Unbeaten Skylights head west

So far, no one has been able to solve the riddle that is the powerful Montana State University-Northern women’s basketball team. A total of 11 teams have tried, and 11 teams have failed.

Now, three more teams will get a crack at the No. 21 Skylights, as Northern puts its perfect 11-0 record on the line in three road games this weekend. MSU-N, which is coming off a rousing win over Valley City State last Friday night, will visit Willamette University tonight, then play at Multnomah Bible College Friday and Walla Walla University Saturday night.

“It will be a tough trip,” said Northern head coach Chris Mouat. “We’ve had a lot of tough road games this season, and these three will be more of the same.”

Northern has spent the majority of its non-conference schedule on the road, so this weekend’s trip will be nothing new to the Skylights, who are a perfect 8-0 away from the Armory Gymnasium, and are coming off a 69-41 thumping of Valley City in their final home game in 2014.

But tonight’s game against Willamette will certainly test Northern’s road resolve. The Bearcats, and NCAA Division III foe, are just 3-3 on the season, but they are loaded with talent. They are led by senior guard JoJo DeLong, who averages 15 points and six rebounds per night, while freshman guard Kylie Towery adds 14 points per game to a Bearcat offense that scores 81 points per game and makes nine 3-pointers per contest.

“They (Bearcats) are really good,” Mouat said. “They shoot it really well. They will be a very tough test for us, especially playing them in their gym.”

Of course, Northern will test Willamette was well. MSU-N is tops in the NAIA, allowing just 42 points per game. The Skylights are also third nationally in scoring offense and rank in the NAIA’s Top 10 in 11 different categories.

Individually, the Northern stars will give the Bearcats all they can handle, too. A’Jha Edwards scores 14 points and grabs 11 rebounds per night, while Natalee Faupel is also scoring 14 points per game. Senior point guard Taylor Cummings is scoring nine points per game, and is tops in the NAIA in total assists. She’s averaging more than five assists per game, and her one-on-one defense is as good as it gets. Senior Megan Feldman is also giving Northern’s front line a big lift. Feldman scores nine points and pulls down five rebounds per outing, and she is has helped Northern become one of the top rebounding teams in the country.

While tonight’s game with Willamette will be the toughest of Northern’s three-game trip, the Skylights will have to remain focused. MSU-N will remain in the Portland area for a Friday night game against Multnomah. The Lions play in the NCCAA and have struggled to an 0-4 start. Still, MSU-N won’t overlook like the Lions, or Saturday’s opponent, the Walla Walla Wolves. Despite an 0-9 record, the Wolves have some talented players, and they possess height that can match up with Northern in the paint. Walla Walla has also played three other Frontier Conference teams this season, so the Wolves certainly won’t be intimidated by the Skylights Saturday night.

But, no matter how good the competition is this weekend, the Skylights get three more games to get even better. Northern is starting to climb toward one of its best starts in school history, and three more road wins this weekend should vault the Skylights way up in the next NAIA Coaches Poll. More importantly however, Mouat is concerned with his team‘s ability to be consistent and keep improving. That’s the goal, and that’s what will get MSU-N ready for Frontier Conference play, which is now just a month away.

“I’m pleased with where we’re at,” Mouat said. “We’ve played well, and we’ve done it mostly on the road. I like how this team has come together. But we can get better. We have plenty of areas we can improve, and that’s what we’ll continue doing.”

Tonight’s game between MSU-N and Willamette tips off at 7 P.S.T. in Salem, Oregon. Northern’s game against Multnomah will get underway at 7 p.m. P.S.T. Friday in Portland, and the Skylights’ trip to Walla Walla, Washington has a tip time of 6:30 p.m. P.S.T. Saturday.