BOZEMAN, Mont. (Jan. 29, 2026) – Montana State faces a like-minded opponent Thursday night in Worthington Arena, when Sacramento State visits for a 7 pm tipoff.
“It’s going to be a really fun game for the fans to watch,” MSU head coach said of the matchup between her Big Sky-leading Bobcats and the only league team that beat the Cats in their championship season a year ago. “Both teams like to run, both teams like to press, both have aggressive mindsets.”
While Montana State leads the Big Sky with a 7-1 mark, the Hornets stand 4-3 after finishing 7-11 in league play last season. Like the Bobcats, Sac State has built a foundation on defense. “We’re first in steals, they’re first in field goal defense,” Binford said. “It will be a fun games for the fans, and we need to protect home court.”
The Bobcats field one of the youngest teams in the Big Sky, without a senior on the roster and featuring two sophomores and a freshman in the starting lineup. Sacramento State counters with a veteran squad including Big Sky Preseason MVP Benthe Versteeg, a senior, and classmate Fatoumata Jaiteh.
Leading her young roster through the growing pains of a long season has been a central focus for Binford and her staff, and she’s seen the benefits of that work. “The biggest area or growth is our young players getting better,” she said. “We’ve really had to rely on our bench with (injuries to two projected starters). We needed to rely on freshmen ad sophomores to be ready consistently, and they’re showing improvement. We know there’s a lot more there for us. We need to need to keep focusing on winning a championship every day.”
The Bobcats host Portland State on Saturday at 2 pm in Worthington Arena.
#GoCatsGo
