Saturday, February 22
BOZEMAN
2 p.m.
Montana State University
vs
Montana
Marah Dykstra (32) hits a jumper against the Lady Griz in January.
Photo by: Brian Morse
Cats-Lady Griz Meet for 120th Time
2/20/2025 12:03:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Montana State opens its longest home stand of the season in Big Sky play beginning with the 120th installment of its storied rivalry with Montana, Saturday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. in Worthington Arena.
NEXT UP: Montana State opens its longest home stand of the season in Big Sky play beginning with the 120th installment of its storied rivalry with Montana, Saturday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. in Worthington Arena. Following its contest with the Lady Griz, the Bobcats host Portland State, Feb. 27, and Sacramento State, March 1. MSU closes out the Big Sky schedule at Idaho, March 3.
ABOUT THE BOBCATS: Montana State is 24-2 overall and 14-0 in Big Sky play after winning a pair of games on the road last week. MSU defeated Weber State 63-45 in Ogden and Idaho State 74-60 in Pocatello. The win over ISU secured a top two seed and a first-round bye for MSU at the Big Sky Conference Tournament, March 8-12, in Boise, Idaho. MSU's current 17-game win streak matches the 1987-88 and 2019-20 squads for longest (single season) in school history.
ABOUT THE LADY GRIZ: Montana is 10-15 overall and 6-8 in BSC action after dropping a pair of road games at Idaho State (66-46) and Weber State (73-69). The Lady Griz will look to snap its current three-game skid on Saturday. In its first meeting with MSU in Missoula, UM was led by Avery Waddington with 21 points, while Dani Bartsch and Tyler McCliment-Call had 10.
WE'VE GOT HISTORY: Montana State holds a one game win streak in the series after defeating the Lady Griz 67-66 on Jan. 25 in Missoula. In the last 10 meetings between the rivals, Montana State holds an 8-2 advantage. The Bobcats have won ten straight in Worthington over the Lady Griz. Montana's last victory in Bozeman (72-65) came on March 3, 2014. MSU head coach Tricia Binford is 15-9 against the Lady Griz on her home hardwood. She is 21-21 against Montana in her 20 years at the helm of the Bobcat program.
COLLEGEINSIDER.COM MID MAJOR TOP 25: For the ninth consecutive week, Montana State is ranked in the CollegeInsider.com Mid Major top 25 poll. This week the 'Cats moved up two spots to No. 10 with 484 points. Florida Gulf Coast, who MSU defeated 58-49 in Fort Myers on Dec. 16, remains at No. 9 (517). Big Sky rival Northern Arizona is up two spots No. 16 with 278 points. Oral Roberts, who handed MSU one of its two losses (82-80 overtime), is at No. 21 with 123 points. South Dakota State remains No. 1 receiving 775 points. The Bobcats (54) currently have a higher NET ranking than four teams listed above them, including #2 Grand Canyon (65), #7 Ball State (61), #8 Norfolk State (86), and #9 FGCU (66).
BOBCAT NOTEBOOK:
SO MUCH WINNING: In the last five seasons, no Big Sky Conference team has won more league games than the Bobcats. Montana State has racked up 81 Big Sky wins since the 2019-20 campaign. They are followed in the top five by Northern Arizona (72), Idaho (65), Montana (62), and Idaho State (60).
300 CLUB: With MSU's 75-60 win over Weber State on Feb. 9, 2023, Tricia Binford notched her 309th career win moving her past former Weber State coach Carla Taylor (308 -23 years). With MSU's 92-84 victory at E. Wash. on Dec. 31, 2022, Binford became the third coach in Big Sky history to record 300 wins. Binford is second all-time to Montana's Robin Selvig (865, 38 years). In Big Sky play, Binford is second to Selvig (358) with 221 victories. Binford is MSU's winningest coach - men or women. This season marks her 20th with the Bobcat program. She is currently 353-251 overall and 221-127 in Big Sky action.
ABOUT THE BOBCATS: Montana State is 24-2 overall and 14-0 in Big Sky play after winning a pair of games on the road last week. MSU defeated Weber State 63-45 in Ogden and Idaho State 74-60 in Pocatello. The win over ISU secured a top two seed and a first-round bye for MSU at the Big Sky Conference Tournament, March 8-12, in Boise, Idaho. MSU's current 17-game win streak matches the 1987-88 and 2019-20 squads for longest (single season) in school history.
