Editor’s Note: This year of 2024 marks the 10th anniversary of Skyline Sports. In celebration, Colter & Brooks Nuanez along with Andrew Houghton, Tom Stuber, Blake Hempstead & Ty Gregorak will compile a variety of Top 10 lists of players, teams, coaches and moments from the last decade throughout the Big Sky Conference.
10. 2018-19 IDAHO VANDALS
The Vandals scored a ton and gave up nearly as many. This was peak Splash Sisters though, so they have to be on the list.
Record: 22-12 (16-4 Big Sky), point differential of 4.6
Honors: Big Sky regular-season champion, Big Sky MVP (Mikayla Ferenz), Big Sky Freshman of the Year (Gina Marxen), Big Sky Coach of the Year (Jon Newlee), 2x Big Sky first team (Ferenz, Taylor Pierce), 1x Big Sky all-tournament team (Ferenz)
Strengths: Everything On Offense, Particularly 3-Point Shooting
Weaknesses: Everything On Defense
Cast and crew: Mikayla Ferenz (super-duper star); Taylor Pierce (superstar); Lizzy Klinker, Gina Marxen (wingmen); Natalie Klinker, Isabelle Hadden, Juliet Jones, Hailey Christopher (role players)
Standout wins: at Texas Tech, at Idaho State, at Portland State
Big Sky Tournament: Beat No. 8 Northern Arizona 90-73; Lost to No. 4 Portland State 75-59
NCAA Tournament: N/A
Signature moment: After giving up 115 to Stanford in their second game of the year, the Vandals went to Lubbock to play a decent Texas Tech team and refused to back down from their high-pace style. Taylor Pierce shot 15 3-pointers (making six of them) and Mikayla Ferenz shot 10 more (making three). Idaho outscored Texas Tech 39 to 18 from behind the 3-point line and walked away with an 88-77 win. Also, later in the season they hung 104 on a dreadful Sac State team despite nobody scoring over 18 points.
Year after: Despite losing Ferenz and Pierce, Idaho still went 15-5 in conference and damn near defended their crown, finishing second to Montana State and losing the chance to play the Bobcats in the conference title game due to COVID.
Why they’re here: Uncompromising coaches are often associated with defense. Well, Jon Newlee is just as stubborn as any defensive mastermind, and this season was his masterpiece. The Vandals shot and shot and shot some more, making the most 3-pointers in the country. Mikayla Ferenz took nearly 10 3s a game and averaged 22 points, and Taylor Pierce shot 11.4 3s per game and averaged 19. They played at a blistering pace and more or less invited opponents to run up and down and shoot open 3s with them, as a consequence of which they gave up damn near as many points as they scored. Sure, they lost in the Big Sky tournament. They also won 16 games in a good year for the league, and sent two of the most iconic players in Big Sky history off in style. We will never see their like again.
9. 2022-23 SACRAMENTO STATE HORNETS
Mark Campbell’s unique, ambitious roster build paid off in his second year at Sac State. Transfer point guard Kahlaijah Dean had one of the most statistically overwhelming seasons in league history and the Hornets tied for the conference title before storming to the tournament crown.
Record: 25-8 (13-5 Big Sky), point differential of 8.6
Honors: Big Sky MVP (Kahlaijah Dean), Big Sky co-Coach of the Year (Mark Campbell), Big Sky Newcomer of the Year (Dean), 2x Big Sky first team (Dean, Isnelle Natabou), Big Sky Tournament MVP (Dean), 2x Big Sky all-tournament team (Dean, Natabou)
Strengths: Being Weird, 3-Point Shooting, Rebounding
Weaknesses: Depth, Turnovers
Cast and crew: Kahlaijah Dean (super-duper star); Isnelle Natabou (superstar); Kaylin Randhawa, Katie Peneueta, Solape Amusan, Jordan Olivares, Madison Butcher, Benthe Versteeg (role players)
Standout wins: at Santa Clara, vs. UTEP
Big Sky Tournament: Beat No. 6 Idaho 73-58; Beat No. 7 Portland State 60-42; Beat No. 1 Northern Arizona 76-63; total point differential of 209-163 (15.3 points per game)
NCAA Tournament: No. 13 seed; lost 67-45 to a No. 4 UCLA team that featured Kiki Rice and went on to lose to No. 1 South Carolina in the Sweet 16
Signature moment: After a brutal 84-82 overtime loss to Northern Arizona in mid-February, the Hornets had lost four of five, had just six games left and looked completely out of the conference title race. Instead, they led Northern Colorado 42-20 at halftime of their next game, went on to win 79-48 – with Dean putting up 13 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds – and won all six of those games to take a share of the regular-season crown.
