Entering the weekend, Eastern Washington was arguably the hottest team in Division I men’s basketball. The Eagles had won 18 games in a row, including 16 straight in Big Sky Conference play. EWU’s 16-0 start marked the best start by a Big Sky squad, surpassing Weber State’s 15-0 start in 1968 when the league was only five years old.
But Saturday, the streak ended in Pocatello, Idaho as upstart Idaho State posted a 71-63 win over Eastern Washington. And Monday, Montana State came into Cheney and reminded the Eagles and the rest of the league that the Bobcats are still the reigning champions.
All of a sudden, it’s MSU that enters next week’s Big Sky Tournament as the hottest team in the conference. The Bobcats got 18 points, including a clutch 3-pointer with two minutes remaining when EWU had cut the Bobcat lead to three points, plus dished out four assists to help Montana State to a 79-74 victory.
“We’re excited for the Big Sky Tournament,” Montana State head coach Danny Sprinkle said. “We have to rest up, get the guys off their legs and get some treatment. We’ll be ready to rock and roll Sunday at 8.”
That win helps the ‘Cats close the regular season with a 15-3 Big Sky record, just a game short of EWU’s 16-2 finish. Montana State has won five in a row and 10 of its last 11 since its first of two rivalry wins over Montana, a 67-64 victory in Missoula that snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Griz in Dahlberg.
EWU takes the top seed while Montana State takes the second seed into next week’s league tournament.
Monday night in Flagstaff, Dillon Jones posted his 19th double-double of the season, piling up 24 points and grabbing 11 rebounds to help Weber State earn an 90-89 overtime win over hard luck Northern Arizona. That win moves Weber to 12-6 in league play and sews up the No. 3 seed for the Wildcats.
Montana buckled down defensively on the way to a 68-53 win at Idaho on Monday. The win boosted Montana to 10-7 in league play.
When Sacramento State’s 76-74 win over Portland State went final, the Big Sky regular-season was officially over despite the fact that PSU’s contest at Montana last Thursday was postponed because of severe winter weather.
Despite Idaho State getting drilled 87-72 at Northern Colorado, the Bengals take the No. 5 seed into the tournament and will play Montana in the quarterfinals. Sac State’s win moved the Hornets to 7-11 to secure the No. 6 seed. PSU is 6-11 and will take the 7th seed.
First Round – Saturday, March 4 (all times Mountain)
Game 1: Northern Arizona vs. Idaho – 5:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Game 2: Portland State vs. Northern Colorado – 8:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Second Round – Sunday, March 5
Game 3: Eastern Washington vs. Game 1 Winner – 5:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Game 4: Montana State vs. Game 2 Winner – 8:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Third Round – Monday, March 6
Game 5: Montana vs. Idaho State – 5:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Game 6: Weber State vs. Sacramento State – 8:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Semifinals – Tuesday, March 7
Game 7: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner – 6:30 p.m. (ESPNU and ESPN+)
Game 8: Game 4 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner – 9:00 p.m. (ESPN2 and ESPN+)
Championship – Wednesday, March 8
Game 9: Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner – 9:30 p.m. (ESPN2 and ESPN+)
