Brianne Bailey Leads Montana State to Big Sky Title Game

Freshman guard's late 3-pointer forces overtime in upset win over Eastern Washington

Mar. 11, 2026 at 6:38am

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Brianne Bailey, a freshman guard from Idaho, hit a game-tying 3-pointer late in regulation to force overtime as Montana State upset Eastern Washington and advanced to the Big Sky Conference championship game.

Why it matters

The win over Eastern Washington, the regular season conference champion, marks a major upset and underdog victory for Montana State, who were not expected to make a deep tournament run. Bailey's heroics have propelled the team to the brink of an automatic NCAA Tournament bid.

The details

With Montana State trailing by 3 points in the final seconds of regulation, Bailey hit a clutch 3-pointer to tie the game and send it to overtime. The Bobcats then outscored Eastern Washington in the extra period to secure the upset victory and a spot in the Big Sky title game.

  • The game was played on March 11, 2026.

The players

Brianne Bailey

A freshman guard from Idaho who hit the game-tying 3-pointer for Montana State.

Montana State

The underdog team that upset regular season champion Eastern Washington to advance to the Big Sky Conference championship game.

Eastern Washington

The regular season Big Sky Conference champion that was upset by Montana State in the tournament semifinals.

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What they’re saying

“I absolutely think that angels help that ball go into the hoop.”

— Brianne Bailey, Freshman guard

What’s next

Montana State will face the winner of the other semifinal matchup in the Big Sky Conference championship game, with the winner earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

Brianne Bailey's heroics have led to a Cinderella run for Montana State, proving that anything can happen in the high-stakes world of college basketball tournaments.