A schedule designed for growth
Montana State University’s men’s basketball program revealed its 2026‑27 slate this week, a schedule that blends a rigorous non‑conference slate with a full Big Sky slate. Head coach Matt Logie, who guided the Bobcats to a second‑place finish last season, said the plan is meant to test the team early and sharpen it for the conference grind that begins in January.
The non‑conference portion features early‑season tests against perennial NCAA Tournament contenders such as Gonzaga, BYU, Colorado State, San Diego State and High Point. Logie described the lineup as a ‘menu of challenges’ that will give the team exposure to a variety of playing styles before the Big Sky schedule begins.
Home games at Worthington Arena will include matchups with Long Beach State, Cal Poly and Northwest Indian College, while road contests will take the team to South Dakota, Colorado State and the Pac‑12’s Colorado State campus in November. The early road stretch also includes a stop in Kansas City before the team returns to Bozeman for its first home appearance on November 7.
Non‑conference gauntlet
The regular season opens on November 2 at Colorado State, followed by five additional road games that will see the Bobcats travel to Denver, Kansas City and other regional sites. Those games are intended to build chemistry and evaluate the impact of three new transfers — Isaiah Crane, London Praytor and Darnez Slater — who join returning starters Jeremiah Davis and Christian King.
The early road stretch also includes a stop in Kansas City before the team returns to Bozeman for its first home appearance on November 7.
The non‑conference slate also features a home game against Long Beach State on November 7, a matchup with Cal Poly on November 15 and a contest with Northwest Indian College on November 25, providing a blend of regional rivals and smaller programs.
Big Sky battle ahead
Big Sky play kicks off on December 5 with a home game against Northern Arizona, and the conference schedule will feature a mix of home and away contests through February. Key conference opponents such as Idaho State, Weber State and Eastern Washington are slated for multiple meetings, including a late‑season rematch with in‑state rival Montana on February 27.
The regular season will conclude with a second meeting against Utah Tech on March 1 before the team travels to the Big Sky Tournament in Boise, Idaho, where a champion’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament is on the line.
Montana State will retain 10 players from its 2025‑26 runner‑up squad, welcome three transfers and a freshmen class, and operate with an expanded coaching staff that includes associate head coaches Zach Payne and Sam Scholl, as well as promotions for Xavier Bishop, Shamrock Campbell and Kenny Love.