Year after: Head coach Mark Campbell left for TCU, Dean left to play professionally and Natabou transferred to Iowa State. Unsurprisingly, the Hornets cratered to 6-25, although they did win their first game in the conference tournament.
Why they’re here: Don’t get me wrong, I love this team. But they produced some of the most acid-trip freaky basketball in the Big Sky in the last 10 years, and maybe ever. Head coach Mark Campbell went to the transfer portal to get a top-tier point guard in Kahlaijah Dean and a physically imposing center in Isnelle Natabou, called a billion high pick and rolls and let the pair cook.
And it worked! Dean averaged 20, 5 and 5 on good percentages despite one of the highest usage rates in the country, while Natabou was less than a rebound per game away from averaging a double-double. Everybody else served as a spot-up shooter, and the Hornets played one of the slowest paces in the country to keep their two stars fresh. It was insane to watch at times, but incredible to witness.
8. 2018-19 PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS
A fantastic, well-rounded team that was overshadowed by a few Big Sky rivals – but only until the conference tournament.
Record: 25-8 (14-6 Big Sky Conference), point differential of 12.0
Honors: Big Sky tournament champion, Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year (Courtney West), co-Big Sky Top Reserve (Desirae Hansen), 1x Big Sky first team (Sidney Reilly), 1x Big Sky second team (Ashley Bolston), 1x Big Sky honorable mention (Kylie Jimenez), Big Sky Tournament MVP (Bolston), 1x Big Sky all-tournament team (Jimenez)
Strengths: 2-3 zone, Outside Shooting
Weaknesses: Turnovers, Offensive Rebounding
Cast and crew: Ashley Bolston, Sidney Reilly (stars); Kylie Jimenez, Courtney West (wingmen); Desirae Hansen (super role player); Jordan Stotler, Ana Tainta, Savannah Dhaliwal (role players)
Standout wins: None until they beat Idaho in the conference tournament
Big Sky Tournament: Beat No. 5 Montana State 68-56; Beat No. 1 Idaho 75-59; Beat No. 6 Eastern Washington 61-59; total point differential of 204-174 (10 points per game)
NCAA Tournament: No. 15 seed; lost 78-40 to No. 2 Oregon with Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally. Ducks went on to lose to eventual national champion Baylor in the Final Four.
Signature moment: Portland State had lost three of six and wasn’t on anybody’s minds going into the conference tournament. But in the semifinals, the Vikings throttled No. 1 Idaho and the Splash Sisters, holding Mikayla Ferenz and Taylor Pierce to a combined 15 points (Pierce, one of the greatest shooters in NCAA history, was 0 of 12 from behind the arc). Kylie Jimenez had 22 points and nine assists in the win. In the championship against Eastern Washington, freshman Desirae Hansen hit a fadeaway jumper with under three seconds left to give the Vikings the tournament title.
Year after: Without Bolston, Reilly and West plus head coach Lynn Kennedy – who went to McNeese State following the year – Portland State fell back to 16-16.
Why they’re here: This was an exceptional team that was overlooked all season long because Northern Colorado’s Savannah Smith and Idaho’s Mikayla Ferenz and Taylor Pierce were playing their final years. The expectation was that the Bears and Vandals would face off for the conference title. Instead, neither even made it to the championship game.
