Montana State University’s men’s and women’s basketball teams are preparing to compete in the Big Sky Conference tournament, which begins this weekend in Boise, Idaho. Both teams have secured No. 2 seeds, granting them a first-round bye. Their first games are scheduled for Sunday, March 8. The women’s team will play at 2:30 p.m. against the winner of Saturday’s matchup between Northern Arizona and Montana. The men’s team is set to play at 8 p.m., facing either Idaho or Sacramento State.
The tournament, referred to as “Starch Madness,” takes place at Idaho Central Arena in Boise. Tickets for individual games and the full tournament are available through the official tournament website, starchmadness.com, where complete brackets for both men’s and women’s competitions can also be found.
According to tournament rules, only the champion secures an automatic spot in the NCAA Tournament. Since 2022, one or both Montana State teams have advanced to the national stage each year. The men’s team reached the NCAA Tournament three years in a row from 2022 to 2024, while the women won conference titles in both 2022 and 2025.
All games will be streamed on ESPN+, which requires a subscription. Some matchups will also be broadcast nationally on ESPNU and ESPN2.
Live statistics will be provided on the Bobcat Athletics website, with radio coverage accessible via the Bobcat Sports Radio Network and The Varsity Network. Updates will also appear on Instagram accounts @MSUbobcatsMBB, @MSUbobcatsWBB, and @BigSkyConf.
Montana State University emphasizes collaboration and stewardship to support communities and natural resources across Montana through its four campuses and statewide Extension offices (official website). The university has been recognized for community engagement through teaching and outreach initiatives (official website). It provides hands-on research opportunities for students while maintaining a focus on educational access (official website). As Montana’s land-grant institution based in Bozeman, MSU is classified as having very high research activity (official website).