Bobcat women survive EWU in Big Sky semis

BOISE, Idaho — Montana State’s Issy Bunyan inbounded the ball directly across from the Bobcat bench with 14.3 seconds to play. The Bobcats trailed 69-66.

Bunyan found Brianne Bailey at the top of the key, and the freshman dribbled left and passed to Addison Harris. The shot was supposed to be Harris’, but she was closely guarded so she directed the ball back to Bailey. 

“I swung her the ball and yelled, ‘Shoot it!’” Harris said. As the clock ticked under eight seconds, Bailey lofted a high, arcing shot from two steps beyond the three-point line. Harris said from her vantage point near the sideline, the play felt like it was in slow motion. 

“I watched it go up,” Harris said, “and, like, touch the ceiling. I’m pretty sure I saw God reach down and touch the ball, it touched heaven and went straight through (the hoop), perfect swish. Never seen anything better.” 

The play that will live forever in Bobcat women’s basketball history as “Touched By God” tied the game, but plenty of action remained before the overtime. On the ensuing inbound play, Harris tied up Eastern’s sensational freshman guard Elyn Bowers, giving MSU possession. Taylee Chirrick drove the lane, absorbed contact, and missed a short scoop shot as time expired. 

Montana State made six of its eight free throws in the final minute of overtime and successfully defended a last second shot from Eastern Washington’s Jaecy Eggers to scratch out a 79-77 win and advance to the Big Sky Championship Game for the second straight season. The Cats play Idaho on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 pm. 

But on Tuesday, the attention was on MSU’s incredible win rather than what was to follow. There could have been some foreshadowing drawn from the two previous meetings between EWU and the Bobcats. MSU won 72-70 in overtime on January 8 in Bozeman, then won 71-69 in Cheney on February 7. 

“Eastern played an incredible game,” said Bobcats head coach Tricia Binford. 

Early on, late-game heroics seemed an improbable proposition. MSU led 20-10 after the first quarter, held a 19-point cushion late in the second quarter, and owned a 40-26 advantage at halftime. But Eastern shot 14-for-23 in the second half, MSU made 11 of its 34 shots, and the once-large lead evaporate. 

From the middle of the third quarter until three minutes remained in the fourth, Eastern Washington possessed four times with a chance to tie or take the lead. MSU fought off each of those, but with 2:39 to play in regulation Bowers scored on a driving layup, and on the next possession Caitie Gingras drained a three-pointer to give the Eagles a 63-60 lead with 1:55 to play. 

Harris and EWU’s Ella Gallatin traded baskets, then Bunyan hit a short runner to draw MSU within one. Gallatin’s two free throws with 18 seconds left pushed the Eastern lead back to three, but Jamison Philip converted a layup to cut the score to 67-66. Bowers made two free throws with 14.3 seconds remaining to set the stage for Bailey’s heroics. 

Wednesday’s game tips at 3 p.m. MT and airs on ESPNU.