Sunday, March 22
2:00 pm
Montana State University
26-7,16-2Big Sky
69
vs
53
San Francisco
19-15,9-9WCC
1st quarter1
2nd quarter2
3rd quarter3
4th quarter4
FinalF
San Francisco
11
13
10
19
53
Montana St.
9
22
27
11
69
Tricia Binford and the Bobcats topped San Francisco on Sunday
Photo by: Bobcat Creative Services
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3/22/2026 8:02:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MSU survives slow start to stifle Dons
BOZEMAN, Mont. (March 22, 2026) – Montana State checked another one off the list on Sunday, when the Bobcats beat San Francisco 69-53 in a WNIT Second Round matchup in noisy Worthington Arena.
The win boosted MSU's 2025-26 record to 26-7, giving the Cats the second-most wins in program history. It boosted the team into the Super 16 round of the WNIT against Portland in Worthington Arena on Thursday at 7 pm. And it gives Montana State its first-ever post-season win.
The significance was not lost on those involved. "We've never won in the postseason," said sophomore Addison Harris, who scored 14 points and dished out four assists. "So it's really cool. To get the chance to be a part of this, to host the second round of this tournament, it's amazing. And we had a huge crowd, so shout out to Bozeman for supporting this basketball team."
The assembled crowd of 2,238 was in full throat from the beginning, but both teams struggled offensively in the first quarter. The Dons led 11-9, holding MSU to 4-for-20 shooting but knocking down only 5-of-17 themselves.
The memory of Montana State's lowest-scoring first quarter of the season – 10 at Oregon in December was the previous low – disappeared quickly. Harris sandwiched a pair of quick buckets around a Natasa Tausova three-pointer, then Taylee Chirrick hit a triple that gave MSU a 16-14 lead. The teams traded baskets, but when Aina Cargol made one of two free throws at the 3:36 mark the Dons led 22-21.
Harris answered on a driving layup to wrest the lead away, and he Cats never trailed again. Chirrick made one of two free throws, then made a layup. Harris made one of two free throws, to stretch MSU's lead to 27-24, then Kadynce Couture's triple made the score 30-24, then Chirrick made a free throw and the Bobcats rode a 10-2 run and the emotion provided by the crowd to a 31-24 halftime lead.
"I'm sure being on the other team and having the crowd cheering so hard for (MSU) brings you down a little bit," Chirrick said. "And I think it's exciting to have our crowd just be loud for us."
If MSU's half-ending run sparked the Bobcats, the team's start to the third quarter all but decided the game. Jamison Philip hit a air of free throws to push the lead to 33-24, then a Harris reverse layup pushed the lead to 35-24 and a Philip layup gave the Cats a 13-point lead. Issy Bunyan dropped a bomb of a three-pointer to give MSU a 40-24 lead, and Chirrick hit a layup and then one of two free throws to push the lead to 17 points.
Chirrick extended MSU's run to 12-0 with a pair of free throws, then Couture made a free throw and Philip hit a short jumper with 5:10 to play in the third quarter. At that point, the Bobcats used a 26-2 run to take a 47-24 lead.
Harris said the Bobcats can sense when they have a team on the ropes, and the crowd plays a big part in that. "I usually say that we've got the best home court advantage in the Big Sky because it gets deafening when we're on defense, Coach Bin is getting the crowd into it, I can't even hear myself think. It definitely feels like the crowd rattles (the opponent) and that fueled that third quarter drive."
The Bobcats shot 41 percent in the third quarter, holding San Francisco to 23.5 percent shooting and forcing four Dons turnovers. USF steadied itself in the fourth quarter, out-scoring the Cats 19-11 while shooting 54 percent from the floor.
Chirrick led the Cats with 15 points nine rebounds and six steals. Bunyan scored 12 points on four three-pointers. Harris said Bunyan felt it coming.
"She pulled me aside and was like, 'Addie, hit me on the skip (pass),'" Harris said. "So I was like, 'Alright!' And it worked. She puts in the work every single day, she's out here shooting threes after practice. She deserves to take those shots."
The Bobcats held USF to 31 percent shooting, MSU's best defensive effort in a month, and forced 28 turnovers. The win forces a rematch with the Pilots, who Montana State topped 86-72 in Portland on November 7. That was MSU's second game of the season.
