BOZEMAN – The Montana State men’s basketball team has paused activities, the program announced Monday.
According to a media release, the Bobcats are "unable to participate in competition at this time, due to one or more individuals being identified as either needing to quarantine or isolate due to COVID-19." As a result, Montana State's scheduled games with Idaho State on Feb. 18 and 20 will not be played. At this time, Big Sky Conference basketball games that are canceled will not be rescheduled, per league policy.
Montana State (9-7 overall, 6-4 Big Sky) has lost four consecutive games, getting swept by Weber State and Eastern Washington the past two weeks. The Bobcats also had their series with rival Montana canceled due to COVID-19. The Cat-Griz games were scheduled for Jan. 28 and 30.
Montana State started Big Sky play with six consecutive wins after having their scheduled conference-opening series with Southern Utah canceled.
Following the cancellation of the Idaho State games, the Bobcats have four remaining contests on their Big Sky schedule: at Idaho on Feb. 24 and 25 and home versus Sacramento State on March 4 and 6.
This weekend's Montana State's women's games are so far unaffected. The Bobcats (13-5 overall, 10-2 Big Sky) have won eight consecutive games and face league-leading Idaho State on Thursday in Pocatello, Idaho. The teams play the second game of their two-game series on Saturday in Bozeman.
The Big Sky Conference basketball tournaments are scheduled for March 8-13 in Boise, Idaho.