Idaho women's basketball claims Big Sky regular-season title

Vandals clinch No. 1 seed in conference tournament with 55-41 win over Northern Colorado

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The Idaho Vandals women's basketball team clinched at least a share of the Big Sky Conference regular-season title with a 55-41 win over Northern Colorado on Saturday. The Vandals have won 14 games in a row, tying the second-longest winning streak in program history, and recorded their 16th conference win, tying the program record for most conference wins in a season. Idaho head coach Arthur Moreira said the journey to this point has taken a lot of risks and gambles, including getting a head coach with no prior experience and players turning down higher-level offers to play at Idaho.

Why it matters

Winning the Big Sky regular-season title is a significant accomplishment for the Idaho women's basketball program, as it had not been done in seven years. This achievement highlights the team's resilience, determination, and the successful gambles made by the coaching staff and players to build a championship-caliber program.

The details

Despite shooting just 26.6% from the field and 8% from 3-point range, the Vandals were able to secure the victory through their tough defense. Idaho forced 23 turnovers and scored 20 points off those turnovers. The Vandals went on a 15-0 run late in the third quarter to pull away from Northern Colorado. Idaho's leading scorers were Hope Hassmann with 12 points and Ana Pinheiro with 11 points.

  • The Vandals clinched at least a share of the Big Sky regular-season title on Saturday, March 1, 2026.
  • Idaho has won 14 games in a row, tying the second-longest winning streak in program history.
  • The Vandals recorded their 16th conference win, tying the program record for most conference wins in a season.

The players

Arthur Moreira

The second-year head coach of the Idaho Vandals women's basketball team.

Terry Gawlik

The athletic director of the University of Idaho.

Hope Hassmann

A key player for the Idaho Vandals, leading the team with 12 points and 6 assists in the win over Northern Colorado.

Kyra Gardner

An Idaho Vandals player who recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds in the game.

Ana Pinheiro

An Idaho Vandals player who scored 11 points and had 2 steals and a block in the victory.

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What they’re saying

“We just found the way, man, good teams find ways to win bad games. That's what it came down to. Came down to our toughness. I thought in the third and fourth quarter, we got a lot of really big defensive stops that translated to baskets.”

— Arthur Moreira, Head Coach (idahostatesman.com)

“I feel like at the end of the day, it was just toughness and grit. I feel like we really got on the defensive end and just got stops. I feel like ... if we know we get stops, then we get to push on offense, and that really helps us on that end of the court. So I feel like at the end of the day, it was just our will to win.”

— Hope Hassmann (idahostatesman.com)

What’s next

The Vandals have one more regular-season game against Eastern Washington on Monday, March 3, 2026 before the Big Sky Tournament. Idaho has already clinched the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament and will play in the semifinals on Saturday, March 8, 2026.

The takeaway

This championship-clinching victory for the Idaho Vandals women's basketball team demonstrates the program's resilience, defensive intensity, and commitment to team success over individual accolades. The Vandals' ability to grind out a win despite offensive struggles highlights the coaching staff's ability to make adjustments and the players' willingness to buy into a team-first mentality.