Kai Johnson scored six of his 23 points late to help No. 2 seed Montana pull away and beat top-seeded Northern Colorado 91-83 in the Big Sky Conference tournament championship game Wednesday night. Montana lead by as many as 14 points early in the second half,

Coach Steve Smiley’s Northern Colorado Bears fell to Montana, 91-83, late Wednesday night in the Big Sky men’s basketball tournament championship in Boise, Idaho. Thanks to senior wing guard Kai Johnson (23 points), the Grizzlies (25-9) notched the league’s automatic, and likely only, bid to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

Montana (25-9) soared past Northern Colorado (25-9) 91-83 for a Big Sky record extending 12th tournament title and the first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2019.