The Vikings stepped into the void with their terrifying 2-3 zone that featured 6-foot-4 Courtney West in the middle. Jordan Stotler was also 6-4, Ashley Bolston was uncommonly skilled at 6-2 and Sidney Reilly was 6-0. The fifth starter, point guard Kylie Jimenez, was just 5-6 but a pest who averaged 2.6 steals. It all added up to a defense that allowed the 14th-best field-goal percentage in the nation. On the other end, Reilly, Bolston, Jimenez and West all scored in double figures, while Hansen, an unrepentant gunner, added spice off the bench.
7. 2015-16 IDAHO VANDALS
A phenomenally balanced team that, by some measures, is the best the Splash Sisters ever played on – even though they were freshmen.
Record: 24-10 (13-5 Big Sky), point differential of 13.1
Honors: Big Sky tournament champion, 1x Big Sky first team (Christina Salvatore), 2x Big Sky honorable mention (Ali Forde, Geraldine McCorkell), Big Sky Tournament MVP (Mikayla Ferenz), 1x Big Sky all-tournament team (Forde)
Strengths: 3-point Shooting, Rebounding, Passing, Interior Defense
Weaknesses: Turnovers, Free-Throw Shooting, Interior Scoring
Cast and crew: Christina Salvatore, Ali Forde (stars); Mikayla Ferenz (super freshman); Geraldine McCorkell, Taylor Pierce (wingmen); Renae Mokrzycki, Connie Ballestero, Karlee Wilson (role players)
Standout wins: vs. Iowa State
Big Sky Tournament: Beat No. 6 Weber State 86-83; Beat No. 2 Eastern Washington 86-71; Beat No. 9 Idaho State 67-55; total point differential of 239-209 (10 points per game)
NCAA Tournament: No. 16 seed; lost 89-59 to No. 1 Baylor, which lost to No. 2 Oregon State in Elite Eight
Signature moment: If we’re considering this year Mikayla Ferenz’s introduction to the world, then it was definitely the first-round conference tournament game against Weber State, when she put 29 points and seven rebounds on the Wildcats in a close overtime win. If we’re considering it merely the story of a very good team, then it was a couple weeks earlier, when the Vandals hung 107 on Sac State and won 107-60.
Year after: Ferenz stepped fully into the spotlight, averaging 18 points a game, but the Vandals took a step back to 19-15 overall and fifth place in the conference.
Why they’re here: Even if it was apparent that Ferenz was eventually going to be a world-consuming star who finished her career as the all-time leading scorer in league history, this was a staggeringly democratic team – their top five players all averaged between 10.1 and 11.8 points per game, and their top six players all had usage rates between 19.5% and 24.6%. As with all Jon Newlee teams, they shot a metric ton of 3-pointers but were great defensively as well with 6-2 Ali Forde averaging 2.1 blocks per game.
6. 2014-15 MONTANA LADY GRIZ
Robin Selvig’s last conference champion was a typical Selvig team – great point guard, great defense, great execution, two more banners back in Missoula.
