Balanced Bobcat Attack Leads MSU To Big Sky Title Tilt

Tuesday, March 11

Boise, ID

12 p.m.

Montana State University

29-3,17-1Big Sky

Idaho State

14-17,8-10Big Sky

Idaho St.

Montana St.

Issy Bunyan matched a career high 15 points in MSU's 75-42 win over Idaho State on Tuesday.

Photo by: Brian Morse

3/11/2025 4:36:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

In MSU’s 75-42 Big Sky Conference Tournament semifinal win against Idaho State on Tuesday, it showed up in ways familiar and unique.

By: Bill Lamberty

Montana State's relentless defensive pressure and versatile offensive attack can arrive from many different angles, but they always arrive.

In MSU's 75-42 Big Sky Conference Tournament semifinal win against Idaho State on Tuesday, it showed up in ways familiar and unique. The Cats forced 26 turnovers, the ninth straight game and 23^rd this season with at least 20. Offensively, Issy Bunyan matched a career-high 15 points, leading the team in scoring for the first time in her two seasons as a Bobcat.

"Our team is playing team basketball right now," said Bobcat coach Tricia Binford. "I loved our defense, loved how we came out with intensity and set the tone. I love that they really shared the ball today and I think it showed offensive with our assists."

That team effort lined up neatly behind Bunyan against the Bengals. Esmarelda Morales scored 14, Marah Dykstra 10, and 11 Bobcats cracked the scoring column. MSU assisted on 16 of its 25 field goals, with Morales leading the team with four and four others adding two.

"For us, any game it can be anybody," Morales said. "Today was Issy, yesterday was KJ (Martin, who scored 16 against Northern Colorado) and Taylor (Janssen who added 14)."

Montana State's defensive domination on Tuesday was thorough. In addition to the turnovers, the Cats held ISU without a three-point field goal, and to 34.5 percent shooting as a team. Taylee Chirrick set an MSU Big Sky Tournament record with eight steals, the third-highest single game total in school history, while Bunyan and Natalie Picton each pilfered two. The 16 steals recorded as a team are second-most in MSU's Big Sky tourney history.

For the second straight game, Montana State suffocated its opponent in the game's early minutes. The Bobcats scored the game's first 19 points against Northern Colorado on Sunday, and tallied the first 10 against ISU. The Bengals' first three possessions ended in turnovers, with Bunyan and Ella Johnson getting steals on the first two.

Idaho State pulled to within 12-6 with seven minutes gone in the first quarter, but MSU closed the period on a 12-4 run to take a 24-10 lead. ISU again trimmed the margin to single digits in the second quarter, trailing 29-21 when Tasia Jordan hit a pull-up jumper at 1:19.

Then the game tilted in MSU's direction for good. Bunyan hit a jumper, Martin made a layup, and Morales beat the buzzer with an and-one jumper to push the lead to 36-21 at the intermission.

Idaho State's hope to climb back in the game slipped away with each empty possession to begin the third quarter. It took the Bengals nearly three-and-a-half minutes into the third quarter to score, and by the time Piper Carlson made a layup the Bobcats led 40-23. Morales made a three-pointer in the ensuing possession, and the margin was never less than 20 points again.

"It was a huge momentum turn for us in that shift," Binford said. "Idaho State came out really well the second quarter, kind of chipped away, and we had a couple of those big possessions. Esme obviously was a big part of that, too, and we always challenge ourselves in that third quarter to set the tone for the second half. I thought that was a big stretch for us."

One of the day's feel-good storylines was Bunyan. Starting for only the third time in 2024-25, and for the third game in a row, her 15 points was about one-quarter of the total she had scored before Tuesday's game (61). The bump in playing time came after starter Dylan Phillip suffered a season-ending injury two weeks ago.

"I think we were all upset to see Dylan go down and we wanted to win it for her," Bunyan said. "I'm not Dylan, but I want to do what I can to help this team and make Dylan proud at the end of the day."

Binford certainly was. "I want to say how proud I am that she was ready," Binford said of Bunyan. "When you go through a long season and you have some kids not getting as many minutes as other people to stay ready and stay in tune, to continue to work on your craft and your game."

Chirrick also earned praise, not just for her individual record but for igniting the team. "She's such a contagious player for us, what she does on the defensive end and how that gets us to another level from the defensive standpoint," Binford said. "She's a momentum swing kid, that energy and she gets those steals. We think that we're turning the page (to defense) and all of a sudden she gets the ball right back and she's creating that transition, the pace. It's pretty remarkable (how many balls) she gets her hands on. I'm not surprised she tied (the record), that's what she does."

With the win, Montana State raised its already-school record win total to 29-3 and advances to Wednesday's Big Sky Championship game against Montana. Tipoff is 3 pm MT.

#GoCatsGo