MISSOULA — If it’s Lady Griz coach Brian Holsinger’s goal to use his team’s nonconference schedule to prepare it for Big Sky Conference play and to be playing its best basketball in February and March, this season’s slate of games should do the job. And then some.
Montana will get three matchups against teams from the Big Ten, a pair against two of the top mid-major programs in the country, a WNIT rematch from last season and a trip to West Palm Beach, Fla., between finals and Christmas to face two teams that combined to win 47 games last season.
It’s a handful.
“It’s a tough schedule, no question,” Holsinger said. “It’s going to challenge us, but it’s a schedule that will have us ready to play in our league, and the ultimate goal is to win the league.”
Montana will open the season at Gonzaga on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The Bulldogs, with only one returning starter back from last season’s team that went 32-4, will have a new look but the same expectations for a program that has made 15 NCAA tournaments since 2007.
The Lady Griz will then get three straight home games, highlighted by a visit from Washington, the Huskies’ first trip to Missoula since 1989 and only the teams’ second matchup in the last 35 years.
“Getting Washington at home is pretty cool. Kudos to them for coming to Missoula. What a great opportunity,” said Holsinger, whose team will host Florida’s Southeastern University and Cal Poly at Dahlberg Arena before Washington arrives.
Montana’s first two-game road trip of the season will be to North Dakota and Minnesota, the Gophers coming off a 20-win season. Montana and Minnesota have not played since 1984.
After hosting Evergreen State the week of Thanksgiving, Montana will play at North Dakota State, then host South Dakota State as part of the Big Sky Conference-Summit League Challenge in early December.
The Lady Griz and Bison played in the round of 32 in last year’s WNIT, also in Fargo. The Jackrabbits have made 12 NCAA tournaments since 2009 and have advanced to either the NCAA tournament or WNIT every season since 2007.
After hosting SDSU on Saturday, Dec. 7, Montana won’t play again until facing Michigan State and Tulsa in the West Palm Beach Classic on Dec. 19-20. The Spartans won 22 games last season and finished fourth in the Big Ten. Tulsa won 25 games and tied for first in the American Athletic Conference.
“To get two teams like that on a neutral floor will be perfect before we head into conference,” said Holsinger, whose team opens league with a home game on Jan. 2 against Eastern Washington, which won both the Big Sky regular-season and tournament titles last year.
“We haven’t been able to get over the hump against some of the better teams. This schedule will give us quite a few opportunities. Then we get two non-Division I opponents to even out our schedule a little bit.”
Montana will have two closed-door scrimmages against outside opponents in October, then play an exhibition game against Montana-Western on Friday, Nov. 1, the public’s first chance to get a look at this year’s Lady Griz.
Montana went 23-10 last year, its first 20-win season since 2015-16. The Lady Griz return three starters, seniors Dani Bartsch and M.J. Bruno, and junior Mack Konig.
2024-25 Montana Lady Griz schedule
Friday, Nov. 1: Montana-Western (exh)
Tuesday, Nov. 5: at Gonzaga
Sunday, Nov. 10: Southeastern University
Thursday, Nov. 14: Cal Poly
Sunday, Nov. 17: Washington
Thursday, Nov. 21: at North Dakota
Sunday, Nov. 24: at Minnesota
Tuesday, Nov. 26: Evergreen State
Wednesday, Dec. 4: at North Dakota State
Saturday, Dec. 7: South Dakota State
Thursday, Dec. 19: vs. Michigan State
Friday, Dec. 20: vs. Tulsa
Thursday, Jan. 2: Eastern Washington
Saturday, Jan. 4: Idaho
Thursday, Jan. 9: at Northern Arizona
Saturday, Jan. 11: at Northern Colorado
Thursday, Jan. 16: Weber State
Saturday, Jan. 18: Idaho State
Monday, Jan. 20: at Idaho
Saturday, Jan. 25: Montana State
Thursday, Jan. 30: at Portland State
Saturday, Feb. 1: at Sacramento State
Thursday, Feb. 6: Northern Colorado
Saturday, Feb. 8: Northern Arizona
Thursday, Feb. 13: at Idaho State
Saturday, Feb. 15: at Weber State
Saturday, Feb. 22: at Montana State
Thursday, Feb. 27: Sacramento State
Saturday, March 1: Portland State
Monday, March 3: at Eastern Washington
March 8-12: Big Sky Conference Tournament
