BOISE, Idaho (Interstat) — The Idaho Vandals, seeking their first NCAA tournament berth in nearly two decades, will face a familiar and recently surging opponent when they meet the Sacramento State Hornets in the Big Sky Conference men’s basketball championship game Saturday.

The top-seeded Vandals (17-14) and the sixth-seeded Hornets (10-20) will tip off at Idaho Central Arena with an automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA tournament on the line. Idaho, which last danced in 2009, swept the regular-season series, winning 86-80 in Sacramento on Feb. 21 and 86-76 in Moscow on Jan. 22.

Idaho enters riding momentum from an 85-81 road victory at Eastern Washington on Monday. Guard Jack Payne has been a key contributor, averaging 10.3 points over his last three games, including a 12-point, 4-assist performance in the win over the Eagles. The Vandals’ balanced attack also features Jackson Rasmussen and Biko Johnson, who combined for 27 points in the quarterfinal victory.

Sacramento State, despite its sub-.500 record, has engineered a stunning tournament run. The Hornets upset third-seeded Montana State and second-seeded Northern Arizona to reach the final, capped by a dominant 83-65 win over Idaho State on Monday. In that victory, forward Mark Lavrenov scored 19 points, signaling a return to form after a scoring slump. Lavrenov torched Idaho for 20 points in their February meeting and will be a primary focus for the Vandal defense.

The Hornets’ late-season surge has been fueled by improved offense, averaging 79 points per game during the tournament after a prolonged losing streak. Prophet Johnson and Arman Madi join Lavrenov as scoring threats, with Madi dishing 7 assists in the semifinal.

Idaho will rely on its defensive consistency and experience in close games, having played in nine contests decided by five points or fewer this season. The Vandals’ ability to contain Lavrenov and manage Sacramento State’s emergent backcourt will likely dictate the tempo.

The championship game is scheduled for 5 p.m. PDT Saturday and will be televised on ESPN2. The winner will learn its NCAA tournament destination during the selection show on Sunday.