(Editor’s note: Montana State athletics release)
BOZEMAN — Montana State squares off with teams from the SEC, Big 10, Pac 12 and Mountain West in the nine games of the 2018-19 men’s basketball season to highlight what head coach Brian Fish calls one of his most challenging schedules.
“Everything we do in the non-conference is geared toward getting us ready for the Big Sky season,” said Fish, entering his fifth season as Montana State’s head coach. “Our conference made one of the biggest jumps in RPI last year that any league has ever made, so getting through a 20-game Big Sky schedule will be a great challenge. Our 10 non-conference games will prepare us for that.”
The Cats open 2018-19 against ancient rival Utah State in Bozeman on November 6. Montana State and the Aggies first met in 1913, faced each other in the old Rocky Mountain Conference until 1937, and have played 119 times previously. MSU heads to Fish’s home state to face Indiana on November 9, MSU’s first matchup against the Hoosiers since 1986, before hosting Presentation on November 11. That leads into four straight road games, beginning with a contest at Colorado State on November 14. The Cats play at UCSB November 17, Arkansas on November 21, and Omaha on November 24.
North Dakota visits Bozeman as a non-conference foe on November 27. The Cats close the pre-conference schedule against Washington State at Kennewick on December 9 and at Denver on December 18.
The Big Sky schedule presents a different challenge than usual, expanding to a true round robin of 20 games. MSU opens (at Southern Utah and Northern Arizona) and closes the league season on the road (at Sacramento State and Portland State). The annual Cat-Griz doubleheaders are February 2 in Bozeman and February 23 in Missoula. The Big Sky Conference Tournament opens in Boise, Idaho, on March 13.
Season ticket renewals are currently being accepted, and information on new season tickets and single-game tickets will be available soon.
2018-19 Montana State men’s basketball schedule
Oct. 30 UM Western (exh), 7 pm
Nov. 6 Utah State, 7 pm
Nov. 9 at Indiana, TBA
Nov. 11 Presentation, 7 pm
Nov. 14 at Colorado State, TBA
Nov. 17 at UCSB, TBA
Nov. 21 at Arkansas, TBA
Nov. 24 at Omaha, TBA
Nov. 27 North Dakota, 7 pm
Dec. 9 Washington State at Kennewick, TBA
Dec. 18 at Denver, TBA
Dec. 29 *at Southern Utah, TBA
Dec. 31 *at Northern Arizona, TBA
Jan. 3 *Portland State, 7 pm
Jan. 5 *Sacramento State, 2 pm
Jan. 10 *at Idaho, TBA
Jan. 14 *Northern Colorado, 7 pm
Jan. 19 *at Eastern Washington, 2 pm PT
Jan. 24 *Weber State, 7 pm
Jan. 26 *Idaho State, 2 pm
Feb. 2 *Montana, 7 pm
Feb. 4 *at Northern Colorado, TBA
Feb. 7 *Eastern Washington, 7 pm
Feb. 9 *Idaho, 2 pm
Feb. 14 *at Idaho State, TBA
Feb. 16 *at Weber State, TBA
Feb. 23 *at Montana, TBA
March 2 *Northern Arizona, 2 pm
March 4 *Southern Utah, 7 pm
March 7 *at Sacramento State, TBA
March 9 *at Portland State, TBA
March 13 Big Sky Tourney at Boise
