Idaho tips MSU for women's Big Sky title

BOISE, Idaho —  Montana State wiped out most of a fourth-quarter, 11-point deficit, but the comeback bid fell short as Idaho claimed the 2026 Big Sky Conference Championship with a 60-57 win over the Cats in Boise on Wednesday.

Ana Beatriz Passos Alves da Silva scored 12 points and Debora Dos Santos grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Vandals (28-5), who built leads of at least nine points in each of the final three quarters. 

The Vandals entered the fourth quarter shooting 22-for-42 from the floor and held off the defending Big Sky champs.

The Bobcats (25-7) struggled shooting, hitting at a 35 percent clip from the floor. 

Montana State tied the score early in the second half when Addison Harris dropped a thre from the corner, but the Vandals answered with an 8-0 run. 

Kyra Gardner and Ella Uriarte each hit three-pointers in that run, and the Vandals bumped their lead to 55-44 two-and-a-half minutes into the final period. 

Then Taylee Chirrick and Brianne Bailey each hit driving layups for MSU and at 3:58 Isobel Bunyan’s trey trimmed the margin to 56-52. 

When Ella Johnson drained a three-pointer with 42 seconds to play, MSU trailed by one. Twice Hunter Hassmann made one of two free throws for Idaho, giving the Bobcats a chance to lead or tie. 

Bunyan missed a three and Ella Johnson had her trey blocked by Lorena Barbosa to seal Idaho’s first Big Sky crown since 2016.