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Cats Picked to win Big Sky WBB
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2025 9:28 am
by aucat
Frankly, this surprised me given all of the very good players we lost, especially Esme. I attended the scrimmage last night and was impressed with the quickness and athleticism especially the new freshmen.
However, so many big shoes to fill from last season's 30-4 squad.
https://www.montanasports.com/college/m ... ason-polls
Re: Cats Picked to win Big Sky WBB
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2025 9:42 am
by ClowderUp
Can't wait for this to start. This team is an absolute joy to watch. They're tough, they hustle, they're ferocious and they actually know what it means to play as a team (not just an over used expression). I watched a game last in Cheney on ESPN+ when EWU couldn't get the ball past half court in 7 straight possessions. Even through the television, you could see their souls leave the their bodies.
Re: Cats Picked to win Big Sky WBB
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2025 10:10 am
by arvcat2
aucat wrote: ↑Thu Oct 23, 2025 9:28 am
Frankly, this surprised me given all of the very good players we lost, especially Esme. I attended the scrimmage last night and was impressed with the quickness and athleticism especially the new freshmen.
However, so many big shoes to fill from last season's 30-4 squad.
https://www.montanasports.com/college/m ... ason-polls
If Dykstra & Picton would have stuck around, a #1 ranking would have been expected. I, too, am surprised considering over 50% of the minutes played from last year are gone. But I do look forward to a bunch of new faces on the floor and how this year's team will perform.
Re: Cats Picked to win Big Sky WBB
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2025 2:29 pm
by SACCAT
arvcat2 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 23, 2025 10:10 am
aucat wrote: ↑Thu Oct 23, 2025 9:28 am
Frankly, this surprised me given all of the very good players we lost, especially Esme. I attended the scrimmage last night and was impressed with the quickness and athleticism especially the new freshmen.
However, so many big shoes to fill from last season's 30-4 squad.
https://www.montanasports.com/college/m ... ason-polls
If Dykstra & Picton would have stuck around, a #1 ranking would have been expected. I, too, am surprised considering over 50% of the minutes played from last year are gone. But I do look forward to a bunch of new faces on the floor and how this year's team will perform.
Who would you put above MSU?
Montana lost 5 of their top 7 scorers last year
Idaho brings back the most scoring, but loses leadership with Nelson and Aadland gone.
I would say that MSU should be 1st until someone can prove that they can knock them off. From what I saw yesterday, that is going to be a very tall task for teams in the Big Sky.
Re: Cats Picked to win Big Sky WBB
Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2025 2:55 am
by Bobcat4Ever
I was privileged to watch a WBB team practice up close on my recent visit to Montana. There is nothing to worry about.
Had I not known anything about the players beforehand it would have been difficult to separate the old and the new. Top to bottom, this team will have very little drop-off in athletic ability. The average team speed has been improved. Not all of the new players are freshmen, and everyone is hungry on defense. Every player looked capable of pushing the ball hard in the open court. Guards, centers, forwards? Guess. It didn’t matter.
30 wins? Not likely against this schedule but by the end of the season this team will be a snarling clowder of ‘Cats, the most tournament-ready of Coach Binford’s teams yet. You read it here first.
Go ‘Cats!
Re: Cats Picked to win Big Sky WBB
Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2025 10:30 pm
by MSU01
Bobcat4Ever wrote: ↑Sat Oct 25, 2025 2:55 am
I was privileged to watch a WBB team practice up close on my recent visit to Montana. There is nothing to worry about.
Had I not known anything about the players beforehand it would have been difficult to separate the old and the new. Top to bottom, this team will have very little drop-off in athletic ability. The average team speed has been improved. Not all of the new players are freshmen, and everyone is hungry on defense. Every player looked capable of pushing the ball hard in the open court. Guards, centers, forwards? Guess. It didn’t matter.
30 wins? Not likely against this schedule but by the end of the season this team will be a snarling clowder of ‘Cats, the most tournament-ready of Coach Binford’s teams yet. You read it here first.
Go ‘Cats!
Thanks for the update, is Dylan Philip back out there on the court yet? Would be great news if she is as the knee injury she suffered at the end of last season looked pretty serious.
Re: Cats Picked to win Big Sky WBB
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 12:19 am
by Cat449yrs
Dylan is brace-free and doing some running but not practicing yet. Word is they hope to have her back by conference.
Re: Cats Picked to win Big Sky WBB
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 2:01 am
by Bobcat4Ever
MSU01 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 25, 2025 10:30 pm
Bobcat4Ever wrote: ↑Sat Oct 25, 2025 2:55 am
I was privileged to watch a WBB team practice up close on my recent visit to Montana. There is nothing to worry about.
Had I not known anything about the players beforehand it would have been difficult to separate the old and the new. Top to bottom, this team will have very little drop-off in athletic ability. The average team speed has been improved. Not all of the new players are freshmen, and everyone is hungry on defense. Every player looked capable of pushing the ball hard in the open court. Guards, centers, forwards? Guess. It didn’t matter.
30 wins? Not likely against this schedule but by the end of the season this team will be a snarling clowder of ‘Cats, the most tournament-ready of Coach Binford’s teams yet. You read it here first.
Go ‘Cats!
Thanks for the update, is Dylan Philip back out there on the court yet? Would be great news if she is as the knee injury she suffered at the end of last season looked pretty serious.
Dylan was very upbeat (as usual) about her progress. If anyone can will a good outcome, she’ll do it. Same scene, one of the newbies will have to pick up the slack and there are plenty of candidates. By the end of the season they should have Dylan plus a newly-experienced player.
Re: Cats Picked to win Big Sky WBB
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 4:46 am
by lutecat
My one concern for us is PG. We have Dyl coming back from injury and our other two PG from last year are gone. Her little sister is supposed to be awesome but who's going to be the backup to her until Dylan is back?
As for the Griz, they may return just 2 of their top scorers but those two were picked preseason all Big Sky. But they also had literally noone score hardly any points outside their top 7. But giving Nate a whole off-season. It'll be really intriguing to see what they do.
Re: Cats Picked to win Big Sky WBB
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:20 am
by arvcat2
Cat449yrs wrote: ↑Sun Oct 26, 2025 12:19 am
Dylan is brace-free and doing some running but not practicing yet. Word is they hope to have her back by conference.
Thanks for that update. Do you know how Grace Hintz is doing? She lost around half of the last three years to her knee injury.
Re: Cats Picked to win Big Sky WBB
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 7:20 pm
by MSU01
lutecat wrote: ↑Sun Oct 26, 2025 4:46 am
My one concern for us is PG. We have Dyl coming back from injury and our other two PG from last year are gone. Her little sister is supposed to be awesome but who's going to be the backup to her until Dylan is back?
As for the Griz, they may return just 2 of their top scorers but those two were picked preseason all Big Sky. But they also had literally noone score hardly any points outside their top 7. But giving Nate a whole off-season. It'll be really intriguing to see what they do.
Not sure if Binford feels the need to have a traditional point guard these days. Give the ball to Taylee Chirrick and let her go!
