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On a March night in Boise that felt more like a home game than a neutral-site final, the University of Idaho women’s basketball program officially arrived on the national stage again.
On March 11, 2026, the Vandals capped a breakthrough season by edging Montana State 60–57 at Idaho Central Arena to capture the Big Sky Conference tournament championship and clinch an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. The win delivered Idaho’s first Big Sky tournament title since 2016 and ended a decade-long absence from March Madness, punctuating one of the most successful seasons in program history.
Behind second-year head coach Arthur Moreira, the Vandals entered Boise as the Big Sky’s top seed after dominating conference play. They finished league play 17–1, arrived at the title game with a 29–5 overall record, and left with a new program benchmark: a record 29 single-season wins and the longest winning streak in Idaho women’s basketball history.
The matchup with Montana State was anything but a routine title game. The Bobcats came in at 25–7 as the defending Big Sky tournament champions and were the only team to beat Idaho in conference play during the regular season. They had handed the Vandals a lopsided 99–66 defeat in Bozeman back in January before Idaho answered with a tight 73–70 win in Moscow in February.
That history turned the championship into a true rubber match between the conference’s two elite programs. Idaho Central Arena may have been neutral on paper, but the stands told a different story, with a pro-Idaho crowd transforming downtown Boise into what the athletic department later described as a quasi-home environment.
For players, coaches, and fans, the stakes were clear: the Big Sky title, an NCAA Tournament bid, and bragging rights in one of the league’s best emerging rivalries.
Idaho played like a confident top seed from the opening tip.
Guard Ana Pinheiro got the Vandals going by attacking off the dribble, putting pressure on Montana State’s defense and establishing the tempo Idaho wanted. Junior guard Hope Hassmann and sophomore guard Ana Beatriz Passos Alves da Silva each connected from beyond the arc, helping Idaho shoot efficiently out of the gate and build a 12–6 advantage by the first media timeout.
The Vandals closed the first quarter ahead 18–13, with Hassmann already asserting herself as a primary scoring option. Idaho’s balance was evident early, with multiple players touching the ball, cutting hard, and stepping into open shots in rhythm.
The second quarter showcased the Vandals’ offensive versatility even more. Idaho strung together a 9–0 run sparked by smart interior passing and timely perimeter shooting. Alves da Silva contributed both a layup and a three-pointer during the stretch, while Pinheiro and forward Ella Uriarte added key baskets to push the lead into double figures.
Montana State refused to fold, answering with a pair of threes to trim the margin. But a late triple from Pinheiro just before halftime restored Idaho’s momentum and sent the Vandals into the locker room up 36–31. It was the kind of poised response you expect from a veteran group playing for history.
Montana State opened the second half with renewed energy, briefly erasing the deficit to tie the game at 38–38. The moment could have swung the entire night, but Idaho responded with one of its most important stretches of the season.
First, the Vandals leaned on a high pick-and-roll between Hassmann and forward Debora dos Santos. Hassmann used the screen, drew help, and created a go-ahead basket that steadied Idaho’s offense. On the next possession, senior guard Kyra Gardner buried a three-pointer, extending the lead and igniting the Idaho crowd.
The Vandals kept pressing. Hassmann penetrated again on the following trip, this time kicking out to Uriarte on the perimeter. Uriarte calmly drained another three, capping an 8–0 run that reasserted Idaho’s control and reestablished a multi-possession cushion.
Later in the quarter, redshirt senior forward Lorena Barbosa found a seam along the baseline and finished a reverse layup, another highlight in a stretch where Idaho’s movement and spacing consistently created high-quality shots. By the end of the third period, the Vandals led 53–44 and looked positioned to cruise to the Big Sky championship.
Instead of a straightforward coronation, the fourth quarter turned into a test of poise, defense, and mental toughness.
Idaho’s offense suddenly stalled, producing only one made field goal in the final 10 minutes. Montana State methodically chipped away at the 11-point deficit, tightening its defense and finding just enough offense to make every possession feel heavy.
