Bobcats Grind Out Important Women's Basketball Win Over Idaho State

Saturday, February 21

BOZEMAN

2 p.m.

Montana State University

20-6,13-2Big Sky

Idaho State

18-9,11-5Big Sky

Idaho St.

Montana St.

Ella Johnson

Photo by: Bobcat Creative Services

Bobcats Grind Out Important Women's Basketball Win Over Idaho State

2/21/2026 10:04:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Montana State lands the last blow in defensive tussle

By: Bill Lamberty

BOZEMAN, Mont. (Feb. 21, 2026) – At the most important moment of Montana State's crucial Big Sky Conference showdown against Idaho State in Worthington Arena on Saturday, Tricia Binford found the perfect way to help her team keep its composure.

"Ella Johnson hit a three," the Bobcats' coaching legend said with a laugh after her team's 67-61 win. "That helped with their composure."

That deep corner three-ball by MSU's junior forward turned Idaho State's only lead of the game's final 34 minutes into a two-point Bobcat advantage that MSU never relinquished. From the point of ISU taking that 58-57 lead with 4:01 to play, Montana State closed the game on a 10-3 spurt.

The victory leaves the Cats 20-6 overall and 13-2 in the league, good for second place in the Big Sky standings with three to play. MSU is one game behind 14-1 Idaho. Idaho State falls to 18-9 overall and 11-5 in the league, still in third place and still chasing the Cats.

From beginning to end, Saturday's game was a grind. "Every game has a little bit of a different feel to it," Binford said. "I thought when we got ourselves going we were getting steals and we were trying to get the pace going."

Both teams asserted themselves defensively throughout the game. MSU limited Idaho State to 30.8 percent shooting while hitting just 31.1 percent of its own shots. The Cats forced 23 turnovers to Idaho State's 12, but the Bengals out-rebounded MSU 48-39.

With defenses dominating and the teams battling to nearly a statistical standstill, Binford reveled in Johnson's big triple. "At that time the three was really important," she said. "I thought we were getting somewhat tight at that point."

While Johnson's three-pointer unlocked a strong kick to the finish line for the team, it also broke a personal dry spell. She was 2-for-6 shooting at that point, and had missed her only three-point try and one of her two free throws. She said staying in the moment was important.

"You've just got to trust the process, like, (believe) the next one's going in and just stay shot ready. I feel like you can't second guess yourself. I was open and I've just got to take the shot because everyone on this team has trust in me, so I have to have the trust in myself."

From the opening tip, MSU's opportunities to open a lead were hard to come by. After Jamison Philip's layup on the opening possession gave MSU a 2-0 lead, the Cats missed two short jumpers before Piper Carlson tied the score for the Bengals. That set the stage for everything to follow.

"We didn't necessarily hit every layup, we missed quite a few," Binford said. "I thought that the (fast) pace really set the tone for us on the defensive end."

The tip of the spear for Montana State on both ends of the floor, freshman point guard Jamison Philip led all players with 21 points and registered four steals and three rebounds. She shot 8-for-14 from the floor, the only Bobcats to shoot better than 50 percent, and hit five of her six free throws. Philip hit three of her four free throws in the game's final two-and-a-half minutes.

"Jamison played like an upperclassman for us today," Binford said. "She's got a great feel for the game, she's got a very high IQ, and she's a willing learner."

After the tight start, Montana State took a 17-14 lead after the first quarter. After MSU pushed the lead to seven with 4:47 to play in the first half, Idaho State answered. The Bengals closed the quarter on an 8-2 run to trim MSU's halftime lead to 32-31. MSU shot just 29 percent in the first half, while the Bengals managed 33 percent shooting.

Idaho State stayed close in the third quarter, tying the score 37-37 halfway through the period, but again the Bobcats stretched the lead. Taylee Chirrick made a pair of free throws and Johnson one of two at the quarter's close to push MSU's lead to 51-45.

Montana State took its biggest lead at 54-45 with 8:28 to play, but the Bengals used a 13-3 run to take its one-point lead with four minutes remaining. That set up Johnson's big shot, which she said came in the flow of the game and stemmed from her team's mentality. "I think we've just got a next play mentality, you know, get that stop and then bounce back and just keep playing."

The Bobcats kept playing throughout, which Binford said will help her young team in the three-game rush to the regular season's finish line next weekend. The Cats play at Portland State on Thursday and Sacramento State on Saturday before hosting Northern Arizona on Monday, March 2. After that, the team heads to the Big Sky Tournament, which begins on March 7 in Boise.

"I think (Saturday's game) feels like a tournament experience with the score really tight," Binford said. "You're in the last two minutes (managing) time and score situations. The clarity for me is that this game prepared us well for the next-game-up mentality we need."

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