Cats Enter Big Sky Tourney as No. 4 Seed

Monday, March 11

Boise, ID

12 p.m.

Montana State University

Northern Colorado

3/8/2024 4:35:00 PM | Women's Basketball

BIG SKY TOURNEY NOTES

Montana State enters the Big Sky Conference Tournament as the No. 4 seed and faces No. 5 Northern Colorado on Monday, March 11 at 12 p.m. at Idaho Central Arena in downtown Boise, Idaho.

By: Tom Schulz

NEXT UP: Montana State enters the Big Sky Conference Tournament as the No. 4 seed and faces No. 5 Northern Colorado on Monday, March 11 at 12 p.m. at Idaho Central Arena in downtown Boise, Idaho. Should the Bobcats defeat Northern Colorado they would move on to semifinal action on Tuesday, March 12 at 12 p.m. The Big Sky Conference Tournament championship game is slated for Wednesday, March 13 at 3 p.m. televised on ESPNU.

A LITTLE ABOUT MONTANA STATE: Montana State is coming off a 67-62 win at Weber State in Ogden, Utah on Monday night. Four players reached double figures led by Marah Dykstra with a game-high 20 points. Katelynn Limardo and Natalie Picton each added 11, while Taylor Janssen chipped in 10. With the victory, MSU head coach Tricia Binford secured her 17th consecutive non-losing season in Bozeman. In its final home game of the season, Eastern Washington's Jamie Loera, the Big Sky Conference MVP, banked in a short jumper at the buzzer to defeat the Bobcats 52-50 in Worthington Arena.

A LITTLE ABOUT NORTHERN COLORADO: Northern Colorado finished the season 15-14 overall and 10-8 in league action. MSU and UNC tied for fourth place in the final big sky standings. The Bears, under the direction of third-year head coach Kristen Mattio (a former Montana State assistant coach) put three players on the all-Big Sky Conference teams. Delaynie Byrne was named to the first team, while Hannah Simental garnered second team accolades, and Aniah Hall, honorable mention kudos.

THE SCOUTING REPORT: Northern Colorado finished the regular season 15-14 overall and 10-8 in Big Sky play. The Bears dropped a 67-61 decision to Northern Arizona in Greeley on Monday night. Hannah Simental led UNC with 13 points, while Seneca Hackley and Aniah Hall added 10 apiece. On the season, the Bears have been paced by first team all-Big Sky performer Delaynie Byrne, who averages 13.6 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, while Simental chips in 12.6 ppg and Hall 10 ppg.

ALL JACKED UP: Madison Hall has started all 31 games and is averaging 10.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. Hall recently saw her streak of 15 consecutive games in double figures snapped at Montana on Feb. 17. Hall is second on the team averaging 11.3 points per game in Big Sky Conference play, while shooting 43.2% from the field and 79.7% from the line. She posted a season-best 19 points in Montana State's win over Northern Colorado, Feb. 8 in Bozeman. Against the Bears she went seven-of-10 from the field and four-of-five at the line. Last season, Hall (nèe Jackson) played in 29 games, including 16 starts. Over the summer she married Brayden Hall, a former MSU men's basketball manager. As a sophomore, Hall had a career-high 20 points against Idaho State.

OUT ON A LIMB: Katelynn 'KJ' Limardo has started 27 games for the Bobcats. She will make her 117th career start against Northern Colorado on Monday afternoon. Limardo suffered a late-game injury against UM on Jan. 20 and missed three games before returning at Eastern Washington. She is second on the team averaging 11.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest. Limardo has been in double digits on 18 occasions, including a career-high 25 points against North Texas on Dec. 21, connecting on seven-of-11 from the field, five-of-nine from long distance and six-of-seven from the line. For her efforts, she was named Big Sky Player of the Week. At Portland on Dec. 2, she notched her first ever double double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. She's notched four double doubles this season, the last on Jan. 20 against Montana with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Last year, she played in all 31 games and averaged 5.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Against Saint Mary's on Dec. 12, 2022, Limardo registered a career-high seven triples- which were the second most in a single game at Montana State, behind Tori Martell's 8 3-pointers against North Dakota on Dec. 6, 2020. The product of Silver City, N.M. (a town where lawman Harvey Whitehall was the first to arrest Billy the Kid, known at the time under the alias Henry Antrim in 1875), is shooting 35.5% from the field and 78% from the line. Limardo is first on the team with 44 3-pointers. She is currently sixth on MSU's all-time career 3-point makes chart with 173 triples. Last weekend against Idaho, Eastern Washington and Weber State, Limardo averaged 11.3 points and six rebounds per game, while chipping in nine assists and seven steals.

