BOZEMAN, Mont. – The Montana State men’s basketball team will open preseason competition on Sunday morning, hosting Denver in an exhibition matchup in Worthington Arena.
The Bobcats and Pioneers will face off at 11:30 a.m. MT in the first of two exhibitions for Montana State in preparation for regular-season play. Tickets for the contest can be purchased here. Live stats and streaming will not be available.
“We are excited to be able to provide an early-season D1 exhibition game to the Bozeman community as we get closer to the official start of Bobcat basketball season!” Montana State head coach Matt Logie said. “This will be an important opportunity for us to continue to prepare and learn where we’re at as the season approaches.”
Montana State will face a familiar opponent when Denver arrives in Bozeman on Sunday. The Bobcats and Pioneers faced off in each of the last two seasons and have played 18 regular-season contests overall. The Bobcats hold a 12-6 advantage all-time in the head-to-head series, which dates back to 1923. The Bobcats will look to avenge last season’s narrow 75-73 loss to the Pioneers in Bozeman as they gain preseason experience against the competitive West Coast Conference foe.
Montana State enters the season with championship aspirations, entering the 2026-27 campaign as the preseason favorite to win the Big Sky title. The Cats took the top spot in the Big Sky Preseason Coaches’ and Media Polls and were ranked as the conference’s preseason No. 1 squad by the Blue Ribbon Yearbook. Fifth-year Jed Miller was named to the preseason All-Big Sky team by the conference and the Blue Ribbon Yearbook after leading the Bobcats in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and minutes per game a year ago.
Denver is set for its first season in the WCC after competing in the Summit League for the past 13 seasons. The Pioneers finished 15-17 overall in 2025-26 while compiling an 8-8 record in the Summit League, finishing sixth in the conference regular-season standings before bowing out in the Summit League quarterfinals. Denver already has one exhibition game under its belt in 2026-27, falling to Utah State, 86-76, in Logan, Utah, on Oct. 10. Five Pioneers scored in double figures, led by Shaun Wysocki’s 17 points and five rebounds and Carson Johnson’s 16 points, three rebounds, and three assists.
Miller leads a group of 11 Bobcats returning from last season’s team, which finished 18-14 overall and 12-6 in conference play, taking second in the Big Sky regular-season standings. Miller (First Team), Christian King (Honorable Mention) and Jeremiah Davis (All-Defense) each earned All-Big Sky honors during the 2025-26 season and will lead an experienced squad that features two fifth-years, six seniors, two juniors, four sophomores, and two freshmen.
Montana State’s returning players include fifth-years Davis and Miller; seniors Seth Amunrud, Cavin Holden, King, Waka Mbatch, and Calum Rutherfurd; junior Jaden Steppe; and sophomores Howie Keene, CJ Purdie, and James Steward.
The Bobcats also added five newcomers to the squad for 2026-27, including a trio of transfers and two freshmen. Senior Isaiah Crane, junior Darnez Slater, sophomore London Praytor, and freshmen Hale Hansen and DJ Johnson will all compete in their first season in Blue and Gold in 2026-27 as the Bobcats look to finish the season at the top of the conference standings.
Following Sunday’s exhibition against Denver, the Bobcats will face Kansas City on the road on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 11 a.m. MT, to wrap up preseason play. Montana State will open the regular season at Colorado State on Monday, Nov. 2, at 8 p.m., with its first home game to follow against Long Beach State on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 1 p.m. Single-game tickets for all home games are available to purchase here.
Follow the Bobcats
For the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Montana State men’s basketball team, follow the Bobcats on Twitter and Instagram at @MSUBobcatsMBB and on Facebook at Montana State Men’s Basketball. Information on the Montana State athletic program can be found online at msubobcats.com or by following the Bobcats on Twitter at @MSUBobcats, Instagram at @MontanaStateBobcats, and on Facebook at Montana State Bobcats.
The Bobcats and Pioneers will face off at 11:30 a.m. MT in the first of two exhibitions for Montana State in preparation for regular-season play. Tickets for the contest can be purchased here. Live stats and streaming will not be available.
“We are excited to be able to provide an early-season D1 exhibition game to the Bozeman community as we get closer to the official start of Bobcat basketball season!” Montana State head coach Matt Logie said. “This will be an important opportunity for us to continue to prepare and learn where we’re at as the season approaches.”
Montana State will face a familiar opponent when Denver arrives in Bozeman on Sunday. The Bobcats and Pioneers faced off in each of the last two seasons and have played 18 regular-season contests overall. The Bobcats hold a 12-6 advantage all-time in the head-to-head series, which dates back to 1923. The Bobcats will look to avenge last season’s narrow 75-73 loss to the Pioneers in Bozeman as they gain preseason experience against the competitive West Coast Conference foe.
Montana State enters the season with championship aspirations, entering the 2026-27 campaign as the preseason favorite to win the Big Sky title. The Cats took the top spot in the Big Sky Preseason Coaches’ and Media Polls and were ranked as the conference’s preseason No. 1 squad by the Blue Ribbon Yearbook. Fifth-year Jed Miller was named to the preseason All-Big Sky team by the conference and the Blue Ribbon Yearbook after leading the Bobcats in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and minutes per game a year ago.
Denver is set for its first season in the WCC after competing in the Summit League for the past 13 seasons. The Pioneers finished 15-17 overall in 2025-26 while compiling an 8-8 record in the Summit League, finishing sixth in the conference regular-season standings before bowing out in the Summit League quarterfinals. Denver already has one exhibition game under its belt in 2026-27, falling to Utah State, 86-76, in Logan, Utah, on Oct. 10. Five Pioneers scored in double figures, led by Shaun Wysocki’s 17 points and five rebounds and Carson Johnson’s 16 points, three rebounds, and three assists.
Miller leads a group of 11 Bobcats returning from last season’s team, which finished 18-14 overall and 12-6 in conference play, taking second in the Big Sky regular-season standings. Miller (First Team), Christian King (Honorable Mention) and Jeremiah Davis (All-Defense) each earned All-Big Sky honors during the 2025-26 season and will lead an experienced squad that features two fifth-years, six seniors, two juniors, four sophomores, and two freshmen.
Montana State’s returning players include fifth-years Davis and Miller; seniors Seth Amunrud, Cavin Holden, King, Waka Mbatch, and Calum Rutherfurd; junior Jaden Steppe; and sophomores Howie Keene, CJ Purdie, and James Steward.
The Bobcats also added five newcomers to the squad for 2026-27, including a trio of transfers and two freshmen. Senior Isaiah Crane, junior Darnez Slater, sophomore London Praytor, and freshmen Hale Hansen and DJ Johnson will all compete in their first season in Blue and Gold in 2026-27 as the Bobcats look to finish the season at the top of the conference standings.
Following Sunday’s exhibition against Denver, the Bobcats will face Kansas City on the road on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 11 a.m. MT, to wrap up preseason play. Montana State will open the regular season at Colorado State on Monday, Nov. 2, at 8 p.m., with its first home game to follow against Long Beach State on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 1 p.m. Single-game tickets for all home games are available to purchase here.
Follow the Bobcats
For the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Montana State men’s basketball team, follow the Bobcats on Twitter and Instagram at @MSUBobcatsMBB and on Facebook at Montana State Men’s Basketball. Information on the Montana State athletic program can be found online at msubobcats.com or by following the Bobcats on Twitter at @MSUBobcats, Instagram at @MontanaStateBobcats, and on Facebook at Montana State Bobcats.
