Montana State gets first NCAA Tournament trip since ’96

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Xavier Bishop scored 19 points to help Montana State advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 26 years as the Bobcats routed Northern Colorado 87-66 in the Big Sky Conference tournament championship. Top-seeded Montana State (27-7) collected its third Big Sky Conference tournament championship and advanced to its fourth NCAA Tournament (1951, 1986, 1996). Bishop was 5 of 15 from the floor and made a pair of 3-pointers. Montana State had its biggest lead, 71-46, with 7:10 remaining. Daylen Kountz scored 20 points for third-seeded Northern Colorado (20-15).