What are your plans for New Year’s Day in Greeley?
Wait. What? You mean to say you don’t yet have anything to do Jan. 1, 2026?
Well, how about taking in a women’s basketball game at Bank of Colorado Arena in Greeley?
The University of Northern Colorado tips off its Big Sky Conference schedule for the 2025-26 season Thursday, Jan. 1 against defending conference regular-season and tournament champion Montana State.
The Bears’ full 2025-26 schedule with game times will be released at a later date.
The Big Sky Conference released its men’s and women’s conference schedules earlier this month. All 20 teams — 10 men and 10 women — will each play 18 conference games home and away against its nine opponents.
University of Northern Colorado forward Tatum West, left, fights for the rebound during a December 2024 nonconference game against North Dakota at Bank of Colorado in Greeley. (Greeley Tribune file)
The women’s and men’s conference tournaments will be March 7-11 at Idaho Central Arena in Boise, Idaho.
While the UNC men open their Big Sky schedule on the road in Montana, the UNC women host the Montana schools at Bank of Colorado Arena. After Montana State in the opener, the UNC women finish off the weekend Saturday, Jan. 3 against the University of Montana.
Montana State, 17-1 in the Big Sky last year and 30-4 overall, has been a top team in the conference for the last few years. The Bobcats also won regular-season titles in 2019-20 and 2022-23. MSU also won a tournament title in 2022.
University of Northern Colorado head women’s basketball coach Kristen Mattio draws up a play during a December 2024 game at Bank of Colorado Arena in Greeley. (Greeley Tribune file).
UNC finished 6-12 in the Big Sky last season and 14-17 overall. The Bears went to Boise for the conference tournament as the No. 9 seed and defeated 10th-seeded Portland State in the first round.
UNC lost in the second round the next day to Montana State, 92-60.
Bears head coach Kristen Mattio received a contract extension in December 2024. The team reached the postseason after the 2023-24 season for the first time since 2019.
The rest of the women’s Big Sky schedule is below.
Jan. 1 vs. Montana State
Jan. 3 vs. Montana
Jan. 8 at Idaho State
Jan. 10 at Weber State
Jan. 15 vs. Portland State
Jan. 17 vs. Sacramento State
Jan. 19 at Montana State
Jan. 24 vs. Northern Arizona
Jan. 29 vs. Idaho
Jan. 31 at Eastern Washington
Feb. 5 vs. Weber State
Feb. 7 vs. Idaho State
Feb. 12 at Sacramento State
Feb. 14 at Portland State
Feb. 21 at Northern Arizona
Feb. 26 vs. Eastern Washington
Feb. 28 at Idaho
March 2 at Montana