Purchase tickets for Thursday's Super 16 contest here. Tipoff is 7 pm in Worthington Arena.
#GoCatsGo
The win boosted MSU's 2025-26 record to 26-7, giving the Cats the second-most wins in program history. It boosted the team into the Super 16 round of the WNIT against Portland in Worthington Arena on Thursday at 7 pm. And it gives Montana State its first-ever post-season win.
The significance was not lost on those involved. "We've never won in the postseason," said sophomore Addison Harris, who scored 14 points and dished out four assists. "So it's really cool. To get the chance to be a part of this, to host the second round of this tournament, it's amazing. And we had a huge crowd, so shout out to Bozeman for supporting this basketball team."
The assembled crowd of 2,238 was in full throat from the beginning, but both teams struggled offensively in the first quarter. The Dons led 11-9, holding MSU to 4-for-20 shooting but knocking down only 5-of-17 themselves.
The memory of Montana State's lowest-scoring first quarter of the season – 10 at Oregon in December was the previous low – disappeared quickly. Harris sandwiched a pair of quick buckets around a Natasa Tausova three-pointer, then Taylee Chirrick hit a triple that gave MSU a 16-14 lead. The teams traded baskets, but when Aina Cargol made one of two free throws at the 3:36 mark the Dons led 22-21.
Harris answered on a driving layup to wrest the lead away, and he Cats never trailed again. Chirrick made one of two free throws, then made a layup. Harris made one of two free throws, to stretch MSU's lead to 27-24, then Kadynce Couture's triple made the score 30-24, then Chirrick made a free throw and the Bobcats rode a 10-2 run and the emotion provided by the crowd to a 31-24 halftime lead.
"I'm sure being on the other team and having the crowd cheering so hard for (MSU) brings you down a little bit," Chirrick said. "And I think it's exciting to have our crowd just be loud for us."
If MSU's half-ending run sparked the Bobcats, the team's start to the third quarter all but decided the game. Jamison Philip hit a air of free throws to push the lead to 33-24, then a Harris reverse layup pushed the lead to 35-24 and a Philip layup gave the Cats a 13-point lead. Issy Bunyan dropped a bomb of a three-pointer to give MSU a 40-24 lead, and Chirrick hit a layup and then one of two free throws to push the lead to 17 points.
Chirrick extended MSU's run to 12-0 with a pair of free throws, then Couture made a free throw and Philip hit a short jumper with 5:10 to play in the third quarter. At that point, the Bobcats used a 26-2 run to take a 47-24 lead.
Harris said the Bobcats can sense when they have a team on the ropes, and the crowd plays a big part in that. "I usually say that we've got the best home court advantage in the Big Sky because it gets deafening when we're on defense, Coach Bin is getting the crowd into it, I can't even hear myself think. It definitely feels like the crowd rattles (the opponent) and that fueled that third quarter drive."
The Bobcats shot 41 percent in the third quarter, holding San Francisco to 23.5 percent shooting and forcing four Dons turnovers. USF steadied itself in the fourth quarter, out-scoring the Cats 19-11 while shooting 54 percent from the floor.
Chirrick led the Cats with 15 points nine rebounds and six steals. Bunyan scored 12 points on four three-pointers. Harris said Bunyan felt it coming.
"She pulled me aside and was like, 'Addie, hit me on the skip (pass),'" Harris said. "So I was like, 'Alright!' And it worked. She puts in the work every single day, she's out here shooting threes after practice. She deserves to take those shots."
The Bobcats held USF to 31 percent shooting, MSU's best defensive effort in a month, and forced 28 turnovers. The win forces a rematch with the Pilots, who Montana State topped 86-72 in Portland on November 7. That was MSU's second game of the season.
Purchase tickets for Thursday's Super 16 contest here. Tipoff is 7 pm in Worthington Arena.
#GoCatsGo
Team Stats
USF
MSU
FG%
.313
.329
3FG%
.240
.222
FT%
.333
.650
RB
53
50
TO
28
20
STL
14
19
Game Leaders
Pts
15
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
5
Pts
14
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
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