Montana State Bobcats women's basketball
{{Short description|American college basketball team}}
{{primary sources|date=March 2017}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}{{Infobox CBB Team
|current = 2024–25 Montana State Bobcats women's basketball team
|name = Montana State Bobcats
|logo = Montana State Bobcats M Logo.png
|logo_size = 150
|university = Montana State University
|conference = Big Sky
|location = Bozeman, Montana
|coach = Tricia Binford
|tenure = 20th
|arena = Worthington Arena at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse
|capacity = 7,250
|nickname = Bobcats
|NCAAchampion3 =
|NCAAchampion2 =
|NCAAchampion =
|NCAAfinalfour =
|NCAAsweetsixteen =
|NCAAtourneys = 1993, 2017, 2022, 2025
|conference_tournament = 1993, 2017, 2022, 2025
|conference_season = 2016, 2017, 2020, 2023, 2025
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| h_title=Home
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| a_title=Away
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The Montana State Bobcats women's basketball team represents Montana State University, located in Bozeman, Montana. The school's team currently competes in the Big Sky Conference. They play their home games at Worthington Arena. The Bobcats are currently coached by Tricia Binford, who has served as the team's head coach since 2005 and is the winningest coach in team history.
History
Montana State launched it's women's basketball program in 1976 under coach Susan Miller, with the team losing its inaugural game to Flathead Community College. The Bobcats joined the Northwest Basketball League in 1978 before transferring to the Mountain West Conference in 1982. In 1988, Montana State made its first postseason appearance, being selected for the Women's National Invitation Tournament and finishing last in the eight-team bracket. Ahead of the 1988-89 season, the team transferred to the Big Sky Conference.
In 1993, the Bobcats earned their first berth to the NCAA Tournament under head coach Judy Spoelstra, with the season also marking the team's first Big Sky Tournament Championship. In 1999, former Bobcats stand-out Cass Bauer-Bilodeau became the first Montana State player to join the WNBA, signing with the Charlotte Sting.{{Cite web |last=Sports |first=BRIAR NAPIER 406 MT |date=2024-07-16 |title=Once WNBA 'pioneer,' Montana State legend Cass (Bauer) Bilodeau enjoying mom life, women's hoops' rise |url=https://406mtsports.com/college/big-sky-conference/montana-state-university/cass-bauer-bilodeau-wnba-hysham-montana-state-womens-basketball-where-are-they-now/article_3149ee5a-43c1-11ef-8272-5b5af1551220.html |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=406 MT SPORTS |language=en}}
In 2005, the team hired Tricia Binford, a former WNBA player and then-assistant at Utah State. After a 3−23 record in her first season, Binford has led the Bobcats to two more NCAA appearances and has not posted a losing record since 2007.{{Cite web |title=Tricia Binford - Women's Basketball Coach |url=https://msubobcats.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/tricia-binford/1169 |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=Montana State University Athletics |language=en}}
Postseason appearances
= NCAA tournament results =
The Bobcats have appeared in the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament four times. They have a combined record of 0–4.
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| {{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Montana State Bobcats|Year|Seed|Round|Opponent|Result}} |
| 1993
| #10 | First Round | #7 Washington | L 51−80 |
| 2017
| #14 | First Round | #3 Washington | L 63−91 |
| 2022
| #16 | First Round | #1 Stanford | L 37−78 |
| 2025
| #13 | First Round | #4 Ohio State | L 51−71 |
= WNIT results =
The Bobcats have appeared in the Women's National Invitation Tournament one time. They have a record of 0−1.
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| {{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Montana State Bobcats|Year|Round|Opponent|Result}} |
| 2016
| First Round | Utah | 61−95 |
References
{{reflist}}