OH CANADA: Marah (MARE-ah) Dykstra has started 39-of-58 games as a Bobcat and is currently averaging 11.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per outing, while dishing out a team-best 2.7 assists per game. Dykstra, who sat out games at Northern Arizona and Northern Colorado, returned to the line up on Jan. 20 against Montana, finishing with 12 points and five rebounds. Against Eastern Washington Feb. 1, Dykstra notched a career-high 21 points to guide MSU to the victory. For the game, she connected on seven-of-12 from the field and seven-of-eight at the line. Against Portland State on Jan. 27, Dykstra had 17 points and pulled down a career-high 14 rebounds for her first career double-double. Last winter, the native of Vancouver, B.C., Canada averaged 3.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per contest, while shooting 38.2% from the field and 80.5% (33-41) from the free throw line. This summer she played for Team Canada at the 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup in Madrid, Spain, July 15-23. During the last offseason Dykstra navigated a year-long process and survived two rounds of cuts to make the final 12-player roster. Five players returned to the squad from the 2022 U18 Canadian team that competed in the Women's Americas Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina, of which Dykstra was a member. Team Canada cruised through pool play, defeating China 83-62, Czech Republic 66-61, Egypt 100-44, and Brazil 89-45. Dykstra averaged seven rebounds per game, the second-best mark of any athlete in opening round action. Dykstra finished World Cup play averaging 23.1 minutes, while chipping in 4.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Last weekend, she led the Bobcats averaging 16 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. In MSU's win at Weber State, Dykstra notched 20 points, seven rebounds and two assists.

THE PRIDE OF ROSEMOUNT: Taylor Janssen averaged 8.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game last weekend. On Feb. 8 against Northern Colorado, Janssen notched a career-high 17 points going five-of-seven from the field and hitting all five free throw attempts. The product of Rosemount, Minn., has started the last 25 games for the Bobcats following the season-ending injury to Lexi Deden. On the season, she's averaging 8.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, while shooting 41.5% from the field. Janssen played in all 30 games and averaged 3.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per outing last season. She notched a season-high 11 points against Northern Arizona on Jan. 7, 2023. Janssen pulled down a season-high seven rebounds against Providence (MT) in the season-opener. As a freshman, she connected on 20 straight free throws before missing a charity toss. Janssen came up short of the all-time Bobcat record of 25 set by Rebecca Mercer during the 2007-08 season. She is currently shooting 83.6% (46-55) from the charity stripe.

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK: Freshman Natalie Picton, a 5-5 guard from Welland, Ontario, Canada has started all 31 games following the injury to sophomore point guard Dylan Philip. The freshman has filled the role admirably, averaging 7.5 points, 2.2 assists, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game. Picton has reached double figures in 11 games, including a season-high 14 points against Idaho on Feb. 29, which included connecting on three triples. Last Monday, she registered 11 points, four assists, four steals and two rebounds in Montana State's 67-65 win at Weber State. In Big Sky action, Picton is averaging 8.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. Currently, she is second on the team shooting 82% from the line.

THE WONDER FROM WALES: Freshman Issy Bunyan has made an impact in her short time at MSU. The 6-0 guard from Tonyrefail, Wales, is averaging 5.2 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. She has been in double figures scoring on five occasions, including a season-best 15 against BYU in the season opener. At Portland State on Feb. 22, she recorded nine points, all coming from three-point territory. Last weekend, she averaged 4.0 points per game.