Record: 26-9 (14-4 Big Sky), point differential of 7.2
Honors: Big Sky regular-season champion, Big Sky tournament champion, Big Sky co-MVP (Kellie (Cole) Rubel), Big Sky Coach of the Year (Robin Selvig), Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year (Carly Selvig), 1x Big Sky first team (Rubel), 3x Big Sky honorable mention (McCalle Feller, Kayleigh Valley, Maggie Rickman), Big Sky Tournament MVP (Rubel), 2x Big Sky all-tournament team (Rubel, Valley)
Strengths: Depth, Height, Interior Defense
Weaknesses: Outside Shooting, Turnovers
Cast and crew: Kellie (Cole) Rubel (superstar); Kayleigh Valley (super wingman); McCalle Feller, Carly Selvig, Maggie Rickman (wingmen); Alycia Sims, Shanae Gilham, Hannah Doran (role players)
Standout wins: None, really. Maybe vs. Sac State
Big Sky Tournament: Beat No. 8 Idaho State 69-67; Beat No. 3 Eastern Washington 55-51; Beat No. 4 Northern Colorado 60-49; total point differential of 184-167 (5.7 points per game)
NCAA Tournament: No. 16 seed; lost 77-43 to No. 1 Notre Dame team that featured Jewell Loyd and went on to lose title game to UConn
Signature moment: In late January, the Lady Griz welcomed Portland State to Dahlberg Arena. Over 40 minutes, Robin Selvig’s squad put the Vikings in a coffin, holding the visitors under 20 points in both halves in a 72-31 win. The Lady Griz forced just 10 turnovers but – fittingly for a team that finished the season fourth in the country in field-goal percentage defense – held PSU to 13 of 58 (22.4%) from the field. McCalle Feller made 7 of 12 3s for Montana, poured in 25 points and also had four blocks.
The signature post-season moment came when the Lady Griz rallied from a 29-16 halftime deficit against a talented Northern Colorado squad that would’ve made this Top 10 list if not for falling 60-49 in the championship game. That tournament victory marked the most recent for the Lady Griz and also marked the last time a Big Sky Tourney champion got to cut down the nets on their home court before advancing to the NCAA Tournament.
Year after: In Robin Selvig’s final season, the Lady Griz returned Valley, Feller and Sims and finished 20-11, but lost 65-62 to No. 4 North Dakota in the Big Sky quarterfinals.
Why they’re here: By Robin Selvig’s high standards, this was not a particularly dominant team. They struggled from the 3-point line – were generally inefficient on offense in general, actually – and turned the ball over a ton. But they started three seniors, suffocated opponents on defense and had multiple late-game options. If you could score in the 60s, you’d probably have a chance to win – but only eight Big Sky opponents managed that in 21 games.
5. 2023-24 EASTERN WASHINGTON EAGLES
The most recent champions put together a fantastic resume, led by a super senior transfer point guard in Jamie Loera.
Record: 29-6 (16-2 Big Sky), point differential of 12.2
Honors: Big Sky MVP (Jamie Loera), Big Sky Coach of the Year (Joddie Gleason), Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year (Loera), 2x Big Sky first team (Loera, Aaliyah Alexander), 1x Big Sky second team (Jaleesa Lawrence), Big Sky Tournament MVP (Loera), 2x Big Sky all-tournament team (Loera, Jacinta Buckley)
Strengths: Depth, Defense, Physicality, point guard plan, Late-Game Execution
Weaknesses: Shooting
Cast and crew: Jamie Loera (superstar); Aaliyah Alexander (star); Jaleesa Lawrence, Jaydia Martin, Jacinta Buckley (wingmen); Milly Knowles, Alexis Pettis (role players)
Standout wins: vs. Wyoming, vs. Montana, at Montana
Big Sky Tournament: Beat No. 9 Weber State 71-58; Beat No. 4 Montana State 56-39; Beat No. 2 Northern Arizona 73-64; total point differential of 200-161 (13 points per game)
NCAA Tournament: No. 14 seed; lost 73-51 to No. 3 Oregon State. Beavers lost to No. 1 South Carolina in the Elite 8
Signature moment: In their final regular-season road trip of the year, the Eagles went to the Treasure State and swept Montana and Montana State by a combined three points. In Missoula, Jacinta Buckley’s 3-pointer with 20 seconds left gave EWU a 56-55 win. In Bozeman, Jamie Loera’s buzzer-beater gave the Eagles a 52-50 triumph and clinched the league title.
Year after: Loera exhausted her eligibility, Alexander transferred to UNLV, Martin transferred in conference to Sac State and Lawrence transferred to High Point, so the Eagles will have a mountain to climb to retain their title.