The tension peaked in the final minute. With the Vandals clinging to a narrow lead, Montana State guard Ella Johnson stepped into a deep three and drilled it with 54 seconds remaining, pulling the Bobcats within a single point and silencing the Idaho crowd.
The Vandals needed composure. They leaned on the same player who had been steady all week in Boise: Hassmann. The junior guard stepped to the free throw line and knocked down a pair of clutch free throws, pushing Idaho’s advantage back to three with less than 20 seconds to play.
Montana State still had life and one last chance. After Idaho missed late free throws, the Bobcats advanced the ball and found Johnson again on the perimeter for a potential game-tying three. This time, Barbosa refused to let the shot even get to the rim. The redshirt senior forward closed out aggressively, timed her jump perfectly, and blocked Johnson’s attempt with roughly two seconds left.
Hassmann secured the loose ball as the final second ticked away, and with Montana State out of timeouts, Idaho’s 60–57 victory was finally secure. What began as a seemingly comfortable win had become a dramatic reminder that championships almost always require surviving one last push.
While the ending will dominate highlight reels, Idaho’s overall performance underscored why this season has been so successful. The Vandals won because they were balanced, tough in the paint, and unselfish.
Alves da Silva led Idaho with 12 points, giving the Vandals a confident perimeter presence who could both hit threes and finish at the rim. Hassmann and Pinheiro each added 11 points, showcasing a backcourt that spreads the floor, drives gaps, and makes plays for others.
Inside, dos Santos was a difference-maker. She finished with nine points and 10 rebounds, anchoring a frontcourt that produced a decisive edge in points in the paint. Her rebounding and physicality were exactly what Idaho needed in a game where every possession mattered late.
Perhaps the most telling stat: seven of the eight Idaho players who saw the floor scored at least five points. That kind of depth is not just a luxury in March, it is a competitive advantage. It forced Montana State to defend multiple threats and prevented Idaho’s offense from becoming predictable.
For recruits and families evaluating mid-major women’s basketball programs, this is a textbook example of a system built around balance instead of a single volume scorer, a trait that often translates well to sustainable success.
Hassmann’s impact throughout the Big Sky tournament went beyond the box score. Her composure in pressure moments, willingness to take on primary ball-handling responsibilities, and timely scoring earned her Most Valuable Player honors for the event.
She was joined on the all-tournament team by Gardner and dos Santos, giving Idaho three of the premier performers in Boise. Together, the trio illustrated why the Vandals were able to win games in multiple ways over three days:
The recognition also highlighted just how complete Idaho’s roster has become in a short period of time. Two years earlier, this was a rebuilding program. Now it is one of the top mid-major stories in women’s college basketball.
At the center of Idaho’s transformation is head coach Arthur Moreira, who has turned the Vandals into a Big Sky powerhouse in just his second season.
When Moreira took over, he inherited just two returning players. That kind of roster turnover can bury a program for multiple years. Instead, he used it as an opportunity to build a roster that fit his vision: a cohesive and international-flavored group that defends relentlessly and shares the ball on offense.
Moreira blended transfers and high school recruits into a rotation that clearly buys into its roles. The result is a 17–1 conference record, a 29–5 overall mark, and a sweep of the Big Sky regular-season and tournament titles. Along the way, the Vandals set a new program record for wins in a season and put together the longest winning streak the program has ever seen.
Moreira’s personal story adds another layer of significance. He is recognized as the first Brazilian head coach in Division I basketball history, according to coverage of Idaho’s run. His success with the Vandals expands the pipeline of international coaching voices in the NCAA and serves as a powerful example for both international players and aspiring coaches who imagine their own path into college basketball.
After the championship win, Moreira emphasized that the moment belonged to the entire program: players, assistants, support staff, and administrators. He spoke about this group’s achievements as ones that will be remembered for years and potentially enshrined in Vandal history.
