FARMINGTON, Utah — The Big Sky Conference and Summit League have agreed to compete in a four-year men’s basketball series beginning in the 2026-27 season.
Four teams from each conference will play one home and one away game against a participating member from the other league during each of the next four seasons. The series will consist of eight games per year and 32 total games between the 2026-27 and 2029-30 seasons.
“Finding home basketball games is always difficult for us at Montana, and this agreement helps with that challenge,” Montana director of athletics Kent Haslam said. “It is great to have opponents from the region coming to Dahlberg Arena on a consistent basis.”
“We are excited to continue the scheduling agreement with a few members of the Summit League,” Montana State director of athletics Leon Costello said. “This agreement allows our men's team to play quality, like opponents and guarantees at least one of those to be a home game each year. These games in the past have been highly competitive and helpful in preparation for Big Sky Conference competition.”
Idaho, Idaho State, Montana and Montana State will represent the Big Sky Conference in the series. The Summit League’s representatives are North Dakota, North Dakota State, South Dakota and South Dakota State.
The series revives a four-year scheduling agreement between the two conferences which previously took place between the 2018-19 and 2021-22 seasons and continues a scheduling relationship after the current league-wide agreement, which ends this year, was not renewed.
The list of year-by-year matchups includes the following:
Year 1 (2026-27)
Idaho at South Dakota State
North Dakota State at Idaho
North Dakota at Montana State
Montana State at South Dakota
Idaho State at North Dakota State
South Dakota State at Idaho State
South Dakota at Montana
Montana at North Dakota
Year 2 (2027-28)
Idaho at South Dakota
North Dakota at Idaho
South Dakota State at Montana State
Montana State at North Dakota State
Idaho State at North Dakota
South Dakota at Idaho State
North Dakota State at Montana
Montana at South Dakota State
Year 3 (2028-29)
South Dakota State at Idaho
Idaho at North Dakota State
Montana State at North Dakota
South Dakota at Montana State
North Dakota State at Idaho State
Idaho State at South Dakota State
Montana at South Dakota
North Dakota at Montana
Year 4 (2029-30)
South Dakota at Idaho
Idaho at North Dakota
North Dakota State at Montana State
Montana State at South Dakota State
North Dakota at Idaho State
Idaho State at South Dakota
Montana at North Dakota State
South Dakota State at Montana
