SEATTLE (Interstat) — The Washington Huskies used a dominant inside presence and a balanced scoring attack to cruise past the Montana Lady Griz 87-56 in a nonconference women’s basketball game Monday night at a sparse Hec Edmundson Pavilion.

A crowd of 1,918 watched the Huskies improve to 2-0 on the young season, while Montana fell to 1-2.

Washington established control from the opening tip, scoring the game’s first six points and never looking back. The Huskies led 21-10 after the first quarter and extended their advantage to 42-19 by halftime, holding Montana to just nine points in the second period. The Huskies outscored the Lady Griz 50-8 in the paint for the game, a staggering disparity that underscored their offensive approach and physical advantages.

The Huskies’ offense was efficient, shooting 46 percent from the floor while holding Montana to a frigid 29 percent. Washington also capitalized on Montana’s mistakes, scoring 18 points off turnovers compared to just four for the Lady Griz.

Sayvia Sellers led all scorers with 19 points for Washington, adding five assists in just 18 minutes of action. Yulia Grabovskaia, the 6-foot-5 forward from Rostov-on-Don, Russia, provided a strong interior presence with 14 points and eight rebounds in 16 minutes. Brynn McGaughy also reached double figures with 12 points and five rebounds.

The Huskies shared the ball effectively and controlled the glass, hauling in 16 offensive rebounds that led to numerous second-chance opportunities. Hannah Stines filled the stat sheet with six points, seven rebounds and four assists, while Avery Howell grabbed eight rebounds and Devin Coppinger added nine points and six boards.

For Montana, Avery Waddington and Mack Konig shouldered the offensive load, each playing 34 minutes. Waddington, from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, finished with 14 points, four rebounds and four assists. Konig, hailing from Milton, Canada, scored 11 points and dished out three assists. Jocelyn Land was the only other Lady Griz player in double figures, scoring 10 points.

Montana’s offense struggled with its half-court execution, managing only three assists as a team against nine turnovers. The Lady Griz relied heavily on the 3-point shot, attempting 40 from beyond the arc and making 13, but could not find consistent answers against Washington’s defensive pressure and length.

After the lopsided first half, Montana showed more life offensively after the break, scoring 19 points in the third quarter and 18 in the fourth, but could not significantly cut into the Huskies’ lead as Washington’s offense continued to produce.

The game was part of a challenging early-season stretch for Montana, which lost 90-47 at Oregon on Saturday after opening the season with an 81-44 victory over Seattle Pacific. Washington opened its season with a 90-43 win over Seattle.

Montana will look to rebound on Saturday when it faces South Dakota State in Rapid City, South Dakota. Washington hits the road for a significant test Saturday at Utah.