The Big Sky Conference men's basketball tournament is the conference championship tournament in men's basketball for the Big Sky Conference. The event has been held annually since 1976, the conference's thirteenth year.
The tournament winner earns a berth in the NCAA Division I tournament.
Format and host sites For the Big Sky's first twelve seasons, it did not have a conference tournament. Starting with its fifth season of the regular season champion received a berth in the West regional of the NCAA tournament. an unscheduled tiebreaker playoff was held; the two had identical records (conference & overall) and each had won at home to split the season series; visiting Idaho State prevailed at Montana in the Tuesday night playoff.
For the tournament's first eight editions (1976–1983), only the top four teams (of eight) in the conference standings participated. The tournament expanded to eight teams in 1984, then scaled back to six in 1989. Before 2016, when the tournament moved to a predetermined neutral site, it was often hosted by the regular season champion, but not always. If two or more teams tied for the regular season title, all were declared co-champions, but hosting rights were determined by a tiebreaker procedure. The first tournament in which the regular season champion did not host was in 1985.
Since the 2016 tournament, all full conference members (currently 10) have participated (barring NCAA sanctions or self-imposed postseason bans, the latter of which kept Northern Colorado out of the 2017 tournament), and the tournament is held at a predetermined site. The first such site to host was the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nevada, which hosted from 2016 to 2018.
On September 18, 2017, the Big Sky announced that its men's and women's tournaments would relocate in 2019 to Boise, Idaho; the initial contract ran for three years at the venue now known as Idaho Central Arena through 2021. The hosting contract has since been extended twice, with the most recent extension running through 2031.
History of the tournament finals Year Champion Score Runner-up Tournament MVP Location1976Boise State77–70OTWeber StateJimmie Watts, Weber StateWildcat Gym (Ogden, Utah)1977Idaho State61–55Weber StateEd Thompson, Idaho StateISU Minidome (Pocatello, Idaho)1978Weber State62–55MontanaBruce Collins, Weber StateAdams Field House (Missoula, Montana)1979Weber State92–70Northern ArizonaDee Events Center (Ogden, Utah)1980Weber State50–42Montana1981Idaho70–64MontanaKen Owens, IdahoKibbie Dome (Moscow, Idaho)1982Idaho85–80Nevada1983Weber State87–78NevadaKen Green, NevadaCentennial Coliseum (Reno, Nevada)1984Nevada71–69MontanaCurtis High, NevadaDee Events Center (Ogden, Utah)1985Nevada79–63Idaho StateDwayne Randall, NevadaBSU Pavilion (Boise, Idaho)1986Montana State82–77MontanaTony Hampton, Montana StateLawlor Events Center (Reno, Nevada)1987Idaho State92–81NevadaJim Rhode, Idaho StateWalkup Skydome (Flagstaff, Arizona)1988Boise State63–61Montana StateChris Childs, Boise StateBrick Breeden Fieldhouse (Bozeman, Montana)1989Idaho59–52Boise StateRiley Smith, IdahoBSU Pavilion (Boise, Idaho)1990Idaho65–62Eastern Washington1991Montana76–68IdahoKevin Kearney, MontanaDahlberg Arena (Missoula, Montana)1992Montana73–68NevadaDelvon Anderson, Montana1993Boise State80–68IdahoTanoka Beard, Boise StateKibbie Dome (Moscow, Idaho)1994Boise State85–81Idaho StateShambric Williams, Boise StateBSU Pavilion (Boise, Idaho)1995Weber State84–62MontanaRuben Nembhard, Weber StateDee Events Center (Ogden, Utah)1996Montana State81–70Weber StateDanny Sprinkle, Montana