Montana State women capture Big Sky title Western Athletic

RENO, Nev. - Peyton Ferris scored 23 points and top-seeded Montana State beat Idaho State in the Big Sky Conference Tournament championship game 62-56 on Saturday to advance to its first NCAA Tournament since 1993.

Idaho State jumped out to an early 12-2 lead through the first seven minutes of the game. The Bengals started the run with a pair of 3-pointers from Freya Newton and Grace Kenyon.

After Montana State (25-6) trailed 16-12 after one quarter, Bobcat seniors Ferris and Riley Nordgaard started the scoring in the second quarter for the Bobcats.

Scoreless in the first period, Nordgaard connected on 3 of 4 3-pointers for 11 points in the second quarter. She finished with 16 points.

Ferris added nine points in the second quarter, which helped erase Idaho State’s early lead.

Big West

Long Beach State 56, UC Santa Barbara 55: Anna Kim scored 15 points and Madison Montgomery drained a clutch 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter to clinch the Big West Conference tournament championship.

Colonial Athletic

Elon 78, James Madison 60: Lauren Brown scored 17 points, Shay Burnett had a double-double and Elon beat James Madison and earned its first trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Burnett had 14 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for top-seeded Elon (27-6).

Conference USA

Western Kentucky 67, Southern

Miss 56: Tashia Brown scored 17 points and Kendall Noble added 15 to lead topseeded Western Kentucky over Southern Miss in the Conference USA championship game.

The Lady Toppers (27-6) won their second C-USA tournament title in three years and ride a 12-game win streak into the NCAA Tournament after claiming the automatic bid.

Mid-American

Toledo 82, Northern Illinois 71: Mikaela Boyd scored a career-high 27 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, and No. 6 seed Toledo beat fourth-seeded Northern Illinois 82-71 on Saturday in the finals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament for the Rockets’ first trip the NCAA Tournament since 2001.

Olivia Cunningham added 20 points for Toledo (25-8), who took down defending MAC Tournament champion Buffalo in the semifinals.

Mid-Eastern Athletic

Hampton 52, Bethune-Cookman 49: Jephany Brown and Mikayla Sayle scored 10 points each and third-seeded Hampton upset No. 1 seed and regularseason champion Bethune-Cookman in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament championship.

The Lady Pirates (20-12 are going to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014 and the ninth time overall.

Southwestern Athletic

Texas Southern 70, Grambling 66: Joyce Kennerson poured in 29 points, including the clinching free throw with 4.7 seconds left, and Texas Southern earned its first-ever NCAA Tournament berth. New Mexico State 63, Seattle 48: New Mexico State led from start to finish, getting 19 points from Tamera William and 18 from Moriah Mack to beat Seattle and win its third consecutive Western Athletic Conference Tournament title.

— Wire services