Skylights, Lights nationally ranked

The Montana State University-Northern women’s and men’s basketball teams each suffered a Frontier Conference setback this past week. But, that didn’t stop either team from rising to new heights in the first regular season NAIA Coaches Poll.

In the women’s poll, released Tuesday, the Skylights (8-1) moved up three spots to No. 3. It’s Northern’s highest ranking in a basketball poll in more than two decades.

MSU-N is one of four Frontier Conference teams ranked in the Top 25. Carroll College is ranked No. 6, while Rocky Mountain College debuted in the poll at No. 20, and UGF came in at No. 25. Lewis-Clark State is just outside the Top 25, receiving votes.

In the men’s poll, Northern (8-2) started the year un-ranked, but after a strong first two months, the Lights jumped into the first regular season poll, at No. 25. This marks the 10th straight season that the Lights have been ranked in the Top 25 at some point in the year.

Northern is one of three Frontier men’s teams to be ranked. LC State is No. 7 and Carroll College is No. 16.

The Lights are off until after Christmas, while the Skylights host Northern New Mexico Monday night.

NAIA Women's Coaches Poll

Rn. Prv. Rec. Pts.

1 3 Vanguard (Calif.) (8) 4-0 219

2 5 Westmont (Calif.) 8-1 209

3 6 MSU-Northern 8-1 199

4 1 Campbellsville (Ky.) 8-3 193

5 4 Bethel (Tenn.) 8-3 187

6 24 Carroll (Mont.) 11-1 186

7 2 Freed-Hardeman 5-3 174

8 15 Benedictine (Kan.) 9-1 170

9 21 Xavier (La.) 9-2 157

T10 9 MidAmerica Nazarene 5-1 156

T10 T7 Our Lady of the Lake 4-2 156

12 16 Shawnee State (Ohio) 10-2 152

13 T7 Oklahoma City 4-3 127

14 17 Lyon (Ark.) 6-2 122

15 12 Cumberland (Tenn.) 8-3 112

16 RV Columbia (Mo.) (1) 9-0 111

17 RV John Brown (Ark.) 7-3 103

18 18 Langston (Okla.) 6-2 102

19 14 The Master's (Calif.) 6-2 99

T20 NR Rocky Mountain 9-2 80

T20 20 Martin Methodist 8-2 80

22 25 LSU Shreveport (La.) 5-2 70

23 22 Pikeville (Ky.) 9-0 60

24 10 Wayland Baptist 3-3 51

25 11 Great Falls (Mont.) 7-3 45

Others receiving votes: Baker (Kan.) 41; Talladega (Ala.) 40; Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 28; Loyola (La.) 18; Wiley (Texas) 16; Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 10; Hope International (Calif.) 5; Culver-Stockton (Mo.) 4; Central Methodist (Mo.) 3.

NAIA Men's Coaches Poll

Rn. Prv. Rec. Pts.

1 2 Pikeville (Ky.) (9) 10-0 250

2 6 Georgetown (Ky.) (1) 11-0 237

3 9 Freed-Hardeman 9-1 233

4 4 Arizona Christian 10-1 227

5 16 Columbia (Mo.) 10-0 219

6 RV William Penn (Iowa) 11-1 210

7 13 Lewis-Clark State 10-1 196

8 5 LSU Alexandria 8-2 185

9 1 Dalton State (Ga.) 6-2 184

10 7 Hope International 7-1 180

11 3 Talladega (Ala.) 12-3 178

12 12 Wayland Baptist 8-1 175

13 21 MidAmerica Nazarene 8-2 145

14 17 Westmont (Calif.) 6-2 126

15 24 SAGU (Texas) 8-2 118

16 RV Carroll (Mont.) 6-2 117

T17 19 Xavier (La.) 8-3 113

T17 11 Martin Methodist 7-3 113

19 NR Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 9-2 109

20 RV Texas Wesleyan 7-2 102

21 RV Vanguard (Calif.) 7-0 90

22 NR Wiley (Texas) 6-2 82

23 RV Langston (Okla.) 6-3 80

24 NR Avila (Mo.) 8-3 61

25 NR MSU-Northern 8-2 54

Others Receiving Votes: Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) 41; Campbellsville (Ky.) 32; Mid-America Christian (Okla.) 26; Dillard (La.) 21; Biola (Calif.) 17; Mobile (Ala.) 15; Park (Mo.) 9; Tougaloo (Miss.) 8; William Woods (Mo.) 3.