For University of Idaho women’s basketball, this Big Sky crown is about more than a single March run. It signals that the program has re-established itself as a contender in both the conference and the broader mid-major landscape.
Idaho had not reached the NCAA Tournament since 2016 and had not paired a regular-season championship with a conference tournament title in the same year during its recent Big Sky tenure. That drought is now over, and it ended in emphatic fashion, with new records for wins and a playing style that looks sustainable rather than streaky.
The Vandals’ 29–5 record, dominant 17–1 conference performance, and lengthy winning streak suggest a program built on strong foundations: defense, depth, and unselfish offense. Those are qualities that often translate to March success, especially for mid-majors seeking to pull off upsets in the NCAA bracket.
Nationally, the rise of programs like Idaho fits broader patterns in women’s college basketball. According to the NCAA’s own data on college basketball growth, parity has been increasing, and more mid-major teams are regularly breaking through to challenge Power Five opponents in nonconference play and postseason tournaments (https://www.ncaa.org). Idaho’s profile this season places it firmly among the mid-majors that other teams will not want to see on Selection Sunday.
Montana State’s part in this story should not be overlooked. The Bobcats came into Boise as defending conference champions and finished the year 25–7, with the league’s only regular-season win over Idaho. Their blowout victory in Bozeman and the Vandals’ narrow win in Moscow set the stage for a high-stakes trilogy in the final.
The back-and-forth nature of the title game, capped by Johnson’s late three and Barbosa’s game-saving block, underscored how slim the margin can be between back-to-back titles and a heartbreaking runner-up finish.
For Big Sky women’s basketball as a whole, this kind of rivalry is a positive development. It boosts the league’s national visibility, helps attract recruits, and can lead to better nonconference scheduling opportunities. Prospects who follow mid-major women’s hoops are likely to see both Idaho and Montana State appear more frequently in March conversations, bracket breakdowns, and national coverage from outlets like ESPN (https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball).
For high school players and club coaches, Idaho’s run is a case study in what to look for when evaluating potential college fits, especially at the mid-major Division I level:
If you are an athlete or parent trying to understand where a program like Idaho fits in your own recruiting picture, using structured tools can make that process easier. Pathley’s College Directory lets you explore schools like Idaho, compare key details, and save options that feel like a potential fit. You can then pair that with Pathley’s College Fit Snapshot to see how your academics, athletics, and campus preferences line up with a specific program on one easy-to-scan PDF.
Stories like Idaho’s Big Sky championship run show how quickly a program’s trajectory can change. That is exciting, but it also makes recruiting more complex. Schools that were off the radar a few years ago can suddenly become hot destinations, especially in sports like women’s basketball where coaching changes and transfer trends can reshape rosters rapidly.
Pathley is built to help athletes, families, and coaches navigate that changing landscape. With tools like the Basketball Pathley Hub, you can:
If you are just starting out, Pathley’s AI assistant at Pathley Chat can help you brainstorm college options, organize your target list, and think through what really matters to you in a program. When you are ready to build out your profile, you can use the Athletic Resume Builder to turn your stats, honors, and video links into a coach-ready PDF in just a few minutes.
As the Vandals await their NCAA Tournament opponent, one thing is already clear: this season will be remembered as a turning point. Idaho is no longer a rebuilding program hoping to climb back into contention. It is a Big Sky champion with a record-setting win total, a conference tournament trophy, and an identity that travels.
Whether Idaho draws a high-profile power-conference opponent or a fellow mid-major, the Vandals will bring to March the same traits that carried them through Boise: balanced scoring, interior toughness, and a belief that they belong on the national stage.
For recruits watching from afar, the message is simple. Programs like Idaho show that you do not have to be at a traditional powerhouse to play in meaningful March games, break records, and help write a new chapter in school history.
If you are ready to start mapping out your own path to college basketball, you can explore more schools like Idaho with Pathley’s tools and start building a focused, realistic recruiting plan that fits your goals on and off the court.
