Montana’s Travis DeCuire is Big Sky coach of the year; Money Williams top reserve

BOISE, ID — After leading Montana to a share of the Big Sky Conference regular-season crown, Travis DeCuire on Friday was named the league’s men’s basketball coach of the year.

DeCuire was honored as part of the Big Sky’s announcement of its all-conference teams and award winners.

DeCuire and the Grizzlies enter the league’s postseason tournament in Boise, Idaho, as the No. 2 seed after posting a 22-9 overall record and a 15-3 mark in conference play.

DeCuire guided Montana to a 10-game winning streak during the league schedule and surpassed George “Jiggs” Dahlberg as the program’s all-time winningest coach.

He now has 223 victories with the Griz entering the Big Sky tournament.

Elsewhere, UM guard Money Williams was named the league’s top reserve, while forward Joe Pridgen was selected first-team All-Big Sky.

Williams and guards Malik Moore and Brandon Whitney were chosen for the second team, while Whitney was named to the all-defensive squad.

In Boise, the Grizzlies will play either No. 7 seed Northern Arizona or No. 8 seed Eastern Washington on Sunday at 8 p.m.

Montana State’s lone representative on the all-conference list is forward Brandon Walker, who was an honorable mention selection.

The Bobcats are the No. 5 seed for the Big Sky tournament and will face No. 4 seed Idaho State on Monday at 5:30 p.m.

Idaho State’s Dylan Darling was named both league MVP and newcomer of the year, and fellow Bengal Evan Otten was chosen as freshman of the year.

Portland State’s Tre-Vaughn Minott was picked as defensive player of the year.

The first games of the Big Sky Conference postseason tournament tip off Saturday at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.

Following is the full list of 2024-25 Big Sky men’s basketball honors (* denotes a unanimous selection):

Individual awards 

Most Valuable Player: Dylan Darling, Idaho State

Newcomer of the year: Dylan Darling, Idaho State *

Freshman of the year: Evan Otten, Idaho State

Defensive player of the year: Tre-Vaughn Minott, Portland State

Top reserve: Money Williams, Montana

Coach of the year: Travis DeCuire, Montana

First team

Dylan Darling, Idaho State *

Langston Reynolds, Northern Colorado *

Trent McLaughlin, Northern Arizona

Blaise Threatt, Weber State

Joe Pridgen, Montana

Isaiah Hawthorne, Northern Colorado

Jaron Rillie, Northern Colorado

Second team

Malik Moore, Montana

Carson Towt, Northern Arizona

Terri Miller Jr., Portland State

Jacob Holt, Sacramento State

Money Williams, Montana

Brandon Whitney, Montana

Honorable mention

Jaylin Henderson, Portland State

Qiant Myers, Portland State

Jake O’Neil, Idaho State

Brandon Walker, Montana State

Jack Payne, Idaho

All-defensive team

Tre-Vaughn Minott, Portland State

Carson Towt, Northern Arizona*

Brandon Whitney, Montana

Jake O’Neil, Idaho State

Zach Bloch, Northern Colorado