StateBrick Breeden Fieldhouse (Bozeman, Montana)1997Montana82–79Cal State NorthridgeTrenton Cross, Cal State NorthridgeWalkup Skydome (Flagstaff, Arizona)1998Northern Arizona77–50Montana StateDan McClintock, Northern Arizona1999Weber State82–75Northern ArizonaEddie Gill, Weber StateDee Events Center (Ogden, Utah)2000Northern Arizona85–81OTCal State NorthridgeRoss Land, Northern ArizonaDahlberg Arena (Missoula, Montana)2001Cal State Northridge73–58Eastern WashingtonBrian Heinle, Cal State NorthridgeMatadome (Northridge, California)2002Montana70–66Eastern WashingtonDan Trammel, MontanaBrick Breeden Fieldhouse (Bozeman, Montana)2003Weber State60–57Eastern WashingtonJermaine Boyette, Weber StateDee Events Center (Ogden, Utah)2004Eastern Washington71–59Northern ArizonaBrendon Merritt, Eastern WashingtonReese Court (Cheney, Washington)2005Montana63–61Weber StateKamarr Davis, MontanaMemorial Coliseum (Portland, Oregon)2006Montana73–60Northern ArizonaVirgil Matthews, MontanaWalkup Skydome (Flagstaff, Arizona)2007Weber State88–80Northern ArizonaDavid Patten, Weber StateDee Events Center (Ogden, Utah)2008Portland State67–51Northern ArizonaDeonte Huff, Portland StateRose Garden Arena (Portland, Oregon)2009Portland State79–77Montana StateJeremiah Dominguez, Portland StateDee Events Center (Ogden, Utah)2010Montana66–65Weber StateAnthony Johnson, Montana2011Northern Colorado* (vacated)65–60MontanaDevon Beitzel, Northern ColoradoButler-Hancock Sports Pavilion (Greeley, Colorado)2012Montana85–66Weber StateKareem Jamar, MontanaDahlberg Arena (Missoula, Montana)2013Montana67–64Weber State2014Weber State88–67North DakotaDavion Berry, Weber StateDee Events Center (Ogden, Utah) 2015Eastern Washington69–65MontanaTyler Harvey, Eastern WashingtonDahlberg Arena (Missoula, Montana) 2016Weber State62–59MontanaJeremy Senglin, Weber StateReno Events Center (Reno, Nevada) 2017North Dakota93–89OTWeber StateQuinton Hooker, North Dakota 2018Montana82–65Eastern WashingtonMichael Oguine, Montana 2019Montana68–62Eastern WashingtonAhmaad Rorie, MontanaCenturyLink Arena (Boise, Idaho) 2020Canceled prior to quarterfinals due to the coronavirus pandemic 2021Eastern Washington65–55 Montana StateTanner Groves, Eastern WashingtonIdaho Central Arena (Boise, Idaho) 2022Montana State87–66 Northern ColoradoXavier Bishop, Montana State 2023Montana State87–66 Northern ArizonaRaequan Battle, Montana State 2024Montana State85–70 MontanaRobert Ford III, Montana State 2025Montana91–83 Northern ColoradoBrandon Whitney, Montana 2026Idaho77–66 MontanaMoney Williams, Montana 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031
Finals performance by school School Championships Appearances Championship Years Montana 12 23 1991, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2018, 2019, 2025 Weber State 10 18 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2014, 2016 Montana State 5 9 1986, 1996, 2022, 2023, 2024 Idaho 5 7 1981, 1982, 1989, 1990, 2026 Boise State 4 5 1976, 1988, 1993, 1994 Eastern Washington 3 9 2004, 2015, 2021 Nevada 2 6 1984, 1985 Idaho State 2 4 1977, 1987 Northern Arizona 2 9 1998, 2000 Portland State 2 2 2008, 2009 Cal State Northridge 1 3 2001 North Dakota 1 2 2017 Northern Colorado 0 2 Sacramento State 0 0 Southern Utah 0 0
Current members of the Big Sky Conference are highlighted in yellow. Returning member Southern Utah is highlighted in blue. It had been a Big Sky member from 2012 to 2022 and will rejoin in 2026. Boise State was a member for 26 years (1970–96), Nevada for 13 years (1979–92). Charter member Idaho was out of the conference for 18 years (1996–2014).
