Montana State University’s women’s basketball team secured a 67-61 win over Idaho State in a closely contested Big Sky Conference matchup at Worthington Arena on Saturday. The Bobcats, now 20-6 overall and 13-2 in the conference, remain second in the league standings with three games left, trailing Idaho by one game. Idaho State drops to 18-9 overall and 11-5 in conference play.
The turning point came late in the fourth quarter when Ella Johnson hit a crucial three-pointer after Idaho State briefly took a one-point lead. “Ella Johnson hit a three,” head coach Tricia Binford said. “That helped with their composure.” Following that shot, Montana State finished the game on a 10-3 run and never trailed again.
Both teams struggled offensively but played strong defense throughout the game. Montana State limited Idaho State to just over 30 percent shooting while only managing slightly above that themselves. The Bobcats forced 23 turnovers but were out-rebounded by nine.
Coach Binford emphasized how important Johnson’s late three-pointer was for her team’s confidence: “At that time the three was really important,” she said. “I thought we were getting somewhat tight at that point.”
Johnson described her mindset leading up to the shot: “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.”
Freshman point guard Jamison Philip led all scorers with 21 points while also recording four steals and three rebounds. She made eight of her fourteen field goal attempts and five of six free throws, including several key shots down the stretch. Binford praised Philip’s performance: “Jamison played like an upperclassman for us today,” she said. “She’s got a great feel for the game, she’s got a very high IQ, and she’s a willing learner.”
The contest remained close throughout most of its duration; Montana State led by as many as nine points early in the fourth quarter before Idaho State mounted a comeback to briefly take the lead with four minutes remaining.
Reflecting on her team’s resilience, Johnson added: “I think we’ve just got a next play mentality, you know, get that stop and then bounce back and just keep playing.”
Looking ahead, Montana State faces Portland State on Thursday followed by Sacramento State on Saturday before concluding their regular season against Northern Arizona at home on March 2. The Big Sky Tournament begins March 7 in Boise.
Coach Binford noted how this tight victory could help prepare her team for postseason play: “I think (Saturday’s game) feels like a tournament experience with the score really tight,” she 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.”
