Late Montana State Rally Falls Short as Idaho Tops Cats for Big Sky Title

Wednesday, March 11

Boise, ID

3:00 pm

Montana State University

25-7,16-2Big Sky

Idaho

29-5,17-1Big Sky

Montana St.

Idaho

Late Montana State Rally Falls Short as Idaho Tops Cats for Big Sky Title

3/11/2026 6:59:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Taylee Chirrick's 12 points leads MSU

By: Bill Lamberty

BOISE, Idaho (March 11, 2026) – Montana State wiped out most of a fourth-quarter, 11-point deficit, but the comeback bid fell short as Idaho claimed the 2026 Big Sky Conference Championship with a 60-57 win over the Cats in Boise on Wednesday.

Ana Beatriz Passos Alves da Silva scored 12 points and Debora Dos Santos grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Vandals, who built leads of at least nine points in each of the final three quarters. Idaho relied on brilliant shooting for the game's first three quarters – the Vandals entered the fourth quarter shooting 22-for-42 – then just enough in all phases of the game to hold off the defending Big Sky Champions.

"Congrats to Idaho on the great season they have had," said MSU coach Tricia Binford. "They're gong to represent the Big Sky really well in the Big Sky Tournament."

The Bobcats struggled shooting most of the night, hitting at a 35 percent clip from the floor and topping 36 percent in only one of the four quarters. MSU's 35 percent three-point shooting helped the Cats keep contact to the wire, but the Vandals' ability to defend the paint made MSU's offense more one-dimensional than normal.

"Obviously you've got to hit some outside shots," Binford said of attacking an Idaho defense that anchored a post player in the paint while playing aggressively on the perimeter. "We started screening off a little bit," Binford said. "(Idaho's defense) clogs up the paint, it's hard to get downhill, and they did a great job with that the second time around. We didn't have enough answers for that today."

Idaho built a lead late in the second quarter when Hope Hassmann hit a short jumper and followed that with a layup to give Idaho an 18-13 cushion at the end of the period. A 11-3 run early in the second quarter pushed the Vandals' lead to 29-18, but the Cats responded with a 13-4 run triggered by a three-pointer by Teagan Erickson and a triple by Kadynce Couture. Idaho's Ana Pinheiro closed the half with a triple, though, to push the lead back to 36-31.

Montana State tied the score early in the second half when Addison Harris dropped a three-pointer from the corner, but the Vandals answered with an 8-0 run. Kyra Gardner and Ella Uriarte each hit three-pointers in that run. The Vandals stretched the lead to 53-44 at the end of the third quarter and bumped it to 55-44 two-and-a-half minutes into the final period. But MSU continued to fight.

That didn't surprise Binford. "This team has fought all year long," she said. After falling behind by double digits, Taylee Chirrick and Brianne Bailey each hit driving layups and at 3:58 Isobel Bunyan's three-pointer trimmed the margin to 56-52. When Ella Johnson drained a three-pointer with 42 seconds to play, MSU trailed by just one point. After Hassmann made one of two free throws, the Cats possessed with an opportunity to take the lead.

Binford credited her team's relentless drive for staying in the game. "Obviously you've got a sense of urgency with the situation at hand. Our kids are never out of a dogfight. We proved that yesterday. We've been down quite a bit (this year). As long as there's time on that clock they're going to keep competing."

Trailing by two, Issy Bunyan missed a three-pointer. After Hassmann again made one of two free throws, MSU attacked with the opportunity to tie the score. Ella Johnson's three-pointer was blocked by Lorena Barbosa and Idaho had secured its first Big Sky crown since 2016.

Binford remained proud of her team, which stands 25-7 on the season. "I think they've had a very consistent season all year. They relentlessly fight on every single possession. I couldn't be more proud."

Chirrick's 12 points led the Bobcats, and she added three rebounds, three assists and two steals. Jamison Philip added eight points and three steals, while Brianne Bailey also scored eight for the Cats.

#GoCatsGo