Lights smash opponents, and records in Great Falls

In just their second and third games of the 2016-17 season, the Montana State University-Northern men’s basketball team set the record books ablaze.

This past weekend in Great Falls, Northern crushed Oak Hills Christian College 139-47 Friday, then blasted Shepherd University 90-37 inside UGF’s McLaughlin Center. The wins pushed Northern to a 3-0 start on the season.

In Friday’s game, the Lights nearly broke the single-game scoring mark at Northern with their 139 points. The record was 142 points against Metropolitan State, set back in 1996. In the win Friday, Northern made 21 3-pointers and had six players score in double figures, led by freshman Adam Huse, who buried seven triples and scored 25 points in only his second collegiate game. David Straughter scored 19 points, while Ryan Reeves had 16, Charles Porter scored 13, William Walker had 12 and Cameron Epps added 10.

Northern’s powerful offense continued its fine play Saturday, as the Lights hit 10 more threes and hit the 90-point plateau for the third game in a row. But, it was MSU-N’s 53 defensive rebounds, and 71 total boards that broke the school’s all-time mark. The previous record was 70 against Montana Tech back in 1972.

Offensively, Justin Dunsmore scored 13 points and grabbed nine boards, while Badhasa Margarsa added 10 points. And, for the second straight game, every Light on the roster made it into the scoring column.

The Lights will now be off again until they host a pair of games in their Thanksgiving Classic Nov. 25-26 in Havre.

“I really like our team,” MSU-N head coach Shawn Huse said. “We have a lot of different looks that we can throw out there and a lot of interchangeable parts. I feel like we are very balanced and I feel like we are very deep. You know, it’s way too early to tell too much. But we’ve got a good chance in this conference.”

Lights 139, Oak Hills CC 47

MSU-N – David Straughter 19, Ryan Reeves 16, Badhasa Margarsa 5, Kevin Oberweiser 6, Dylan Tatarka 7, Cameron Epps 10, Adam Huse 25, Devin Bray 4, Justin Dunsmore 8, Charles Porter 13, Tyler Chandler 9, William Walker 12, Seth Christiaens 5. Totals: 56-80 6-9 139.

Halftime: Northern 69-24. 3-pointers: 21-36 (Straughter 3, Margarsa 1, Oberwesier 2, Tatarka 1, Epps 2, Huse 7, Bray 1, Dunsmore 1, Chandler 3). Rebounds: 37 (Dunsmore 7). Fouls: 15. Fouled out: Christiaens.

Lights 90, Shepherd 37

MSU-N – David Straughter 8, Ryan Reeves 6, Badhasa Margarsa 10, Kevin Oberweiser 2, Dylan Tatarka 7, Cameron Epps 8, Adam Huse 9, Devin Bray 3, Justin Dunsmore 13, Charles Porter 9, Tyler Chandler 3, William Walker 8, Seth Christiaens 4. Totals: 37-74 6-14 90.

Halftime: Northern 37-12. 3-pointers: 10-28 (Straughter 1, Margarsa 1, Tatarka 1, Epps 1, Huse 3, Bray 1, Porter 1, Chandler 1). Rebounds: 71 (Straughter 9). Fouls: 14.