Bobcats Capture Outright Big Sky Title

Monday, March 3

Moscow, ID

7 p.m. (MT)

Montana State University

27-3,17-1Big Sky

Idaho

18-11,10-8Big Sky

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Montana St.	11	14	25	17	67
Idaho	16	6	20	12	54

2024-25 Big Sky Conference Regular Season Champions

Photo by: Brian Morse

3/3/2025 10:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

“We got back to our championship habits,” said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. “This team responded to Saturday’s loss better than a coach could ask for. It was great to get our identity back. We hadn’t been ourselves, defensively.”

By: Tom Schulz

Montana State veterans Katelynn Martin and Esmeralda Morales took over the third quarter helping the Bobcats build a comfortable cushion en route to a 67-54 win over Idaho on Monday night to win the program's first outright regular season title since the 2019-20 COVID campaign.

Montana State (27-3, 17-1), who saw its 19-game win streak snapped on Saturday afternoon against Sacramento State, kept one streak intact Monday night, winning its 11^th straight road contest – now the longest in the nation at the NCAA Division I level.

"We got back to our championship habits," said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. "This team responded to Saturday's loss better than a coach could ask for. It was great to get our identity back. We hadn't been ourselves, defensively."

Idaho (18-11, 10-8) took a 16-11 lead after the opening ten minutes shooting 53.8% from the field. The Bobcats picked up the defensive intensity in the second stanza holding the Vandals to just 22.2% from the field. MSU opened the period with a 7-0 run as an offensive putback by Martin gave MSU an 18-16 advantage at the 6:36 mark. The Bobcats entered intermission leading 25-22.

MSU's offense got on track in the third quarter as Martin recorded 11 points, while Morales added seven. A triple by Morales at the 8:16 mark gave MSU a 32-24 lead, and a Martin 3-pointer pushed the margin to 48-37 with 2:16 left in the period. Idaho's Anja Bukvic connected from long distance as the quarter ended giving Montana State a 50-42 cushion heading into the final frame.

MSU connected on eight-of-12 (66.7%) from the field, hit four-of-six from beyond the arc, and went five-of-five at the line in the third quarter.

"We were intentional in getting KJ (Martin) involved offensively," Binford said. "We needed the ball in her hands. She was outstanding; scoring, rebounding and being the versatile athlete she is. Esme also took over when needed. We had great contributions from everyone. They (team) really took the loss to Sac State personally, and they responded to our challenge to get back to who we are."

Idaho whittled the Bobcat lead to six on five occasions in the fourth quarter before a Taylor Janssen three-pointer, followed by a Morales offensive putback gave MSU a 63-52 lead with 1:45 remaining to secure the win.

Martin finished with 18 points, her highest total since registering a season-best 19 points against Eastern Washington on Jan. 4. For the game, the graduate student from Silver City, N.M., connected on six-of-nine from the floor, including a pair of triples. She also hauled down eight rebounds and added two blocks.

Also, in double-digits for the Bobcats were Morales 15, and Natalie Picton 13. Freshman Taylee Chirrick ended with eight rebounds, four assists and two steals.

With the win, MSU has recorded a school record 27 victories.

Montana State enters the Big Sky Conference Tournament as the No. 1 seed. The Bobcats face the winner of Northern Colorado/Portland State on Sunday, March 9 at 12 p.m. at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.