Bobcat basketball teams celebrate record season

After an incredible basketball season, both MSU basketball teams won the Big Sky Conference tournament and competed in the 2022 NCAA tournament. For the first time since 1996, the men took the court in San Diego, ready to face off against third seed Texas Tech while the women traveled to Palo Alto, California to play the Stanford Cardinal, the defending national champions. While both teams lost in the first round, the men losing 97-62 and the women losing 78-37, the experience was worth it.  

In the post-game press conference, MSU Men’s Head Basketball Coach Danny Sprinkle who won the 2021-22 Big Sky Coach of the Year Award expressed how proud he is of his team and what they accomplished during the season. “I couldn’t be more proud of a group of individuals that came together and developed as a team,” Sprinkle said. Sprinkle also praised Texas Tech, saying the team’s gameplay was something he had never seen before.

“I’m eternally grateful for the opportunity, especially just winning five games last year (while at the University of Washington) and we got 27 this year and just making it to the Big Dance. I’m thankful and I’m excited for what’s to happen in the near future.” RaeQuan Battle said. 

“This meant the world to me, I can’t even explain sometimes what coach, our staff and my teammates mean to me,” Xavier Bishop said. “I came from tough situations and didn’t you know have a lot of people believing in me. I’m proud of myself … this entire journey, this entire year has meant the world to me and it made basketball fun again. I truly enjoyed it and I’ll never forget it, we left our legacy no matter the outcome today, we left a legacy.” 

In a similar outcome, the women’s basketball team fell to a strong Cardinal basketball team.That didn’t take away from a season full of accomplishments for the Cats. “I want to say how proud we are of our team and what we got through this season and how we came together at the end of the year,” MSU Women’s Head Basketball Coach Tricia Binford said. Binford also mentioned the Bobcats are rooting for Stanford as they continue their journey in the tournament.

Taylor Janssen spoke about the foundations the team set throughout the Big Sky Tournament that led them to be the best team possible. “We came here knowing this was going to be a tough team, and our mindset going in was that we wanted to stick together the entire time no matter what happened and I think we did,” Janssen said. “Through the Big Sky Tournament, we showed that we can do that even when it gets tough so I think that’s what helped us kind of get rolling a bit more.”

Sitting next to Janssen was sophomore Leia Beattie, also chimed in sharing her love for Bobcat Nation. “It was so awesome to see when we got on the court that we had our full fan section, it was completely full,” Beattie said. “Props to our band and our fans for traveling so far.”

This season also included many individual successes. Jubrile Belo claimed Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year and the league's Most Valuable Player award. Bishop took the Big Sky Tournament MVP title. On the women’s side, Darian White also claimed the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year in addition to being named the Big Sky Tournament MVP.

After historic seasons for both Bobcat basketball programs that saw the men’s and women’s teams play in the NCAA tournament in the same year for the first time in school history, both Binford and Sprinkle’s teams will revel in their successes before turning their attention to the 2022-23 season. The Cats are ready to reflect, adjust and prepare for the road ahead.

“All this does is motivate me more,” Sprinkle said. “I don’t get satisfied. Even if we would have won today, I wouldn’t be satisfied. There’s always something you can do better. And we’ve got to continue with that attitude to take this program to new heights.”

 This story will be expanded in a series of feature articles breaking down the culture of success and winning in the Montana State Athletic Department.