Why they’re here: It took Joddie Gleason just three years to build the Eagles back up. After Gleason replaced Wendy Schuller, EWU went from 9-21 in her first season to double champs in 23-24. Jacinta Buckley, Jaydia Martin and Jaleesa Lawrence provided hope in that first year. In Year 2, they were joined by freshman Aaliyah Alexander and Arizona State transfer Jamie Loera, and in Year 3, that group was ready to dominate.
Loera – because of her defense, court vision, pace and personality – became the alpha of the league, Alexander was phenomenal as a sophomore and by the end of the year, the Eagles were the clear best team in the Big Sky with 29 wins to show for it, the most of the Skyline era.
4. 2016-17 MONTANA STATE BOBCATS
A good team carried to another level by one of the all-time greats, Peyton Ferris.
Record: 25-7 (15-3 Big Sky), point differential of 7.5
Honors: Big Sky MVP (Peyton Ferris), 1x Big Sky second team (Riley Nordgaard), Big Sky Tournament MVP (Ferris), 2x Big Sky all-tournament team (Ferris, Nordgaard)
Strengths: Perimeter Defense, Rebounding, Peyton Ferris
Weaknesses: Turnovers
Cast and crew: Peyton Ferris (super-duper star); Riley Nordgaard (super wingman); Hannah Caudill (wingman); Delany Junkermier, Blaire Braxton, Annika Lai, Oliana Squires (role players)
Standout wins: vs. Santa Clara
Big Sky Tournament: Beat No. 8 Weber State 65-53; Beat No. 4 Eastern Washington 61-59; Beat No. 6 Idaho State 62-56; total point differential of 188-168 (6.7 points per game)
NCAA Tournament: No. 14 seed; lost 91-63 to No. 3 Washington, which went on to lose to No. 2 Mississippi State in the Sweet 16
Signature moment: Despite the loss in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Ferris authored perhaps the finest performance in her decorated career, scoring 33 points and grabbing seven rebounds in 33 minutes against the Huskies before fouling out. It was an unforgettable finale for the Bobcat star, who ended up as the game’s leading scorer – no small task when Washington featured record-setting scorer Kelsey Plum (who finished with 29).
Year after: Without Ferris and Nordgaard, the Bobcats fell to 16-15 and lost their second game at the Big Sky Tournament to Idaho.
Why they’re here: The 16-17 Bobcats featured three freshmen and four underclassmen in total among their top eight players. But with a top line of seniors Peyton Ferris and Riley Nordgaard, backed up by juniors Hannah Caudill and Delany Junkermier, they didn’t suffer from the lack of experience. This was more or less the perfect build for a star-centric team – Ferris got buckets, Nordgaard was a dirty work queen and everybody else defended and rebounded like wildcats. MSU finished the season sixth in the country in opponent 3-point percentage and 13th in rebounding. Those two strengths, plus the best player in the conference? Good luck. The Bobcats won 14 of their final 15 Big Sky games, including in the conference tournament.
3. 2020-21 IDAHO STATE BENGALS
The Bengals were a perfect blend of Seton Sobolewski’s hard-nosed defensive philosophy and a roster full of skilled offensive talent.
