Big Sky Conference

MSU women host second straight ‘rival’ Wednesday

on

Reno Ad Bottom Home Page

Around the Big Sky Conference, it is no secret what two teams are the fiercest rivals in the league.

Last Saturday, the Montana State Bobcats earned bragging rights that will resonate longer than most victories ensure with their 71-54 win over the Lady Griz of Montana in Bozeman. The win completed the first season sweep of MSU’s fierce rival from Missoula since 1999.

While the Cat-Griz rivalry grabs headlines around the state and the conference each time the schools square off in any sport, it’s not the only women’s basketball rivalry that gets the Bobcats’ blood boiling.

Montana State forward Peyton Ferris, the preseason Big Sky MVP pictured here last season against Idaho State, and the Bobcats have lost eight of 10 to the Bengals

Montana State forward Peyton Ferris, the preseason Big Sky MVP pictured here last season against Idaho State, and the Bobcats have lost eight of 10 to the Bengals

“Me personally, I consider Idaho State a rival too,” Montana State senior forward Peyton Ferris said last week. “I joke about how it’s the Idaho State curse.”

Montana State is a game back of first-place North Dakota with two games to play in the regular season. UND plays at Sacramento State on Thursday and at Portland State on Saturday. The Bobcats, a team on a 23-game home winning streak, have two more contests at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse before going to Reno, Nevada for the Big Sky Tournament next week. Montana State’s final two-game home stand begins Thursday with Idaho State coming to Bozeman.

“They are a team I’m always weary of,” Ferris said. “You can’t take them lightly. For me, it’s definitely a secondary rivalry because even though they haven’t necessarily been the best team in the conference over the years, they have definitely been the team we have consistently struggled with and they always come to play us.”

In the five seasons since Ferris has been at Montana State, the Bobcats have played Idaho State 10 times and only won twice. ISU enters Worthington Arena having won eight of 10 against the Bobcats, including four of the last five. The lone win over the last five came in overtime in MSU’s final home game last season. The other win over the last 10 came in overtime in Pocatello in 2011 and took a Big Sky record-tying 41 points from Katie Bussey for MSU to emerge.

The Bengals continued to haunt the Bobcats into the Big Sky Tournament. MSU’s win over ISU served as Montana State’s 21st and final victory during the first outright Big Sky championship season in school history. MSU lost its final two regular season games at Northern Colorado and at North Dakota but still earned the league banner.

MSU senior Riley Nordgaard

MSU senior Riley Nordgaard

In the first round of the Big Sky Tournament, the top-seeded ‘Cats drew an Idaho State squad that eliminated UNC two days earlier. In one of the most physical games in recent memory in the league, the Bobcats were left first bleeding, then in tears as ISU reserve Juliet Jones hit a half-court shot at the buzzer to eliminate MSU from the tournament in just one game.

“Definitely fresh, the early loss (this year) to Idaho State is fresh, the half-court buzzer-beater against Idaho State to end that run is in my mind,” MSU senior Riley Nordgaard, the league’s Newcomer of the Year, said on Tuesday. “It’s a factor. Experience builds your intuition. But I think we have to focus on the now and the present.”

Idaho State has won 21 of the last 29 contests with MSU. The Bengals’ bruising style has been a thorn in MSU’s side for most of the time that head coach Seton Sobolewski has been at the helm.

“They’ve definitely had the edge on wins against us,” MSU 12th-year head coach Tricia Binford said. “It’s a game the kids get fired up about because they know it’s going to be a physical game. They really challenge you defensively. It’s a great challenge.”

MSU head coach Tricia Binford

MSU head coach Tricia Binford

MSU’s victory over Montana stamped Binford’s second 20-win season. Idaho State is 16-11 overall, 10-6 in Big Sky Conference action heading into Wednesday night’s game. The Bobcats have secured a first-round be while the Bengals sit fifth in the league standings, still in the hunt for a top-four seed and a bye seed to next week’s Big Sky Tournament.

Binford said following the Montana win that her team is focused on controlling what it can control. Hanging a second straight banner would be affirmation for a second straight impressive season, she said, but the priority for MSU is on playing its best basketball in the biggest little city in the world.

“Last year, we were the No. 1 seed, a ton of wins and a ton of veterans,” Nordgaard said. “The mindset is a little different this year. We have dropped a few games. We have a ton of freshmen who are getting a lot of minutes. I think all of that has really contributed to us having an edge about us.”

MSU assistant head coach Nate Harris, right, and senior Riley Nordgaard

MSU assistant head coach Nate Harris, right, and senior Riley Nordgaard

First comes the challenge of the Bengals, the league’s most physical and best rebounding team. ISU’s sagging defense dares teams to take quick shots. The Bengals gobble up the rebound more often than not. And penetration usually receives physical contact. The style has been advantageous against the Bobcats for the last handful of seasons.

“It’s a slugfest,” Montana State assistant head coach Nate Harris said. “They are physical and we get sucked into that style of play because we think we are pretty tough sometimes. I really think we are better off when we let our advantages take over.

“We are able to out-tough a lot of other teams in our league but they are so good at it. I think sometimes that gets us bogged down.”

Season-ending swoons have plagued Binford’s tenure, even in a championship campaign like last season. Last season’s decorated seniors Big Sky MVP Jasmine Hommes, point guard Lindsay Stockton and smooth power forward Alexa Dawkins saw a 14-win league stretch go down in flames on a neutral court thanks to an ISU prayer.

Stay with the ‘Cats & the Griz at Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada March 5-12

Stay with the ‘Cats & the Griz at Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada March 5-12

Montana State has much to play for. The Bobcats want to maintain the 4th-longest home winning streak in Division I. MSU wants to win its final home games for Ferris, Nordgaard and backup guard Margreet Barhoum. With two wins and a North Dakota loss, the Bobcats will win a second straight BSC title. But Idaho State stands in the way.

“They have weaseled their way into that rival role,” Nordgaard said. “We definitely don’t like losing. Teams that can take a game or two from us, we remember those.”

About Colter Nuanez

Colter Nuanez is the co-founder and senior writer for Skyline Sports. After spending six years in the newspaper industry with stops at the Missoulian, the Ellensburg Daily Record and the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, the former Washington Newspaper Association Sportswriter of the Year and University of Montana Journalism School graduate ('09) has cultivated a deep passion for sports journalism during his 13-year career covering the Big Sky Conference. In August of 2014, Colter and brother Brooks merged their passions of writing and art to found Skyline Sports.

Recommended for you