Vandals knock off Griz for Big Sky title

Idaho completes men's-women's sweep of Big Sky tournament

Mar. 13, 2026 at 2:20am

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The Montana Grizzlies' basketball season ended short of a Big Sky Conference title with a 77-66 loss to Idaho in the championship game. Money Williams was named the Big Sky Tournament MVP, but the Griz offense ran out of gas against Idaho, which earned its first NCAA berth since 1990.

Why it matters

The Grizzlies were the favorites heading into the tournament, having knocked off two higher seeds and boasting the tournament MVP. However, they were unable to overcome a determined Idaho team and secure the Big Sky title, missing out on an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The details

The Vandals took a 20-10 lead midway through the first half, but the Grizzlies battled back to take a 31-30 lead at halftime. Idaho started the second half strong, with a 3-pointer from Brody Rowbury giving them the lead for good. The Vandals pulled away late, with Rowbury, Kolton Mitchell, and Trevon Blassingame all scoring in double figures to secure the victory.

  • The championship game was played on Wednesday night.
  • Money Williams was named the Big Sky Tournament MVP.

The players

Money Williams

The junior guard for the Montana Grizzlies, who was named the Big Sky Tournament MVP after a tournament-record 91 points over three games.

Travis DeCuire

The head coach of the Montana Grizzlies, who has taken seven teams to the Big Sky title game in his 12 seasons at the helm.

Isaiah Brickner

The leading scorer for the Idaho Vandals, who had 23 points in the championship game.

Brody Rowbury

The 6-11 forward for the Idaho Vandals, who hit two key 3-pointers in the second half to help the Vandals pull away.

Te'Jon Sawyer

The senior teammate of Money Williams on the Montana Grizzlies, who became the 39th UM player to reach 1,000 career points.

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What they’re saying

“They wanted it more. There are no ifs, ands, buts, or explanations. They played way harder than us. Neither team was great offensively, but they just outscrapped us. They had more energy and more fight, and we fell short.”

— Travis DeCuire, Head Coach, Montana Grizzlies

“I can't believe what happened. Just a sense of pride for our team and for this program and for the community in Moscow.”

— Kolton Mitchell, Player, Idaho Vandals

“He was incredible. That performance, you want to see it get him to the NCAA Tournament.”

— Travis DeCuire, Head Coach, Montana Grizzlies

What’s next

The Vandals have earned their first NCAA Tournament berth since 1990 with the victory.

The takeaway

Despite a standout tournament performance from Money Williams, the Montana Grizzlies were unable to overcome a determined Idaho team and secure the Big Sky title, missing out on an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.