# Montana State Bobcats men's basketball

The Montana State Bobcats men's basketball team represents Montana State University in the Big Sky Conference in NCAA Division I. The Bobcats play their home games on campus at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse in Bozeman, Montana. MSU has appeared in the NCAA tournament six times, most recently with three consecutive bids in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Montana State began varsity intercollegiate competition in basketball in 1902. The Bobcats were retroactively recognized as the pre-NCAA tournament national champion for the 1928–29 season by the Premo-Porretta Power Poll and the Helms Athletic Foundation. Cat Thompson played for the Bobcats from 1926–30; a four-year All-American, he was the Helms Player of the Year in 1929, and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1962.

## Postseason
### NCAA tournament results

The Bobcats have appeared in six NCAA Tournaments, with a combined record of 0–6.
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1951 | | Sweet Sixteen | #2 Oklahoma A&M | L 46–50 |
| 1986 | 16 W | Round of 64 | (1 W) #4 St. John's | L 74–83 |
| 1996 | 13 W | Round of 64 | (4 W) #15 Syracuse | L 55–88 |
| 2022 | 14 W | Round of 64 | (3 W) #12 Texas Tech | L 62–97 |
| 2023 | 14 E | Round of 64 | (3 E) #15 Kansas State | L 65–77 |
| 2024 | 16 MW | First Four | (16 MW) Grambling State | L 81–88 $^{OT}$ |

### NIT results

The Bobcats have appeared in two National Invitation Tournaments, with a combined record of 1–2.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1987 | Round of 32 | Washington | L 90–98$^{OT}$ |
| 2002 | Opening Round Round of 32 | at Utah State at Richmond | W 77–69 L 48–63 |
    Source:

### NAIA tournament results

The Bobcats appeared in seven NAIA Tournaments, with a combined record of 1–7.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1946 | First Round | State College of Iowa | L 42–58 |
| 1947 | First Round | Houston | L 58–60 |
| 1950 | First Round | Portland | L 47–48 |
| 1952 | First Round Second Round | American International Hamline | W 82–66 L 72–85 |
| 1954 | First Round | Southeastern Oklahoma State | L 62–68 |
| 1955 | First Round | Florida State | L 84–93 |
| 1956 | First Round | Central State | L 66–67 |

## Season results

| Season | Overall Record | Conference Record | Head coach |
| 1948–49 | 14–15 | — | Brick Breeden |
| 1949–50 | 20–12 | — | Brick Breeden |
| 1950–51 | 24–12 | — | Brick Breeden |
| 1951–52 | 22–14 | — | Brick Breeden |
| 1952–53 | 11–24 | — | Brick Breeden |
| 1953–54 | 18–11 | — | Brick Breeden |
| 1954–55 | 11–16 | — | Wally Lemm |
| 1955–56 | 15–14 | — | Dobbie Lambert |
| 1956–57 | 12–13 | — | Dobbie Lambert |
| 1957–58 | 18–8 | — | Dobbie Lambert |
| 1958–59 | 12–13 | — | Dobbie Lambert |
| 1959–60 | 11–14 | — | Dobbie Lambert |
| 1960–61 | 10–15 | — | Dobbie Lambert |
| 1961–62 | 10–13 | — | Dobbie Lambert |
| 1962–63 | 13–13 | — | Roger Craft |
| 1963–64 | 16–9 | 8–2 | Roger Craft |
| 1964–65 | 15–10 | 6–4 | Roger Craft |
| 1965–66 | 7–17 | 5–5 | Roger Craft |
| 1966–67 | 14–11 | 7–3 | Roger Craft |
| 1967–68 | 10–15 | 6–9 | Roger Craft |
| 1968–69 | 17–8 | 11–4 | Roger Craft |
| 1969–70 | 4–22 | 4–11 | Gary Hulst |
| 1970–71 | 12–13 | 8–6 | Gary Hulst |
| 1971–72 | 10–16 | 6–8 | Gary Hulst |
| 1972–73 | 17–9 | 9–5 | Hank Anderson |
| 1973–74 | 11–15 | 5–9 | Hank Anderson |
| 1974–75 | 11–15 | 5–9 | Rich Juarez |
| 1975–76 | 9–16 | 6–8 | Rich Juarez |
| 1976–77 | 9–17 | 6–8 | Rich Juarez |
| 1977–78 | 10–16 | 4–10 | Rich Juarez |
| 1978–79 | 15–11 | 6–8 | Bruce Haroldson |
| 1979–80 | 14–12 | 7–7 | Bruce Haroldson |
| 1980–81 | 16–11 | 11–3 | Bruce Haroldson |
| 1981–82 | 11–18 | 5–9 | Bruce Haroldson |
| 1982–83 | 10–17 | 3–11 | Bruce Haroldson |
| 1983–84 | 14–15 | 7–7 | Stu Starner |
| 1984–85 | 11–17 | 7–7 | Stu Starner |
| 1985–86 | 14–17 | 6–8 | Stu Starner |
| 1986–87 | 21–8 | 12–2 | Stu Starner |
| 1987–88 | 19–11 | 10–6 | Stu Starner |
| 1988–89 | 14–15 | 6–10 | Stu Starner |
| 1989–90 | 17–12 | 8–8 | Stu Starner |
| 1990–91 | 12–16 | 6–10 | Mick Durham |
| 1991–92 | 14–14 | 6–10 | Mick Durham |
| 1992–93 | 9–18 | 5–9 | Mick Durham |
| 1993–94 | 8–19 | 0–14 | Mick Durham |
| 1994–95 | 21–8 | 8–6 | Mick Durham |
| 1995–96 | 21–9 | 11–3 | Mick Durham |
| 1996–97 | 16–14 | 10–6 | Mick Durham |
| 1997–98 | 19–11 | 9–7 | Mick Durham |
| 1998–99 | 16–13 | 9–7 | Mick Durham |
| 1999–00 | 12–17 | 4–12 | Mick Durham |
| 2000–01 | 16–14 | 8–8 | Mick Durham |
| 2001–02 | 20–10 | 12–2 | Mick Durham |
| 2002–03 | 11–16 | 5–9 | Mick Durham |
| 2003–04 | 14–13 | 6–8 | Mick Durham |
| 2004–05 | 14–14 | 9–5 | Mick Durham |
| 2005–06 | 15–15 | 7–7 | Mick Durham |
| 2006–07 | 11–19 | 8–8 | Brad Huse |
| 2007–08 | 15–15 | 7–9 | Brad Huse |
| 2008–09 | 14–17 | 6–10 | Brad Huse |
| 2009–10 | 15–14 | 10–6 | Brad Huse |
| 2010–11 | 12–17 | 6–7 | Brad Huse |
| 2011–12 | 12–16 | 7–9 | Brad Huse |
| 2012–13 | 13–17 | 10–10 | Brad Huse |
| 2013–14 | 14–17 | 9–11 | Brad Huse |
| 2014–15 | 7–23 | 4–14 | Brian Fish |
| 2015–16 | 14–17 | 9–9 | Brian Fish |
| 2016–17 | 16–16 | 11–7 | Brian Fish |
| 2017–18 | 13–19 | 6–12 | Brian Fish |
| 2018–19 | 15–17 | 11–9 | Brian Fish |
| 2019–20 | 16–15 | 10–10 | Danny Sprinkle |
| 2020-21 | 13–10 | 8–6 | Danny Sprinkle |
| 2021–22 | 27–8 | 16–4 | Danny Sprinkle |
| 2022–23 | 25–10 | 15–3 | Danny Sprinkle |
| Overall | 1029–1032 | 420–430 | |
    Eight conference wins were vacated during the 1993–94 season