BOISE, Idaho (March 6, 2026) – Starch Madness has finally arrived, as seedings and matchups are officially set for the 2026 Big Sky Men's & Women's Basketball Championships, presented by Idaho Central Credit Union. The men's and women's basketball tournaments will be hosted at the Idaho Central Arena in downtown Boise from March 7-11, with 18 games played over five days.
Courtside, reserved, and general admission tickets can be purchased by visiting
StarchMadness.com or calling the Idaho Central Arena Ticket Office at 208-331-8497.
The first 14 games of the tournament will air on ESPN+ and Scripps Sports stations throughout the Big Sky Conference footprint, with the final four games of the tournament being televised on ESPN linear networks. The women's championship game and first men's semifinal contest will air on ESPNU, while the second men's semifinal game and the men's championship will be broadcast on ESPN2.
The television play-by-play and color analyst for the first 14 games airing on ESPN+ will be Tony Parks and Joe Cravens on the men's side, with Tracy Warren and Krista Redpath on the women's call. The men's crew for games on ESPN2 and ESPNU will be Roxy Bernstein and Ben Braun, while Tracy Warren and Angela Taylor will have the women's call for Wednesday's ESPNU game.
For the fifth-consecutive championship, the Big Sky Conference will be producing ‘Big Sky Courtside’, elevating the viewing experience for all fans. Big Sky Courtside will sign on the air live 30 minutes before the first game of each day and will provide pre-game, halftime, and post-game coverage throughout the week.
The show will be co-hosted by the Big Sky’s very own Meghan Robinson and Scripps Sports' Kyle Hansen, with Carla Taylor and Tanoka Beard joining the show as analysts. A former head coach at Weber State for more than 20 years and two-time Big Sky Conference champion, Taylor will provide analysis for all women’s basketball games at the Big Sky Basketball Championships, while Beard, a former three-time Big Sky first-team standout at Boise State, will provide coverage for all men’s basketball games for the exclusive show.
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2026 Big Sky Men's & Women's Basketball Championship Schedule
March 7-11 | Boise, Idaho | Idaho Central Arena
Men's Bracket / Women's Bracket
Saturday, March 7
Women's First Round (WBB Session 1) (Buy Tix Here)
Game 1: #9 Weber State vs. #10 Portland State - 12:00 p.m. MT
Game 2: #7 Northern Arizona vs. #8 Montana - 2:30 p.m. MT
Men's First Round (MBB Session 1) (Buy Tix Here)
Game 1: #9 Idaho State vs. #10 Northern Arizona - 5:30 p.m. MT
Game 2: #7 Idaho vs. #8 Sacramento State - 8:00 p.m. MT
Sunday, March 8
Women's Second Round (WBB Session 2) (Buy Tix Here)
Game 3: #1 Idaho vs. Game 1 Winner - 12:00 p.m. MT
Game 4: #2 Montana State vs. Game 2 Winner - 2:30 p.m. MT
Men's Second Round (MBB Session 2) (Buy Tix Here)
Game 3: #1 Portland State vs. Game 1 Winner - 5:30 p.m. MT
Game 4: #2 Montana State vs. Game 2 Winner - 8:00 p.m. MT
Monday, March 9
Women's Third Round (WBB Session 3) (Buy Tix Here)
Game 5: #4 Idaho State vs. #5 Sacramento State - 12:00 p.m. MT
Game 6: #3 Northern Colorado vs. #6 Eastern Washington - 2:30 p.m. MT
Men's Third Round (MBB Session 3) (Buy Tix Here)
Game 5: #4 Montana vs. #5 Northern Colorado - 5:30 p.m. MT
Game 6: #3 Eastern Washington vs. #6 Weber State - 8:00 p.m. MT
Tuesday, March 10
Women's Semifinals (WBB Session 4) (Buy Tix Here)
Game 7: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner - 12:00 p.m. MT
Game 8: Game 4 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner - 2:30 p.m. MT
Men's Semifinals (MBB Session 4) (Buy Tix Here)
Game 7: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner - 7:00 p.m. MT
Game 8: Game 4 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner - 9:30 p.m. MT
Wednesday, March 11
Women's Championship (WBB Session 5) (Buy Tix Here)
Game 9: Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner - 3:00 p.m. MT
Men's Championship (MBB Session 5) (Buy Tix Here)
Game 9: Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner - 9:30 p.m. MT