The pick, once again, is the Lady Griz.
Despite losing three seniors, including last season’s Big Sky Conference Most Valuable Player in guard Kellie Cole, the University of Montana women’s basketball team swept the preseason Big Sky women’s basketball media and coaches’ polls.
In Robin Selvig’s 38 seasons at the helm, he has led the Lady Griz to 30 different 20-win seasons, 24 regular-season conference titles and 21 trips to the NCAA Tournament. Montana earned the right to host the tournament last season once again, mounting a comeback to remember in the championship game against Northern Colorado to earn a ticket to the Big Dance.
MSU’s Jasmine Hommes posts up Montana’s Kayleigh Valley
Cole, Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year Carly Selvig and sparkplug forward Maggie Rickman all graduate but the Lady Griz do return McCalle Feller and Kayleigh Valley, a duo that averaged 22.4 points per game last season. Montana garnered 10 of 12 first-place votes from the coaches and six of 13 first-place votes from the media.
North Dakota, the 2013 Big Sky regular-season and tournament champion, was selected second in both polls. UND received three first-place votes in the media poll and one first-place votes in the coaches. Senior forward Mia Loyd led UND with 15 points and 8.9 rebounds per game last season as North Dakota went 17-15 and lost in the first round of the WNIT.
Sacramento State tied UND for second in the coaches poll but did not receive a first place vote to come in third. Northern Colorado, a team that took second in the regular season before losing in the tournament, loses first-team all-conference performers in D’Shara Strange and Stephanie Lee, yet still came in fourth in the coaches’ poll. The Bears were seventh in the media poll.
Montana State garnered the other first-place vote from the coaches’ poll to come in fifth. The Bobcats were picked fourth in the media poll behind UM, UND and Sac.
Last season, MSU posted a 15-15 record, including 9-9 in the Big Sky to take seventh in the regular-season standings. The Bobcats lost to Sac in the first round of the tournament just a week after defeating Montana at home in their regular-season finale.
The Bobcat women return three starters, including second-team All-Big Sky center Jasmine Hommes, a 6-foot-1 post who averaged 16.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game last season. MSU also returns senior forward Alexa Dawkins, senior point guard Lindsay Stockton and junior Peyton Ferris, last season’s Big Sky Conference Top Reserve.
Montana State head coach Tricia Binford enters her 11th season at the helm for Montana State. Her team is still searching for its first postseason bid under her guidance.
MSU’s Alexa Dawkins
“Polls are everyone’s best guess based on last year’s results, and what teams have returning,” Binford said in a press release. “But, they don’t tell you the intangibles that players can bring to a team, especially newcomers. Each year brings surprises, and I’m sure this season won’t be any different.”
Idaho received a sixth place finish in the coaches’ poll, and an eighth place finish in the media poll. The Vandals finished their inaugural return year in the Big Sky Conference with a 14-15 record.
Right behind the Vandals in the coaches’ poll was in-state rival Idaho State, who received a seventh place spot. The Bengals received a fifth place nod in the media poll. Idaho State has qualified for the postseason in each of head coach Seton Sobolewski’s first seven seasons. Senior guard Apiphany Woods averaged 15.5 points per game last season.
Northern Arizona, in its fourth season under coach Sue Darling, was selected eighth in the coaches’ Poll, while taking a seventh place finish in the media poll. NAU qualified for the postseason last season for the first time since 2009.
Eastern Washington was selected sixth in the media poll, and also received two first place votes. The Eagles were selected ninth in the coaches’ poll. The Eagles must replace first-team All-Big Sky guard Lexi Nelson.
Poll Results:
Coaches: Voted on by each WBB head coach in the Big Sky Conference
- Montana (10) 120
- North Dakota (1) 97
- Sacramento State 97
- Northern Colorado 84
- Montana State (1) 81
- Idaho 67
- Idaho State 66
- Northern Arizona 55
- Eastern Washington 54
- Weber State 31
- Southern Utah 21
- Portland State 19
Media: Voted on by Big Sky media and SIDS
- Montana (6) 148
- North Dakota (3) 128
- Sacramento State (2) 121
- Montana State 107
- Idaho State 98
- Eastern Washington (2) 95
- Northern Colorado 86
- Idaho 69
- Northern Arizona 64
- Weber State 50
- Southern Utah 29
- Portland State 19
