February 27, 2026

Photo credit by Gary Marshall, 406 Sports

BUTTE, Mont. — Omari Nesbit scored a game-high 27 points to lead top-seed Rocky Mountain (Mont.) to a 69-60 win over eighth-seed Mayville State (N.D.) on Friday in the 2026 Frontier Conference Men’s Basketball Postseason Tournament's quarterfinal round at the Butte Civic Center.

The Battlin' Bears controlled the matchup by building an early cushion, outscoring the Comets 37-29 in the first half and never surrendering the lead. RMC maintained their edge after halftime with a 32-31 advantage in the second half, closing out the nine-point victory behind efficient shooting and a dominant effort on the glass.

Nesbit powered Rocky’s offense, going 10-of-18 from the field and 6-of-8 at the free-throw line while adding six rebounds and one assist. He repeatedly delivered in key moments, including a 3-pointer at the 15:37 mark of the second quarter that pushed Rocky Mountain’s lead to 51-31, and two free throws with 12 seconds remaining that helped seal the outcome at 69-60.

Rocky Mountain also received a strong performance from Royce Robinson, who finished with 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting, including 1-of-5 from 3-point range, to go with six rebounds and two assists. Drew Bowman added nine points off three 3-pointers, including a key triple in the final minute of the first quarter that stretched Rocky’s lead to 37-27 heading into the break. Jacob Bilodeau set the tone early with the opening layup of the game and later connected on a 3-pointer with 16:31 left in the second half to extend the margin to 46-31.

Mayville State was led by Malik Siggers, who kept the Comets within striking distance with 26 points. Siggers shot 8-of-15 from the floor, 4-of-8 from beyond the arc and a perfect 6-of-6 at the line while adding two rebounds and two steals. He gave Mayville an early 3-2 lead with a 3-pointer at 19:02 of the first quarter and later knocked down another 3 with 6:19 left in the game to cut Rocky’s advantage to 58-50 as Mayville tried to mount a late rally.

Rocky Mountain finished 26-of-55 (47.3 percent) from the field and 6-of-22 (27.3 percent) from 3-point range while winning the rebounding battle decisively, 39-21, including an 8-3 edge on the offensive glass.

Mayville State shot 38.5 percent (20-of-52 field goals) overall and 29.4 percent (5-of-17 3-point field goals) from deep, converting 15-of-20 free throws. The Comets protected the ball with only five turnovers to Rocky’s 11, but the Bears’ size and activity on the boards helped offset the miscues.

Isaiah Smith and Bowman each hit timely 3-pointers for their respective sides late in the first half, but Rocky’s early separation and interior presence proved decisive in the Frontier Conference postseason matchup.

With the win, Rocky Mountain (26-3 overall record) advances in the tournament, while Mayville State’s season (10-18 overall record) comes to a close after a competitive but ultimately uphill effort in Butte.