, Jai’La Porter 2, Tayva Phillips 1, Kamalani Anitielu 1, Selen Ucak 1

Steals — Brayli Reimer 3, Tayva Phillips 1, Roxanne Rogers 1, Carolina Ruiz 1, Selen Ucak 1

Blocks — Anna Knight 1

NORTHWEST 83, UNITED TRIBES 70

Points — Tayva Phillips 23, Roxanne Rogers 22, Kamalani Anitielu 10, Carolina Ruiz 8, Isabella Gurie 8, Jai’La Porter 7, Brayli Reimer 3, Anna Knight 2

Rebounds — Kamalani Anitielu 8 (5), Isabella Gurie 8 (3), Brayli Reimer 4 (1), Roxanne Rogers 3, Carolina Ruiz 3, Anna Knight 2 (1), Selen Ucak 2

Assists — Carolina Ruiz 5, Brayli Reimer 4, Roxanne Rogers 3, Kamalani Anitielu 3

Steals — Carolina Ruiz 3, Brayli Reimer 3, Tayva Phillips 1, Kamalani Anitielu 1, Anna Knight 1, Isabella Gurie 1

Blocks — Kamalani Anitielu 1, Isabella Gurie 1