The Montana State University women’s basketball team advanced to the Big Sky Conference semifinals after defeating Montana on March 9. The Bobcats, seeded second in the tournament, will play the winner of the Northern Colorado and Eastern Washington game on Tuesday, March 10, at 2:30 p.m. The championship game is scheduled for Wednesday, March 11.
The Bobcats secured their spot with a 78-57 victory over their rivals from Missoula. This marks their sixth consecutive win against Montana, including last year’s conference title game. The Big Sky Conference tournament is being held at Idaho Central Arena in Boise and is known as “Starch Madness.” Tickets for single games and the full tournament are available online at starchmadness.com.
Only the tournament champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Since 2022, either the men’s or women’s teams from Montana State have earned this spot each year. The men’s team reached the national tournament three times between 2022 and 2024, while the women won conference titles in both 2022 and 2025.
All games are streamed on ESPN+, which requires a subscription, and the women’s title game will also be broadcast nationally on ESPNU. Live statistics can be found on the Bobcat Athletics website, with radio coverage provided by Bobcat Sports Radio Network and The Varsity Network. Updates are also posted on Instagram accounts @MSUbobcatsMBB, @MSUbobcatsWBB, and @BigSkyConf.
Montana State University emphasizes collaboration and stewardship to support communities and the natural world according to its official website. The university operates four campuses along with Extension offices across all of Montana’s counties according to its official website. It has gained recognition for community engagement through teaching and outreach according to its official website.
Dr. Brock Tessman has served as president of Montana State University according to its official website. As Montana’s land-grant institution based in Bozeman, MSU provides research opportunities for undergraduates and holds a classification for very high research activity according to its official website.