Montana Grizzlies Fall Short in Big Sky Title Game Heartbreaker

BOISE, Idaho — The University of Montana Grizzlies saw their postseason dreams end Wednesday night with a 77-66 loss to No. 7 seed Idaho in the Big Sky Conference men's basketball tournament championship at Idaho Central Arena. The fourth-seeded Grizzlies, who entered the week at 18-15 overall and 10-8 in conference, stunned No. 1 Portland State 75-72 in the semifinals after earlier knocking off No. 3 Northern Colorado. But Idaho's Isaiah Brickner exploded for 23 points and 10 rebounds in his first double-double, while Brody Rowbury added 12, powering the Vandals to their first title since 1990 and an NCAA Tournament berth.

Montana's Money Williams etched his name in Big Sky lore, earning Tournament MVP honors with a record 91 points over three games, including 19 in the final. The Grizzlies, coached by Travis DeCuire, fought valiantly despite finishing 18-16, but couldn't match Idaho's momentum after the Vandals' grueling four-wins-in-five-days surge to 21-14. Williams' heroics highlighted a resilient Missoula squad that overcame a sub-.500 regular season to reach the title game for the third straight year.

For Grizzly fans in Missoula and across Montana, the defeat stings amid hopes of extending a recent postseason streak. Idaho's championship run, their first Big Sky crown in 36 years, overshadowed Montana's impressive tournament path. DeCuire lamented postgame that his team appeared out of sorts, but the season's silver lining lies in the growth shown by a program that's become a Big Sky postseason staple at Washington-Grizzly Stadium's neighbor, Dahlberg Arena.