Patterson Leads Montana to Big Sky Semifinal Victory

BOISE, Idaho — In a decisive performance, Austin Patterson came off the bench to score 20 points, hitting 50% from beyond the arc, and helped propel Montana to a resounding 78-55 victory against Idaho in the Big Sky Conference Tournament semifinals on Tuesday night.
The second-seeded Montana Grizzlies will now face top-seeded Northern Colorado on Wednesday with the hopes of securing the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Alongside Patterson’s impressive showing, reserves Money Williams and Kai Johnson added significant contributions, scoring 13 points each, further bolstering Montana’s (24-9) commanding performance.
Idaho, the tournament’s sixth seed, saw commendable efforts from Jack Payne, who poured in 18 points, and Kolton Mitchell, who added 12, yet they could not bridge the gap on the scoreboard.
Patterson initiated Montana’s surge by breaking a tied score with a pivotal 3-pointer at the 15:43 mark of the first half, establishing a lead that Montana would hold onto for the rest of the game. In a swift offensive maneuver, Williams added a layup followed by a 3-pointer within just 30 seconds, extending Montana’s advantage to 27-11 midway through the first half.
By halftime, the Grizzlies were ahead 39-28 and maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half, ensuring their place in the tournament final.