No. 17 Stanford Can’t Answer Bell

David Bell had been shooting brilliantly all game, but Montana’s final shot was supposed to be taken by someone else.

When that teammate was covered, Bell took it himself.

His three-point basket with 4.3 seconds left gave the Grizzlies a 70-68 victory over 17th-ranked Stanford on Monday night in the first round of the Stanford Invitational at Palo Alto.

Bell, a 6-foot-1 senior, finished with 24 points. He made six of eight three-point shots.

Stanford (5-2) made only 17 of 32 free throws.

“This was just great for me,” said Bell, who is from nearby Hayward. “My family was here, all my friends were here. I am in a zone right now.”

Montana (4-6) will play Pepperdine (4-3) in the championship game today.

No. 20 Creighton 68, Delaware State 48 -- Brody Deren scored 14 points at Omaha for the Bluejays (8-0), who made only two of 13 three-point shots in the first half but made three in a row to start the second half and take a 40-28 lead.

WOMEN’S TOP 25

No. 1 Duke 106, Charleston Southern 38 -- Alana Beard had 24 points and six of Duke’s season-high 25 steals, and the Blue Devils won their 16th in a row at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Duke (8-0) forced 37 turnovers.

Charleston Southern (4-3) made only two baskets in its first 11 possessions.

No. 17 Louisiana Tech 80, Stephen F. Austin 44 -- Trina Frierson had 20 points and nine rebounds at Ruston, La., and the Lady Techsters (6-2) won their fourth in a row.

The Lady Techsters are 23-5 against the Lady Jacks (0-6).

No. 18 South Carolina 65, Middle Tennessee 50 -- Cristina Ciocan tied her career high with 23 points to lead the Gamecocks (7-0) at Columbia, S.C.

South Carolina is off to its best start in 14 seasons.