By Danielle Daniels
3 21 2025
The Bobcats enter as a No. 13 seed and face No. 15th-ranked Ohio State on Friday, March 21, at 3:30 p.m. (MT) at Value City Arena in the Schottenstein Center.
NCAA TOURNAMENT NOTES
https://msubobcats.com/documents/2025/3/18/WBB_2425_RELEASE_22_NCAA_NOTES.pdf
NEXT UP: Montana State travels to Columbus, Ohio, for NCAA Tournament First Round action. The team leaves for Columbus on Wednesday. The Bobcats enter as a No. 13 seed and face No. 15th-ranked Ohio State on Friday, March 21, at 3:30 p.m. (MT) at Value City Arena in the Schottenstein Center. The Buckeyes are a No. 4 seed in the Birmingham 3 Region.
ABOUT THE BOBCATS: Montana State is 30-3 after defeating Montana 58-57 last Wednesday to win its fourth Big Sky Conference Tournament title. MSU’s 30 victories are the most ever recorded by a Big Sky Conference team.
ABOUT THE BUCKEYES: Ohio State is 25-6 overall and finished tied for third in the B1G with a 13-5 slate. The Buckeyes are coming off a 75-46 loss to No. 1 UCLA in semifinal action of the B1G Tournament. OSU opened the tournament with a 60-59 win over Iowa in the quarterfinals.
DULY NOTED: Esmeralda Morales became the ninth Bobcat in history to be named Big Sky Conference Player of the Year. She joins an elite group of Bobcats that includes Cass Bauer (1993), Blythe Hommes (1997), Tennyson Ballek (1999), Jessica Blake (2002, (Isabel Stubbs (2003), Jasmine Hommes (2016), Peyton Ferris (2017), and Fallyn Freije (2020).
FAB FROSH: Freshman Taylee Chirrick became the fourth Bobcat in history to be named Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year. She joins Darian White (2021, 2022), Sarah Strand Balian (2010, 2011) and Rebecca Alvidrez (2002).
BOBCAT NOTEBOOK:
- Montana State ranks 1st in the nation averaging 14.6 steals per game. The Cats posted a season-high 26 steals in its season opening win over Chadron State on Nov. 4. The mark was two shy of the all-time MSU mark of 28 steals against Montana Tech, Dec. 16, 2000.
- Montana State ranks 3rd in the nation in turnover margin at 8.82. The Cats forced 48 turnovers vs. Chadron State and have caused 20 or more turnovers on 23 occasions. Montana State’s 23.67 turnovers forced per game ranks 5th in the nation.
- Montana State is ranked 16th in the nation in scoring defense allowing only 55.5 ppg.
- Taylee Chirrick recorded a rare double-double at Eastern Washington on Jan. 20 with 12 points and a school record 11 steals. The 11 steals matched the Big Sky single game record. Chirrick ranks 5th nationally with 113 steals, which is the best mark by a freshman at the NCAA D-1 level. Her 11 steals are second to Erskine’s Evangelia Paulk’s 13 steals.
- Montana State is No. 11 in the nation in Bench Points Scored Per Game at 27.2 ppg.
- Montana State is 29-0 this season when leading after the third quarter
- Montana State is 29-0 this season when holding its opponents under 70 points.
- Katelynn Martin is the fourth Bobcat in history to go over 200 three-point makes (219) in a career. She trails only Katie Bussey (254) and Hannah Caudill (231).
- For her career, Esmeralda Morales has 1,869 points (12th all-time in Big Sky history), 285 3-pt. makes (6th all-time in Big Sky history), 348 free throw makes and 408 assists.
- Esme Morales ranks 29th in the country shooting 87.3% (110-126) from the FT line.
- MSU’s 30 wins are the most in Montana State and Big Sky women’s basketball history.
- Montana State has the nation’s longest road winning streak at 11 games.
- Montana State’s 19-game win streak was the second longest in the nation (and a school record) before being snapped by Sacramento State, 73-69, March 1.
COURTESY MONTANA STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
