Andrew Houghton

Washington, D.C., United States, West

Sports Reporter at Skyline Sports

Big Sky Conference features, podcasts, radio, etc. for @skylinesportsmt and @1029ESPN

Articles

FINAL 37 - Big Sky women’s championship comes down to the wire, ‘Cats secure title

1 month ago | skylinesportsmt.com | Andrew Houghton

BOISE, Idaho – With 37 seconds remaining in Wednesday’s Big Sky title game between Montana and Montana State, the game sat finely poised on a knife’s edge. The weight of history had been sitting heavily in the building since before tipoff, even more than it generally does before a game that will send one team home and one to the NCAA Tournament.
Konig explodes as Lady Griz move into Big Sky chipper for first time since 2015

1 month ago | skylinesportsmt.com | Andrew Houghton

BOISE, Idaho – With less than a minute left in the third quarter of Tuesday’s Montana-Northern Arizona Big Sky Conference semifinal, Montana’s Dani Bartsch drew an offensive foul on NAU’s Sophie Glancey in the low post. As they walked back down the court, Glancey teased her post counterpart. You lift too much to be doing that. Bartsch jawed back, and by the time they reached Montana’s end of the court, both were laughing.
Moreira leads Vandals to unlikely heights in first season as Vandals’ head coach

1 month ago | skylinesportsmt.com | Andrew Houghton

Belo Horizonte, Brazil – where Arthur Moreira is from – is a sports town. In 2014, the city hosted six World Cup soccer matches at the Mineirao stadium, which holds nearly 62,000. Now, the stadium is home to Cruzeiro, boyhood club of the original Ronaldo, O Fenomeno, second only to Pele in the rankings of the greatest Brazilian players of all time. Their rival, Atletico Mineiro, also plays in Brazil’s top division, in the 46,000-seat Arena MRV.
“Warping traditional hoops math ” -MSU women live off forcing turnovers

1 month ago | skylinesportsmt.com | Andrew Houghton

The look on Kristen Mattio’s face said it all. As Esmeralda Morales flexed towards the Montana State bench after splashing a 3-pointer to end the first quarter in Sunday’s second-round game at the Big Sky Tournament, Mattio spun back towards her sideline and gathered her assistants in a tight circle, helplessness written plain across all their faces.
Payne, Lumberjacks chasing elusive Big Sky Tourney title in Boise

1 month ago | skylinesportsmt.com | Andrew Houghton

Loree Payne is no stranger to playing on Wednesday at the Big Sky Tournament. Each of the last three seasons, her Northern Arizona Lumberjacks have made it to the title game at ICCU Arena in Boise. Each time, they’ve lost. Under Payne, the Lumberjacks have been the most consistent championship contender in the Big Sky over the past four seasons. The Montana State team that beat them in the title game in 2022 didn’t make it back either of the next two seasons.
Weber State women the surprise of the Big Sky in Jackson’s second season

1 month ago | skylinesportsmt.com | Andrew Houghton

Jenteal Jackson knew that a rebuild was required when she became Weber State’s head women’s basketball coach. While the top of the Big Sky Conference has fluctuated greatly over the past five years, with Eastern Washington and Sacramento State making championship runs alongside consistent contenders Montana State and Northern Arizona, the Wildcats remained firmly stapled to the bottom of the standings.
FIVE BIG SKY WOMEN’S HOOPERS WHO GIVE THEIR TEAMS AN IMPORTANT JOLT

2 months ago | skylinesportsmt.com | Andrew Houghton

The Big Sky Conference reached its midpoint of the basketball schedule for the women’s and men’s hoops leagues over the weekend. This is the standard time for us to crank out some mid-season All-Big Sky lists and mid-season awards. But that sounds like a much better podcast. So instead, how about the players who have given their respective teams the most juice? To say the “most impactful” would be unfair and also naïve to how many players make an impact on a given basketball game.
Griz solve Bobcat defensive scheme, ride Johnson to rivalry win over Montana State

2 months ago | skylinesportsmt.com | Andrew Houghton

MISSOULA – Heading into Saturday’s Brawl of the Wild, Kai Johnson hadn’t started for Montana in 14 games. He hadn’t scored in double figures for the Griz in four, and hadn’t put up more than 12 in a game since the middle of December. But, making his return to the starting lineup on Saturday, Johnson was more than ready, putting up 25 points on a variety of audacious shots as Montana led for over 35 minutes in a nearly wire-to-wire 77-70 win over Montana State.
Bobcat women gut out rivalry win, push winning streak to 11 straight

Jan 25, 2025 | skylinesportsmt.com | Andrew Houghton

MISSOULA – In the press conference after her first ‘Cat-Griz experience, Esmeralda Morales acknowledged that coming to Dahlberg Arena as part of the rivalry was not the same as her previous trips with Portland State. “It’s completely different,” Morales said. “(My teammates) were always telling me, you’re going to feel it, and I’m like, oh, OK. But when you get here, you feel it.”That atmosphere – and the opponent – almost got the better of the Bobcats on Saturday afternoon.
FIVE THINGS WE KNOW ABOUT BIG SKY CONFERENCE WOMEN’S HOOPS

Jan 23, 2025 | skylinesportsmt.com | Andrew Houghton

For the third time in four years, football for the Big Sky Conference and around the Treasure State spilled into January. That, coupled with the fact that the FBS just put a wrap on their season on Monday, and it seems like football sucked up all the air for the last six months. When doesn’t it? We know, we know. But Big Sky in Boise for men’s & women’s basketball is just around the corner even though it might not seem like it.