Tuesday, October 6
Bozeman, MT
6:30 p.m. MT
Montana State University
vs
Blue & Gold Scrimmage
Women's Basketball Tests Talents at Blue and Gold Scrimmage
10/6/2026 8:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BOZEMAN, Mont. – The Montana State women's basketball team tested out their talents in the annual Blue and Gold scrimmage on Tuesday night, defeating the scout team 91-69.
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Although the scout team had a former Big Sky MVP on the roster in graduate assistant Esmeralda Morales, the Bobcats were able to handily best their opponents.
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Twelve of 14 Bobcats saw the court as head coach Tricia Binford prepares her roster to pursue another historic season, including newcomers Madison O'Connor and Ebele Mbagwu, who donned MSU Blue for the first time.
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"The biggest thing for our team is keeping everybody hungry and getting their feet wet," Binford said. "You want to try to get as many players as possible court time in the preseason so they feel confident with what they're doing, but you also have to give them some time for rhythm. There were a lot of fun lineups today. What I love about this team is that they're always ready to be great teammates and they're going to continue to get better."
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Fans had a chance to preview the improvements of the 10 returners, with Brianne Bailey, Taylee Chirrick, and O'Connor leading the offense in double-digit scoring. Fifth year Dylan Philip, a regular starter in the 2024-25 season, returned to the court for the first time after being sidelined with an injury last season.
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"I think there are always a lot of takeaways, and this was a good learning experience," Philip said. "We're going to be playing a lot of people that are just as big as all of our scout guys, so being able to defend players like that will be really big for us going into our non-conference schedule."
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The Bobcats will continue preseason play with the first of two exhibition games as they host Cedarville on Oct. 14. South Dakota Mines will pay a visit to Bozeman on Oct. 25 before the regular season opener against Black Hills State on Nov. 2. Season tickets are on sale now, and single-game tickets will be available for purchase prior to the first exhibition match.
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"It was fantastic to have so many fans show up tonight," Binford said. "Looking over the crowd when the fight song played, for a scrimmage in early October, that is pretty amazing. We want people to have a chance to see this squad, and I think everyone is excited. We want to double our attendance this year, and it's going to be a great atmosphere all season long."
Follow the Bobcats
For the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Montana State women's basketball team, follow the Bobcats on X at @MSUBobcatsWBB and on Instagram at @msubobcatswbb. Information on the Montana State athletic program can be found online at msubobcats.com or by following the Bobcats on X at @MSUBobcats, Instagram @MontanaStateBobcats, and on Facebook at Montana State Bobcats.
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Although the scout team had a former Big Sky MVP on the roster in graduate assistant Esmeralda Morales, the Bobcats were able to handily best their opponents.
Â
Twelve of 14 Bobcats saw the court as head coach Tricia Binford prepares her roster to pursue another historic season, including newcomers Madison O'Connor and Ebele Mbagwu, who donned MSU Blue for the first time.
Â
"The biggest thing for our team is keeping everybody hungry and getting their feet wet," Binford said. "You want to try to get as many players as possible court time in the preseason so they feel confident with what they're doing, but you also have to give them some time for rhythm. There were a lot of fun lineups today. What I love about this team is that they're always ready to be great teammates and they're going to continue to get better."
Â
Fans had a chance to preview the improvements of the 10 returners, with Brianne Bailey, Taylee Chirrick, and O'Connor leading the offense in double-digit scoring. Fifth year Dylan Philip, a regular starter in the 2024-25 season, returned to the court for the first time after being sidelined with an injury last season.
Â
"I think there are always a lot of takeaways, and this was a good learning experience," Philip said. "We're going to be playing a lot of people that are just as big as all of our scout guys, so being able to defend players like that will be really big for us going into our non-conference schedule."
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The Bobcats will continue preseason play with the first of two exhibition games as they host Cedarville on Oct. 14. South Dakota Mines will pay a visit to Bozeman on Oct. 25 before the regular season opener against Black Hills State on Nov. 2. Season tickets are on sale now, and single-game tickets will be available for purchase prior to the first exhibition match.
Â
"It was fantastic to have so many fans show up tonight," Binford said. "Looking over the crowd when the fight song played, for a scrimmage in early October, that is pretty amazing. We want people to have a chance to see this squad, and I think everyone is excited. We want to double our attendance this year, and it's going to be a great atmosphere all season long."
Follow the Bobcats
For the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Montana State women's basketball team, follow the Bobcats on X at @MSUBobcatsWBB and on Instagram at @msubobcatswbb. Information on the Montana State athletic program can be found online at msubobcats.com or by following the Bobcats on X at @MSUBobcats, Instagram @MontanaStateBobcats, and on Facebook at Montana State Bobcats.
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Players Mentioned
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