Record: 22-4 (15-2 Big Sky), point differential of 12.5
Honors: Big Sky regular season champion, Big Sky tournament champion, Big Sky co-Coach of the Year (Seton Sobolewski), 1x All-Big Sky first team (Dora Goles), 1x All-Big Sky second team (Diaba Konate), Big Sky Tournament MVP (Estefania Ors), 3x Big Sky all-tournament team (Estefania Ors, Montana Oltrogge, Callie Bourne)
Strengths: Depth, Versatility, Passing, Defense
Weaknesses: Rebounding, Getting Everybody Else In the Conference to Vote for Them for All-Conference and Individual Awards
Cast and Crew: Dora Goles, Callie Bourne (stars); Estefania Ors, Diaba Konate (super wingmen); Delaney Moore, Montana Oltrogge, Ellie Smith, Tomekia Whitman (supporting cast)
Standout wins: at Kansas State
Big Sky Tournament: Beat No. 8 Portland State 66-50; Beat No. 4 Northern Colorado 65-55; Beat No. 2 Idaho 84-49; total point differential of 215-154 (20.3 points per game)
NCAA Tournament (if applicable): 13 seed; lost 71-63 to No. 4-seed Kentucky that featured WNBA No. 1 overall pick Rhyne Howard and lost in second round to Iowa
Signature Moment: When you put it all together – stage, stakes, narrative, opponent, level of domination – the Bengals’ 35-point blowout of rival Idaho in the Big Sky title game has a claim to the greatest single-game performance of the Skyline era. Estefania Ors scored 21 points on just nine shots, Diaba Konate added 20 on 13, and Delaney Moore had 16 points in 19 minutes, making 8 of 10 shots without attempting a single 3-pointer or free throw. In fact, ISU shot just three free throws all game. It didn’t matter. The Bengals scored 27 points in the first quarter, led by 19 points at halftime and never let up.
Year After: Bringing almost everybody back, the Bengals once again won the Big Sky regular-season title, but limped to the finish line and shockingly lost their first conference tournament to a non-descript Northern Colorado team. Although ISU seemed set up for a sustained run of success, the Bengals were never destined to be a dynasty.
Why They’re Here: In a single-elimination tournament between all the teams on this list, Idaho State would certainly be a dark horse and might be my pick to win it all. Two of their losses were to Nebraska and Kentucky. Another was in overtime at Montana State, and they avenged (and then some) their only semi-inexplicable defeat, to Idaho, in the conference title game.
As it turned out, two brutal knee injuries, to Dora Goles two years prior and Estefania Ors the year before, ironically lined the Bengals up perfectly for this run. They had shooting with Goles and Ors and athleticism with Diaba Konate and Tomekia Whitman. Callie Bourne filled in the gaps as a physical presence who could play 1 through 4. Everybody could pass, which raised the offensive ceiling of the team, and everybody had experience, which made them perfectly equipped to run through a conference that was dealing with the aftereffects of COVID.
2. 2019-20 MONTANA STATE BOBCATS
Given a chance to cement their legacy in the conference title game, Tricia Binford’s juggernaut might have taken the No. 1 spot. They might deserve to anyway.
Record: 25-6 (19-1 Big Sky), point differential of 14.3
Honors: Big Sky MVP (Fallyn Freije), Big Sky Coach of the Year (Tricia Binford), Big Sky Freshman of the Year (Darian White), Big Sky Top Reserve (Tori Martell), 1x Big Sky first team (Freije), 1x Big Sky second team (Oliana Squires), 1x Big Sky honorable mention (White)
Strengths: Depth, 3-Point Shooting, Rebounding, Defense
Weaknesses: Global Pandemics
Cast and crew: Fallyn Freije (superstar); Darian White, Oliana Squires, Tori Martell (super wingmen); Martha Kuderer (overqualified fifth option); Blaire Braxton, Madeline Smith, Kola Bad Bear, Madison (Jackson) Hall (role players)
Standout wins: at Idaho
Big Sky Tournament: Beat No. 8 Northern Colorado 67-62; Beat No. 5 Northern Arizona 76-71; Championship game against No. 2 Idaho canceled; total point differential of 143-133 (five points per game)
NCAA Tournament: N/A
Signature moment: Almost a month after their only conference loss of the season, a 69-68 home setback against Idaho, the Bobcats traveled to Moscow for the rematch. In a tense, low-scoring battle, Montana State outscored the Vandals 21-13 in the fourth quarter to take a 62-56 win, holding Idaho scoreless for the final 2:47. It was the sixth win in a scarcely believable 17-game Big Sky winning streak that ended not with a loss, but with the shocking news that the conference tournament would be canceled. That prevented us getting to see the Bobcats against the Vandals in the title game to decide the series once and for all.
