Box Score FINAL SCORE: Idaho 60, Montana State 57
RECORDS: Idaho (29-5, 17-1), Montana State (25-7, 16-2)
IDAHO LEADERS: Ana Beatriz Passos Alves da Silva (12 points), Debora Dos Santos (10 rebounds), Hope Hassmann (four assists)
 
NOTABLES:

• Idaho advances to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2016
• With its 29^th win of the season, Idaho breaks a school record for most wins in a season
• Idaho wins the season series against Montana State for the first time since 2018-19
• It was the second time this season Ana Beatriz Passos Alves da Silva led the team in scoring
• In all three games in the Big Sky tournament, Idaho held its opponents to 57 points or less
• Hope Hassmann was named tournament MVP. Hassmann, Kyra Gardner, and Debora Dos Santos were named to the All-Tournament team

BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho Vandals Women's Basketball team hoisted the tournament trophy high in front of a quasi-home crowd in Boise's Idaho Central Arena, as the Vandal women defeated The Montana State Bobcats 60-57 to claim the conference crown.

In a slugfest of a game that will live in Vandal lore for the rest of time, the Vandals and the 'Cats both came out ready to fight for every single point for all 40 minutes. It was MSU that struck first to take an early lead. On the following possession, Ana Pinheiro took the ball from the top of the key and drove to her right, laying it in for two to get the Vandals on the board. With Hope Hassmann and Ana Beatriz Passos Alves da Silva each knocking home a three-ball, the Vandals led 12-6 at the first media timeout and the Vandals were a scorching 5-7 from the field. 

Montana State went on a 7-0 run to take the lead, but Pinheiro drove through the paint, put up a floater that bounced high off the back iron and fell through the nylon to regain the lead at 14-13. Idaho took an 18-13 lead to the second, led by Hassmann who had seven points in the first on 3-5 shooting from the floor. 

The Vandal attack started clicking on a slick bounce pass through traffic from Hassmann to find a cutting Ella Uriarte for an open layup to give the Vandals a 20-15 lead and kickstart a 9-0 Idaho run. Ana B scored five of those nine, one of which came on a dime from Debora Dos Santos in the paint for a lay in, and a three ball at the 6:43 mark to give extend Idaho's lead to double digits and forcing a Montana State timeout. The mighty Vandal defense held MSU without a field goal for over three minutes in the second, but at the 4:16 mark the 'Cats hit a three. The Bobcats knocked in another three to cut into the Vandal lead. The Vandals clapped back and Pinheiro hit a big triple with eight seconds left in the half, and Idaho took a 36-31 lead to the locker rooms. 

Coming out of the break, Pinheiro scored the first Vandal points of the half on a fastbreak layup that she put off the right side of the glass for two. The game was tied at 38, but Hassmann and Dos Santos ran a high pick-and-roll to take the lead back. On the next possession, Kyra Gardner knocked home a three from the top of the key on an assist from Uriarte to make it 43-38. The mighty Vandal defense forced a shot-clock violation MSU's next possession. Hassmann took the ball to the cup to suffocate the defense, then kicked out to Uriarte for a straightaway three to cap off an 8-0 run and make the score 46-38 at the media timeout. 

With 1:37 Lorena Barbosa danced along the baseline and flipped up a reverse layup to give Idaho a 50-44 lead. After a few free throws, Idaho took a 53-44 lead to the fourth with a title on the line. 
In a knock-down-drag-out fourth quarter, the Vandal defense shone bright, forcing a scoring drought from 2:08 in the third, all the way to 6:16 in the fourth, holding the 'Cats scoreless in that time. Late in the game, Dos Santos was fouled and went to the charity stripe and knocked in a pair of free throws to make it 58-52. The 'Cats made a layup on the following possession to make it a four-point game with 1:59 remaining and the defending champs weren't going to go away without a fight. With just under a minute remaining, Montana State hit a triple to make it a 58-57 game in favor of Idaho, and the Bobcats wouldn't score from there. 

Hassmann hit a pair of free throws to make it 60-57, and Idaho needed one more big stop. With 7.3 seconds left, MSU was inbounding on the sideline, chucked up a three that was blocked by an outstretched Barbosa, and Idaho scrambled to the rebound. Idaho intentionally missed its free throws as the 'Cats didn't have a timeout, MSU corralled the ball and heaved a full-court shot, but it was
deflected and the final horn sounded.

As the confetti rained down in Idaho Central Arena, it became official: The Idaho Vandals broke out their dancing shoes are once again Big Sky tournament champions. Hassmann was named the tournament's MVP, and Dos Santos and Gardner were selected to the all-tournament team. 

UP NEXT: The Idaho Vandals await Selection Sunday to see whom they will play in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The selection show will be on Sunday at 5 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN.

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