ABOUT THE LADY GRIZ: Montana is 10-15 overall and 6-8 in BSC action after dropping a pair of road games at Idaho State (66-46) and Weber State (73-69). The Lady Griz will look to snap its current three-game skid on Saturday. In its first meeting with MSU in Missoula, UM was led by Avery Waddington with 21 points, while Dani Bartsch and Tyler McCliment-Call had 10.
WE'VE GOT HISTORY: Montana State holds a one game win streak in the series after defeating the Lady Griz 67-66 on Jan. 25 in Missoula. In the last 10 meetings between the rivals, Montana State holds an 8-2 advantage. The Bobcats have won ten straight in Worthington over the Lady Griz. Montana's last victory in Bozeman (72-65) came on March 3, 2014. MSU head coach Tricia Binford is 15-9 against the Lady Griz on her home hardwood. She is 21-21 against Montana in her 20 years at the helm of the Bobcat program.
COLLEGEINSIDER.COM MID MAJOR TOP 25: For the ninth consecutive week, Montana State is ranked in the CollegeInsider.com Mid Major top 25 poll. This week the 'Cats moved up two spots to No. 10 with 484 points. Florida Gulf Coast, who MSU defeated 58-49 in Fort Myers on Dec. 16, remains at No. 9 (517). Big Sky rival Northern Arizona is up two spots No. 16 with 278 points. Oral Roberts, who handed MSU one of its two losses (82-80 overtime), is at No. 21 with 123 points. South Dakota State remains No. 1 receiving 775 points. The Bobcats (54) currently have a higher NET ranking than four teams listed above them, including #2 Grand Canyon (65), #7 Ball State (61), #8 Norfolk State (86), and #9 FGCU (66).
BOBCAT NOTEBOOK:
- Montana State's 17-game win streak is the third longest in the nation behind Grand Canyon (22) and Notre Dame (18). MSU has won 11 straight games in Worthington Arena.
- Montana State ranks 3rd in the nation averaging 14.3 steals per game. The Bobcats posted a season-high 26 steals in its season opening win over Chadron State on Nov. 4. The mark was two shy of the all-time MSU mark of 28 steals against Montana Tech on Dec. 16, 2000. Currently, West Virgina leads the nation averaging 14.6 per game.
- Montana State ranks 3rd in the nation in turnover margin at 9.46. The Cats forced 48 turnovers vs. Chadron State and have caused 20 or more turnovers on 17 occasions. Montana State's 23.92 forced turnovers per game ranks 8th in the nation.
- In MSU's 14 Big Sky games, the Bobcats have a positive assist/turnover ratio - 198 assists/193 turnovers-, while their Big Sky opponents have 153 assists/343 turnovers.
- Taylee Chirrick recorded a rare double-double at Eastern Washington on Jan. 20 with 12 points and a school record 11 steals. The 11 steals also matched the Big Sky single-season record, last set in 2016. Chirrick ranks 7th in the country with 83 steals, which is also the best mark by a freshman at the NCAA Division-1 level. Her 11 steals are second to Erskine's Evangelia Paulk's 13 steals set on Jan. 2.
- Montana State is 23-0 this season when leading after the third quarter
- Montana State is 23-0 this season when holding its opponents under 70 points.
- Montana State is ranked 15th in the nation in scoring defense allowing only 55.0 ppg.
- Katelynn Martin is the fourth Bobcat in history to go over 200 three-point makes (210) in a career. She trails Katie Bussey (254), Hannah Caudill (231) and Tori Martell (211).
- For her career, Esme Morales has 1,745 points, 268 3-pt. makes and shoots 86.6% FT.
- Esme Morales ranks 28th in the country shooting 87.7% (93-106) from the FT line.
SO MUCH WINNING: In the last five seasons, no Big Sky Conference team has won more league games than the Bobcats. Montana State has racked up 81 Big Sky wins since the 2019-20 campaign. They are followed in the top five by Northern Arizona (72), Idaho (65), Montana (62), and Idaho State (60).
300 CLUB: With MSU's 75-60 win over Weber State on Feb. 9, 2023, Tricia Binford notched her 309th career win moving her past former Weber State coach Carla Taylor (308 -23 years). With MSU's 92-84 victory at E. Wash. on Dec. 31, 2022, Binford became the third coach in Big Sky history to record 300 wins. Binford is second all-time to Montana's Robin Selvig (865, 38 years). In Big Sky play, Binford is second to Selvig (358) with 221 victories. Binford is MSU's winningest coach - men or women. This season marks her 20th with the Bobcat program. She is currently 353-251 overall and 221-127 in Big Sky action.
Players Mentioned
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