Lights, Skylights head out on the road

Both the Montana State University-Northern men’s and women’s basketball teams got an early start to the season, each playing several games in October. But now the calender has turned to November, and after a week off, the Lights and Skylights will really get going.

The Northern women, ranked No. 21 in the NAIA, travel to Phoenix this weekend for a pair of tough games against NAIA opponents.

Head coach Chris Mouat’s team is off to a 6-0 start, and the Skylights will take on San Diego Christian Friday night, then face Arizona Christian Saturday. Arizona Christian is the host of the event.

Both teams will present stern challenges for Northern, and it’s the first time this season the Skylights are playing back-to-back games against NAIA opponents. MSU-N’s only game against an NAIA team this season came back on Oct. 19 when the Skylights beat NAIA DII Warner-Pacific 61-38 in Havre.

The road trip is also the first of two straight weekends of stiff competition. Next weekend, MSU-N plays two more stalwarts from the NAIA at the UGF tournament in Great Falls.

But with a week of rest, Northern should be ready to go in Phoenix. The Skylights are leading the NAIA in five different categories, including scoring offense and scoring defense, as well assists and blocked shots. Individually, MSU-N is getting great balance. Natalee Faupel averages 15 points per game, while A’Jha Edwards scores 11 and pulls down nine rebounds per night. Taylor Cummings is averaging eight points per contest, while also leading the NAIA in assists and steals thus far.

The Lights are also coming off a week of rest and will put their 5-0 start to the 2014-15 season on the line this weekend in Portland. MSU-N will play Portland Bible College Friday night, followed by a big showdown with Warner-Pacific Saturday night. Northern will close out the road trip with a game against Concordia University Monday night.

The trip is the continuation of a long stretch of games away from home for the Lights. Northern started the jaunt two weeks ago in Lethbridge, Alberta, and the Lights won’t play at home again until Jan. 2.

This weekend’s games will also be the first for the Lights against NAIA competition, and Saturday’s game against Warner-Pacific figures to be really tough. Two years ago, the Knights came to Havre and beat the Lights in the Armory Gymnasium, and they are a perennial NAIA DII tournament contender.

But, MSU-N should be up to the challenge. The Lights are off to a great start and are 90 points per game, while holding teams to just 64 points per night. The Lights have already made 47 3-pointers though four games, and are in the top 10 in the NAIA in eight different categories. Trevail Lee leads a balanced MSU-N attack with 14 points per game, while also totaling six assists and three steals. Warren Edmonson, Jermaine Graves, Damien Robinson, Corbin Pearson, Nick Blount and Jesse Vaughan also average between 10 and eight points per game for the Lights.

MSU-N’s game Friday night against Portland Bible College starts at 8 p.m. The Lights and Warner-Pacific play at 8:30 p.m. Saturday and next Monday’s game against Concordia tips off at 8 p.m. The Skylights’ game with San Diego Christian tips off at 5 p.m. Friday, and their battle with Arizona Christian gets underway at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.