BUTTE, MT – They hustled.  They rebounded.  Their top scorer was on.  And they again earned a tough road win.

Kate Cordes scored 27 points Saturday as University of Jamestown Women’s Basketball improved to 7-1 with a 72-66 win over Montana Tech at Kelvin Sampson Court.

This start is the best for the Jimmies since 2013-14, when the Jimmies started 18-1 and were ranked as high as third in NAIA Women’s Basketball.

Cordes was nine-of-16 shooting, seven-of-11 on three-pointers and had five rebounds, five assists and a steal.

Kate Busek scored 11 and nailed three three-pointers.  Jailyn Martinson played solidly off the bench, scoring 10.

Hadley Humphreys scored 19 with four three-pointers for Montana Tech (6-3).

Jamestown never trailed and hit their first six shots in leading 26-18 through one quarter.  Cordes scored 12 in the first 10 minutes.

By halftime, Montana Tech had cut the Jimmies’ lead to 36-34.

Cordes scored eight more in the third quarter as Jamestown built the lead back up to seven at 53-46.  At one point, the Jimmies were up 14.

Two free throws by Liv Wangerin put the Orediggers within two points at 53-51 49 seconds into the final period.  After a desperation three-pointer by Cordes at the end of the shot clock put Jamestown up 56-51, Humphreys answered with a three and Tech was down just 56-54.  UJ had a 9-2 run, capped by Cordes’ seventh three-pointer, and established a 65-56 lead with 3:02 to play.  Tech came no closer than four in the last seconds.

Jamestown shot 41 percent from the floor while holding Montana Tech to 38 percent.  UJ hit 12 threes and continued their superb free throw shooting with 12-of-13.  The Jimmies have made 83 percent of their free throws.  Through Saturday, that led the nation.

On Friday, the Jimmie women and men will open NSAA play against Dickinson State at Harold Newman Arena.  Coverage will begin at 5:00 PM on The Voice of The Jimmies, Jamestown 107.1.