With two years until the conference tournament was introduced, the Big Sky title was decided with an unscheduled one-game playoff at Missoula on Tuesday night. A coin flip eleven days earlier determined the host.[3] Before a record crowd at Dahlberg Arena, the visiting Bengals won 60–57 and advanced to the 25-team NCAA tournament, their first appearance in fourteen years.[4][5][6]
ISU hosted the first round (subregional) of the West regional, and met #17 New Mexico(20–6)[7] in the nightcap on Saturday night.[8][9]The visiting Lobos, WAC champions, won by eight to end the Bengals' season at 20–8.[10]
Senior forward Jim Anderson was named to the all-conference team; senior center Dan Spindler and junior guard Kevin Hoyt were honorable mention.[11][12]
Idaho State returned to the NCAA tournamentthree years later and advanced to the Elite Eight, which remains the best-ever showing for a Big Sky team.