The Big Sky Conference championship tournaments started in Boise, Idaho on Saturday, March 4, 2023. The women’s tournament began at noon with No. 9 Northern Colorado posting a 63-52 win over No. 10 Weber State.
The rest of Saturday’s schedule is:
2:30 p.m. – No. 7 Portland State 73, No. 8 Idaho State 58
5:30 p.m. – No. 9 Northern Arizona vs. No. 10 Idaho
8 p.m. – No. 7 Portland State vs. No. 8 Northern Colorado
No. 9 Northern Colorado 63, No. 10 Weber State 52
Northern Colorado game into the tournament with a roster featuring nine freshmen, including three in the starting lineup. Although the Bears won two games at least year’s Big Sky Tournament as a No. 8 seed (including knocking off No. 1 Idaho State 72-54 to advance to the Big Sky semifinals in Kristin Mattio’s first season at the helm), only two players for UNC had ever played at the Big Sky Tournament.
Behind a strong start sparked by Hannah Simental and a dominant performance from Delaynie Byrne, UNC made quick work of the Wildcats. Northern Colorado led for all but 17 seconds of the contest as Byrne poured in a career-high 29 pints (including 13-of-14 from the free throw line) and Simental, UNC’s precocious two-time All-Big Sky point guard, added 19 points.
“The group that we have, I think only two of us have actually been here so I think this game is what gave us the most confidence, honestly,” Simental said. “For me, just being here, I’m comfortable in this gym but as a group, getting this one under our belts, it gives us the confidence that we belong here for the rest of the tournament.”
Simental hit her first five shots and scored 13 points early, opening things up for Byrne.
“They are always going to key on her because she’s one of our best players,” Byrne said. “I think we did a great job of playing off each other and our teammates did a great job of finding the hot hand when we needed it.”
Weber State struggled offensively on Saturday and all season long. The Wildcats committed 17 turnovers, actually two less than their single-game average this season. WSU shot 29 percent and fell to 5-26 to end the season.
Northern Colorado takes on top-seeded Northern Arizona at Noon on Sunday. The Lumberjacks
No. 7 Portland State 73, No. 8 Idaho State 58
Portland State did not win a conference game in Chelsea Gregg’s first season last year. Saturday, PSU won for the 9th time against a Big Sky opponent, giving Gregg and most of her group their first postseason win.
PSU hit eight of its first 12 shots from beyond the 3-point arc as Jada Lewis started 5-of-5 from deep on the way to a team-high 17 points. Esmeralda Morales, a second-team All-Big Sky selection as a sophomore, hit a pair of triples and scored 16 points to go with six of PSU’s 17 assists (on 25 made baskets).
Idaho State, the regular-season Big Sky champions in 2021 and 2022, lost All-Big Sky point guard Callie Bourne earlier this week to a season-ending knee injury. That was the latest blow to a team that has seen an almost total roster overturn since its championship run ended.
Laura Bello had a game to remember for ISU in the loss, pouring in 30 points and grabbing 15 rebounds.
Portland State moves on to play second-seeded Montana State at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. The Bobcats beat the Vikings 61-34 in Portland last Saturday to secure a share of the fourth Big Sky title since 2016 under Tricia Binford.
Idaho State’s season ends at 11-19.
