Saturday, January 3
Flagstaff, AZ
2 p.m.
Montana State University
9-4,2-0Big Sky
82
at
65
Northern Arizona
5-10,1-1Big Sky
1
2
3
4
F
Montana St.
25
22
15
20
82
Northern Ariz.
14
14
18
19
65
Taylee Chirrick
Photo by: Landon Johnson
Montana State Grabs Second Straight Women's Basketball Road Win in Topping NAU
1/3/2026 9:59:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Taylee Chirrick posts another sensational effort
(Jan. 3, 2026) – Thanks in large part to a fast start in Montana State's 82-65 women's basketball win at Northern Arizona on Saturday, the Bobcat women's basketball team has staked itself to a fast start in the 2025-26 Big Sky Conference season.
The Cats rode an 11-0 scoring run midway through the first quarter, with nine of those points from sophomore Taylee Chirrick, to a commanding 24-15 lead after the first quarter. MSU never looked back in posting a second consecutive road win to start league play.
"We had another fast start," said Bobcats coach Tricia Binford, "and today I thought was a much more complete game. We were much more consistent."
Chirrick's brilliant first quarter featured 11 of her team's points, and she finished with a game-high 27 points on 12-for-19 shooting and five steals. She added eight rebounds, second-most on the night after teammate Ella Johnson's 10 boards. Isobel Bunyan scored 14 points.
The Cats followed the fast first quarter, when the team shot 50 percent from the floor, with more sharp-shooting in the second by converting 47.6 percent of its shots. At the same time, MSU held the home-standing Lumberjacks to 37 percent shooting in the first half on 11 fewer shots.
That field goal attempt differential came from the Bobcats' ball-hawking defense. MSU forced 16 turnovers in the first half, on nine steals. Seven MSU players had at least one steal.
"I really liked our effort on the defensive end," Binford said. "Taylee was excellent, and Ella Johnson came up really big rebounding."
As in MSU's win at Northern Colorado on Thursday, the home team played better after halftime. Unlike two days earlier, the Cats didn't allow NAU to gain any serious traction. The Lumberjacks scored 37 points after the intermission, but still managed only 42.7 percent shooting for the game.
"I was really proud of the consistency we showed on both ends of the floor," Binford said. In addition to the shooting defense and 25 forced turnovers, Montana State out-rebounded the Lumberjacks 46-44 and blocked five shots. Johnson had two of them.
Montana State's fast start in the Big Sky's opening weekend leaves MSU in familiar position in the standings, even though the sample size is tiny. Only three teams remain unbeaten in league play, and 2-0 Idaho State joins the Cats as the only unbeaten Big Sky teams with multiple wins. Idaho is 1-0.
The Bobcats host Eastern Washington on Thursday and Idaho on Saturday in Worthington Arena.
#GoCatsGo
The Cats rode an 11-0 scoring run midway through the first quarter, with nine of those points from sophomore Taylee Chirrick, to a commanding 24-15 lead after the first quarter. MSU never looked back in posting a second consecutive road win to start league play.
"We had another fast start," said Bobcats coach Tricia Binford, "and today I thought was a much more complete game. We were much more consistent."
Chirrick's brilliant first quarter featured 11 of her team's points, and she finished with a game-high 27 points on 12-for-19 shooting and five steals. She added eight rebounds, second-most on the night after teammate Ella Johnson's 10 boards. Isobel Bunyan scored 14 points.
The Cats followed the fast first quarter, when the team shot 50 percent from the floor, with more sharp-shooting in the second by converting 47.6 percent of its shots. At the same time, MSU held the home-standing Lumberjacks to 37 percent shooting in the first half on 11 fewer shots.
That field goal attempt differential came from the Bobcats' ball-hawking defense. MSU forced 16 turnovers in the first half, on nine steals. Seven MSU players had at least one steal.
"I really liked our effort on the defensive end," Binford said. "Taylee was excellent, and Ella Johnson came up really big rebounding."
As in MSU's win at Northern Colorado on Thursday, the home team played better after halftime. Unlike two days earlier, the Cats didn't allow NAU to gain any serious traction. The Lumberjacks scored 37 points after the intermission, but still managed only 42.7 percent shooting for the game.
"I was really proud of the consistency we showed on both ends of the floor," Binford said. In addition to the shooting defense and 25 forced turnovers, Montana State out-rebounded the Lumberjacks 46-44 and blocked five shots. Johnson had two of them.
Montana State's fast start in the Big Sky's opening weekend leaves MSU in familiar position in the standings, even though the sample size is tiny. Only three teams remain unbeaten in league play, and 2-0 Idaho State joins the Cats as the only unbeaten Big Sky teams with multiple wins. Idaho is 1-0.
The Bobcats host Eastern Washington on Thursday and Idaho on Saturday in Worthington Arena.
#GoCatsGo
Team Stats
MSU
NAU
FG%
.398
.417
3FG%
.250
.304
FT%
.750
.615
RB
46
44
TO
9
25
STL
17
4
Game Leaders
Pts
27
FGM
12
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
14
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
F
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