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.

The No. 2-seeded Grizzlies (25-9) scored a 91-83 win over No. 1 Northern Colorado (25-9) in the tournament championship game late Wednesday night at Idaho Central Arena. It's their first tournament crown since they repeated in 2018 and 2019. The Bears were eyeing their first tourney championship since 2011.