Bobcats, Lady Griz Face Off in Big Sky Women's Basketball Tournament

Montana State and Montana renew their rivalry in the Big Sky Tournament 2nd Round on Sunday

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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The Montana State Bobcats and Montana Lady Griz will meet in the Big Sky Conference Women's Basketball Tournament 2nd Round on Sunday afternoon. This will be the 19th postseason matchup between the two rivals, with Montana State looking to build on their 58-57 win over Montana in last year's Big Sky Championship game.

Why it matters

The Bobcats-Lady Griz rivalry is one of the most storied in the Big Sky Conference, with the two teams meeting in the postseason on a regular basis. This game will have major implications for both teams' tournament hopes, as they vie for a spot in the Big Sky semifinals.

The details

Montana State is led by sophomore guard Taylee Chirrick, who was named the Big Sky MVP and Defensive Player of the Year. Chirrick and fellow guard Addison Harris power the Bobcats' offense and defense. Montana has fought through injuries and illnesses this season, with star guard Mack Konig and forward Avery Waddington both missing time. Konig leads the Lady Griz in scoring at 14.3 points per game, while Waddington averages 13.4 points.

  • The game is scheduled for Sunday, March 9, 2026 at 2:30 pm.
  • Montana State defeated Montana 58-57 in last year's Big Sky Championship game.

The players

Taylee Chirrick

Sophomore guard for Montana State, named Big Sky MVP and Defensive Player of the Year.

Addison Harris

All-Big Sky forward for Montana State, part of the Bobcats' dynamic backcourt.

Mack Konig

Star guard for Montana, leads the Lady Griz in scoring at 14.3 points per game.

Avery Waddington

Forward for Montana, averages 13.4 points per game but missed the first round game due to illness.

Tricia Binford

Head coach of the Montana State Bobcats.

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What they’re saying

“It's quite nice, to be honest. When you get into a rhythm, a routine of a Thursday and a Saturday, there's so much scout prep that you're focusing on. So there's some things that we can get cleaned up, we can get back to our habits and polis those up, focusing on who we're going to be. It's a good opportunity to focus on improving ourselves and working on a couple of things we might see.”

— Tricia Binford, Head Coach, Montana State Bobcats (msubobcats.com)

“Our guard play has set the pace, set the tone, both offensively and defensively. That's extremely important. They establish our pace, how aggressive we're going to be, how hard we're going to push the ball. To have multiple guards to rotate, to keep that pace so we don't lose a beat, is really important.”

— Tricia Binford, Head Coach, Montana State Bobcats (msubobcats.com)

What’s next

The winner of Sunday's game will advance to the Big Sky Tournament semifinals on Monday.

The takeaway

The Bobcats-Lady Griz rivalry is one of the most anticipated matchups in the Big Sky Conference, as the two teams meet in the postseason for the 19th time. Both teams will be looking to advance to the tournament semifinals and keep their championship hopes alive.