Year after: Freije, Squires, Kuderer and Braxton all graduated, turning the team over to the next generation of White, Bad Bear and Hall. The Bobcats went 17-7 and 13-3 in conference, but that was only good for the No. 3 seed and No. 2 Idaho blew them out in the Big Sky semis.
Why they’re here: With freshman Darian White coming on strong at the end of the season, the Bobcats added an ultra-athletic difference maker to a lineup that already included the best player in the league (Freije), the best point guard in the league (Squires), one of the best shooters in the league (Martell) and a legion of great role players. It worked brilliantly – Freije was the alpha dog, Squires ran the show, Martell thrived in the space left open by their gravity and White blew up the other team’s plans, picking up full court and beating any defender in the league into the lane with her first step. Their resume was impeccable. That the COVID-19 pandemic robbed them of their crowning glory – the Big Sky tournament was canceled the morning of the title game – is the biggest what-if of the Skyline era.
1. 2017-18 NORTHERN COLORADO BEARS
In Savannah Smith, the Bears had an icon at the top of her game, and they stomped their way to a great non-conference resume, a Big Sky title and a No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Record: 26-7 (15-3 Big Sky), point differential of 6.3
Honors: Big Sky MVP (Savannah Smith), Big Sky Coach of the Year (Kamie Ethridge), Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year (Kianna Williams), 1x Big Sky first team (Smith), 1x Big Sky second team (Savannah Scott), Big Sky tournament MVP (Smith), 2x Big Sky all-tournament team (Smith, Williams)
Strengths: 3-Point Shooting, Pace, Ball handling
Weaknesses: Rebounding, Depth
Cast and crew: Savannah Smith (super-duper star); Savannah Scott (star); Kianna Williams, Krystal Leger-Walker, Courtney Smith (super wingmen); Tiarna Clarke, Bridget Hintz (role players)
Standout wins: at DePaul, vs. LSU, vs. BYU
Big Sky Tournament: Beat No. 8 Montana 78-69; Beat No. 5 Idaho State 73-66; Beat No. 2 Idaho 91-69; total point differential of 242-204 (12.7 points per game)
NCAA Tournament: No. 10 seed; lost 75-61 to No. 7 Michigan, which lost to No. 2 Baylor in the second round
Signature moment: The Bears stamped their conference crown – and Savannah Smith her place as queen of the Big Sky – in the title game against Idaho. Smith scored 34 on 18 shots and handed out eight assists with just two turnovers as Northern Colorado cruised to a 91-69 win. Savannah Scott matched her season average with 17 points to back Smith up, and the Bears forced Mikayla Ferenz into six turnovers in the easy win. After that run, Northern Colorado went into the NCAA Tournament ranked 32nd in the country by RPI.
Year after: Smith returned for her final year and the Bears went 21-11, but Eastern Washington freshman Jessica McDowell-White made one of the most shocking plays in recent Big Sky history, inbounding the ball off Smith’s back and converting a last-second layup to upset Northern Colorado in their second game at the conference tournament.
Why they’re here: The easy answer wins out. There are holes to poke in Northern Colorado’s resume. They weren’t as deep as the other top contenders. By some measures, they didn’t dominate to the same degree as some of the others. If 19-20 Montana State had gotten to play the conference title game, the Bobcats might be No. 1. If 20-21 Idaho State had a dominant player, the Bengals might be. If, if, if. In the end, Northern Colorado checked the most boxes. The Bears played what was essentially a Power 5 non-conference schedule, and did well (which also helps explain their somewhat lackluster point differential). They had the clear best player in Savannah Smith, and a future high-major coach in Kamie Ethridge. They won their final 13 games in the Big Sky, and stomped the conference tournament. They got a No. 10 seed and, by their RPI, deserved better. Sometimes it’s that simple.
