Big Sky Basketball Tournament: Montana, Northern Colorado favored

WICHITA, KS - MARCH 15: Head coach Travis DeCuire speaks with Ahmaad Rorie #14, Sayeed Pridgett #4 and Fabijan Krslovic #20 of the Montana Grizzlies during a stopage against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half of the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at INTRUST Arena on March 15, 2018 in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

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LAS VEGAS, NV – NOVEMBER 24: Jordan Davis #0 of the Northern Colorado Bears dunks against the Sacred Heart Pioneers during the 2016 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on November 24, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Northern Colorado won 81-59. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

What kind of seed can the Big Sky champion expect?

The Big Sky will be a one-bid league this season with the only the winner of the conference tournament earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Based upon several bracketologists, including our own here at Busting Brackets, the winner of the Big Sky will have little room when it comes to what kind of seed they can expect on Selection Sunday.

It seems unanimous right now that if Montana wins the tournament, they will more than likely find themselves on the 15-seed line, facing a No. 2 seed. The only other team in the conference that might have a chance at avoiding a 16-seed is Northern Colorado, but even that might be a stretch as the Bears rank 163rd in the NCAA’s NET metric and have just one win over the first two quadrants.

So, even if Northern Colorado wins the Big Sky, depending on what happens elsewhere their ceiling would be a 15 seed with the more likely outcome being a No. 16. Aside from those two, any other surprise winner of the conference tournament, whether it be Weber State, Eastern Washington, Southern Utah or someone else would be a 16 seed and possibly go to Dayton to compete in the First Four.

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