NCAA Tournament appearances Year Big Sky Team Opponent Result 1968 Weber State New Mexico State L 57–68 1969 Weber State SeattleSanta ClaraNew Mexico State W 75–73L 59–63OTW 58–56 1970 Weber State Long Beach State L 73–92 1971 Weber State Long Beach State L 66–77 1972 Weber State HawaiiUCLASan Francisco W 91–64L 58–90L 64–74 1973 Weber State Long Beach State L 75–88 1974 Idaho State New Mexico L 65–73 1975 Montana Utah StateUCLAUNLV W 69–63L 64–67L 67–75 1976 Boise State UNLV L 78–103 1977 Idaho State Long Beach StateUCLAUNLV W 83–72W 76–75L 90–107 1978 (4Q) Weber State (2L) Arkansas L 52–73 1979 (7) Weber State (10) New Mexico State(2) Arkansas W 81–78OTL 63–74 1980 (7) Weber State (10) Lamar L 86–87 1981 (7) Idaho (10) Pittsburgh L 69–70OT 1982 (3) Idaho (6) Iowa(2) Oregon State W 69–67OTL 42–60 1983 (9) Weber State (8) Washington State L 52–62 1984 (11) Nevada (6) Washington L 54–64 1985 (14) Nevada (3) NC State L 56–65 1986 (16) Montana State (1) St. John's L 74–83 1987 (16) Idaho State (1) UNLV L 70–95 1988 (14) Boise State (3) Michigan L 58–63 1989 (13) Idaho (4) UNLV L 56–68 1990 (13) Idaho (4) Louisville L 59–78 1991 (16) Montana (1) UNLV L 65–99 1992 (14) Montana (3) Florida State L 68–78 1993 (14) Boise State (3) Vanderbilt L 72–92 1994 (13) Boise State (4) Louisville L 58–67 1995 (14) Weber State (3) Michigan State(6) Georgetown W 79–72L 51–53 1996 (13) Montana State (4) Syracuse L 55–88 1997 (16) Montana (1) Kentucky L 54–92 1998 (15) Northern Arizona (2) Cincinnati L 71–93 1999 (14) Weber State (3) North Carolina(6) Florida W 76–74L 74–82OT 2000 (15) Northern Arizona (2) St. John's L 56–61 2001 (13) Cal State Northridge (4) Kansas L 75–99 2002 (15) Montana (2) Oregon L 62–81 2003 (12) Weber State (5) Wisconsin L 74–81 2004 (15) Eastern Washington (2) Oklahoma State L 56–75 2005 (16) Montana (1) Washington L 77–88 2006 (12) Montana (5) Nevada(4) Boston College W 87–79L 56–69 2007 (15) Weber State (2) UCLA L 42–70 2008 (16) Portland State (1) Kansas L 61–85 2009 (13) Portland State (4) Xavier L 59–77 2010 (14) Montana (3) New Mexico L 57–62 2011 (15) Northern Colorado (2) San Diego State L 50–68 2012 (13) Montana (4) Wisconsin L 49–73 2013 (13) Montana (4) Syracuse L 34–81 2014 (16) Weber State (1) Arizona L 59–68 2015 (13) Eastern Washington (4) Georgetown L 74–84 2016 (15) Weber State (2) Xavier L 53–71 2017 (15) North Dakota (2) Arizona L 82–100 2018 (14) Montana (3) Michigan L 47–61 2019 (15) Montana (2) Michigan L 55–74 2021 (14) Eastern Washington (3) Kansas L 84–93 2022 (14) Montana State (3) Texas Tech L 62–97 2023 (14) Montana State (3) Kansas State L 65–77 2024 (16) Montana State (16) Grambling State L 81–88OT 2025 (14) Montana (3) Wisconsin L 66–85 2026 (15) Idaho (2) Houston L 47–78 2020 NCAA tournament was canceled due to COVID-19.
Broadcasters
Television Year Network Play-by-play Analyst 2024ESPN2Tony ParksJoe Cravens 2023 2022ESPNU 2021 Rich Hollenberg Malcolm Huckaby 2020 Eric Rothman Richie Schueler 2019 Sam Farber Noah Savage 2018Roxy Bernstein Adrian Branch 2017Corey Williams 2016 2015 2014 2013 Kanoa Leahey 2012ESPN2Roxy BernsteinMiles Simon 2011 2010 Dave Flemming Bob Valvano
Radio Year Network Play-by-play Analyst 2024 Westwood One J.B. LongNick Bahe 2023 Jason Benetti 2021 J.B. Long Dan Dickau 2019 Ted Emrich 2018 2017 Kevin Lee 2013 Dial Global Sports Wayne Larrivee Perry Clark 2012Ted RobinsonSteve Lappas 2011 Westwood One
See also Big Sky Conference women's basketball tournament
References
External links