Northern Colorado and Montana Face Off for Big Sky Championship

Missoula, Mont. — The Northern Colorado Bears and Montana Grizzlies are tied for first place in the Big Sky Conference, each holding a 14-3 record with one game remaining in the regular season. The stakes are high as both teams vie for the top seed in next week’s conference tournament in Boise.

Northern Colorado solidified its position by defeating Northern Arizona 83-73 on Saturday night, thanks to standout performances from Langston Reynolds and Jaron Rillie, who each scored 20 points. Reynolds shot 7 of 9 from the floor and 6 of 8 from the foul line, while Rillie excelled from beyond the arc, going a perfect 4 of 4 on three-point attempts and grabbing seven rebounds. Isaiah Hawthorne contributed 16 points, with Brock Wisne adding 13 for a dominant Bears’ offense that shot 62.5% overall.

Montana faced a setback earlier in the day, losing an overtime thriller against Portland State 79-76, which snapped their 10-game winning streak. Despite a double-digit lead late in the game, the Grizzlies fell victim to a 10-point run from the Vikings, forcing extra time where they were unable to reclaim control. The defeat left Montana at 14-3 in Big Sky play, matching Northern Colorado’s record.

Both teams have one last regular-season game. Northern Colorado will face Weber State on Monday, while Montana will host Eastern Washington. A victory for either team on Monday night results in at least a share of the conference title. However, if one team wins and the other loses, the victor claims the outright championship and the coveted No. 1 seed in the tournament.

Should both teams finish with identical records, Northern Colorado could secure the top seed based on their superior performance against Idaho State, having swept their season series. Montana, conversely, split its series against Idaho State and also went even against Portland State.

Northern Colorado’s conference history is intriguing. They last captured a conference title in the 2010-11 season, although those championships were later vacated by the NCAA due to violations involving an ineligible player.

For Monday’s game, Montana will see its home crowd at Dahlberg Arena as they chase their 13th Big Sky regular season title, a milestone that would be their first since 2019. Head coach Travis DeCuire, who recently surpassed George “Jiggs” Dahlberg for the all-time wins record in program history, is looking to add to his legacy as Montana’s coach.

Fans should expect an exhilarating atmosphere, as the game will air on ESPN2 at 9 p.m. The Grizzlies have a strong home record this season, going 14-1 in Missoula, and a victory could lead to a celebratory net-cutting ceremony.

Mitchell Williams, Montana’s sophomore guard, was a standout in the overtime loss against Portland State, scoring 36 points, including the final 15 points in regulation. His scoring outburst adds to the excitement surrounding Monday night’s matchup, as the team seeks to rebound from their recent defeat and claim a significant victory.