BOZEMAN — The Montana State women's basketball team will play on the road for the first time in this year's WNIT after winning its second-round and Super 16 matchups at home.
Nearly 4,000 fans filled Brick Breeden Fieldhouse on Thursday with energy that fueled Montana State in its win over Portland.
Montana State guard Taylee Chirrick emphasized the impact of playing in front of the Bobcat community.
"I think getting to play at home was really exciting," Chirrick said. "And to see how many fans we have that are confident in us."
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Bobcats coach Tricia Binford acknowledged the student section and the efforts of the MSU marketing department right away.
"The crowd was unbelievable," Binford said. "I just thought the energy was great to start, we really started defending well."
Montana State forward Addison Harris scored eight points in the first quarter on Thursday against Portland, a performance Binford referred to as a phenomenal first quarter.
"Addie had a really a great game," Binford said. "I felt like we were playing off the crowd really well."
Harris ended with 23 points in the win and the Bobcats will continue to rely on her production in their upcoming Great 8 matchup against South Dakota.
Binford was impressed with her patience.
"We felt like we were going to see some traps on ball screens and some swarms," Binford said. "She really attacked it, but she also made the right plays out of it. She shared the ball, she didn't have any turnovers. (A) complete game by her in all three facets."
After the game, Harris and her teammates ran to the student section to thank their peers for their support.
"It's so cool to have that student support that we have tonight," Harris said. "I feel like as a women's basketball program, we won't see that anywhere else in the conference. That's truly something special about Montana State."
As for the objectives for the Bobcats moving forward, the first one is to prove themselves on the road.
"I know we had 4,000 people here and I'd love to get another game back here and see if we can get up to 5,000," Binford said.
And the path to the WNIT's Fab Four isn't easy.
"We're ready to embrace hard," Binford said. "South Dakota has a great coaching staff."
Binford and her staff are very familiar with the Coyotes' staff.
"Carrie (Eighmey) used to be the head coach at the University of Idaho," Binford said. "They've turned that program around very quickly, and we know they're going to be well coached, so we're going to have to put a great four quarters together."
The Bobcats' only losses this season were on the road, and for Montana State's first WNIT game without a home-court advantage, Harris knows how important it is to approach this game focused and ready.
"Teams are playing to win," Harris said. "We're going to the Great 8. The intensity that the team is going to bring ... we're going to have to bring our own energy to combat that in the other team's arena."
And even without the same number of fans in person, the team will still feel the Montana State community's support.
"I think even our next game going on the road, it'll be exciting to just know that everyone here has confidence in us and we're going to be watching from home," Chirrick said. "And (that) we still have that same support."
The Bobcats will face South Dakota in Vermillion, S.D., at noon Mountain time on Sunday.