MADE IN MONTANA: Redshirt freshman Brooke Berry (Billings) came off the bench to make a big contribution in MSU's win over Wyoming registering 10 points on 4-8 shooting. At ISU on Jan. 22, she had seven points and three rebounds. Berry is the daughter of former MSU men's player Gale Berry, who was a Bobcat from 1988-90.

300/200: With its 75-60 win over Weber State on Feb. 9, 2023, MSU head coach Tricia Binford notched her 309th career win, moving her past former Weber State bench boss Carla Taylor (308 -23 years). With MSU's 92-84 victory at Eastern Washington on Dec. 31, 2022, Binford became just the third coach in Big Sky history to record 300 wins- all coming as a member of the league. Binford is second to Montana's Robin Selvig (865, 38 years). In Big Sky play, Binford is second to Selvig (358) with 207 victories. Binford is MSU's winningest coach - men/women. This season marks Binford's 19th with the Bobcat program. She is currently 328-248 overall and 207-127 in BSC play.

MAKING THE MOST OF IT: True-freshman Ella Johnson was pulled off a redshirt season prior to Montana State's game at Portland on Dec. 2 due to numerous Bobcat injuries. Since that time, the 6-2 forward from Elk River, Minn., has made the most of her playing time, which has increased from two-minutes of action against North Texas to a season-high 31 minutes at Northern Colorado. Johnson is averaging 15.7 minutes per game and is chipping in 1.6 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. She recorded a season-best eight points in MSU's win over Portland State on Jan. 27, and pulled down a season-high eight rebounds against the Vikings, as well. On the season, she is shooting 45.5% (15-33) from the field. In Big Sky action, Johnson is averaging 2.3 points and 3.5 boards per game.

DULY NOTED: Madison Hall made her 130th appearance as a Bobcat on Monday against Weber State. Hall is MSU's all-time iron women in games played- now five ahead of Blaire Braxton and Madeline Smith.

LOSING LEXI: Senior Lexi Deden has been lost for the season following a knee injury sustained in the fourth quarter of MSU's contest against James Madison at the Cancun Challenge over Thanksgiving. Deden led MSU averaging 13.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game and recorded a career-high 23 points and 14 rebounds in MSU's 75-57 win over New Mexico. For her efforts she was named Big Sky Player of the Week. Deden plans to return to Montana State next year.

LOSING LINDSEY: Sophomore Lindsey Hein came off the bench to make big contribution in Montana State's win over Wyoming on Dec. 17 in Worthington Arena. The 6-6 center from Forsyth, Mont., finished with 11 points which included a five-of-six performance at the free throw line. Hein also pulled down three rebounds and had a blocked shot. Unfortunately, Hein has been lost for the season due to a foot injury. She finishes the season averaging 3.2 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. Hein also recorded five blocks and four steals.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME: Over the past 10 seasons the Bobcats have thrived in the warm confines of Worthington Arena. Since the 2012-13 season, Montana State has gone an impressive 124-36 (77.5%) overall and 86-26 (76.8%) in Big Sky Conference play on its home court. During that span - from the start of the 2015-16 Big Sky season to the beginning of 2017-18 in league play- MSU rattled off a 19-game home court win streak. In her 19 seasons at Montana State, Bobcat head coach Tricia Binford is 172-76 (69.4%) overall and 115-51 (69.3%) in Big Sky play in Worthington Arena.

A FEW MORE NOTES: Over the past seven seasons, the Bobcats have claimed three Big Sky regular season titles 2016, 2017, 2020; two Big Sky Conference Tournament titles 2017, 2022; made two NCAA appearances 2017, 2022; and one WNIT appearance 2016…In the last six seasons, no Big Sky Conference team has won more league games than the Bobcats. Montana State has racked up 78 victories in Big Sky play since the 2019-20 season. The Bobcats are followed by Idaho State (71) and Idaho (70)…Montana State is 14-5 when holding the opponent under 60 points. The Bobcats are 12-2 on the season when limiting its opponent to 39% shooting from the field or less.