Time to honor some all-time great MSU-N seniors

There comes a point when senior basketball players must say goodbye. It's emotional and it's difficult. And while the seniors who play for the Montana State University-Northern Skylights won't play their last home game until sometime in the Frontier Conference playoffs, their farewell does come Saturday night inside the Armory Gymnasium.

Yes, it's going to be an emotional senior night when the Skylights take on Rocky Mountain College Saturday. Emotional because this particular Northern senior class has done so much, and has meant so much to the vaunted Skylight program.

"This group has been a part of some great things in our program," Northern head coach Chris Mouat said. "They have been to three straight national tournaments and helped us to Sweet 16 and Elite 8 appearances.  They played for a conference tournament title, and they've been one of the top defensive teams in the nation all four years."

Those are just some of the great team achievements Natalee Faupel, Molly Kreycik, Cydney Auzenne and Sierra Richards have accomplished during their time together at Northern. Collectively, the Northern senior class has been responsible for 94 wins to date, have helped the Skylights finish in the top tier of the Frontier every year, and of course, the group has, as Mouat mentioned, gone to three straight NAIA national tournaments, and hopefully, a fourth is just around the corner.

Individually, the group has been incredible as well.

Faupel is Northern's all-time leading scorer, a two-time NAIA All-American, a First-Team All-American and the 2016 Frontier Conference MVP. She's currently averaging 17 points per game to go with six rebounds in her final go-around with the Skylights. Kreycik has been the floor general for Northern for the last two seasons, but has played a key role in all four of her seasons in a Skylight uniform. As a senior, she's upped her scoring average to eight ppg, while shooting 40 percent from three. She's also dished out 387 assists during her time at MSU-N.

Richards has played just two years for Northern, but her impact has been great. In her senior year, she's become one of the most consistent post players in the Frontier Conference, averaging 11 points and eight rebounds per night. She's also had seven double-doubles this season and has really anchored Northern's inside game, while always guarding bigger players on the defensive end. Auzenne meanwhile, has had a unique career at Northern, playing volleyball in the fall and basketball the rest of the way. Last season, she stepped into a key role for the Skylights and wound up earning Frontier All-Conference honors. A deadly 3-point shooter, and a tough defender, Auzenne has had an incredible impact on the Skylights' program.

"This group of seniors has been really special," Mouat said. "Cyd, Molly and Natalee have been with us for four seasons, and Sierra has been for the last two. I think a few things really stand out about them.  They have provided excellent leadership for us and they have a great work ethic. As a group, they also really get along and have great chemistry. They hold each other accountable.

"Away from the court, they have also done a lot and been very successful," he continued. "They have represented our program in a first-class manner, they have been very active in the community, and they are excellent students."

No doubt, Northern's four seniors are special. They've been special on the floor, and off it. And it shows because the Skylights are in the midst of one of the most successful runs in program history. And while Saturday night won't be their last home game, as Northern is guaranteed at least one game in the Armory in the upcoming Frontier playoffs, it will be their senior night, and it will a special one - because this group is, and will continue to be, a special one.

"This group has won 94 games over the past four seasons, which says a lot about their ability to consistently play at a high level," Mouat said. "They have definitely made their mark in our program.  We are hoping we have a lot more basketball to play, but Saturday will be an emotional one for me.  This group is just really special to me.  I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to coach them all."

Lights Say Goodbye

Saturday night will also be senior night for the Montana State University-Northern men. And like the Skylights, it will be an emotional one.

The past two seasons, Northern has been a relatively young squad, and one reason the Lights have found so much success while being young is because of the seniors.

"They've shown great leadership," Northern head coach Shawn Huse said. "It's a very team-oriented group. They've done whatever we've asked of them."

Northern will honor those seniors, David Straughter, Badhasa Margarsa, Tyler Chandler and William Walker, all of whom have been together for the last two seasons.

Straughter was a Frontier All-Conference performer a year ago and is headed in that direction again. In two seasons with the Lights, Straughter has averaged 11 points and six rebounds per game. Margarsa took over the point guard duties this season but has been a key player for the Lights the last two. He has averaged six points and four assists per game during his time as a Light, while his leadership on and off the floor has been key.

Chandler has been another in a long line of three-point bombers during Huse's tenure. In his two seasons at Northern he's made 128 triples, and he's currently on the best stretch of his career, averaging just over 14 points per game over the Lights' last five outings. Walker has also been a big leader for the Lights, and he also gives Northern a huge spark every time he comes off the bench. He averages six points and five rebounds per game, and, like his fellow seniors, his leadership, on and off the floor has been crucial, especially this season, where the Lights have put together 20-plus wins and are in a fight for a berth in the NAIA national tournament.

Yes, the Northern seniors may not have longevity of some past classes, but, they certainly are making their mark, especially this season, where it all seems to be coming together.

"This has been another special senior group, certainly one of the best team-minded groups on the court that we have had," Huse said. "They are extremely willing to make the extra pass, take the charge, dive on the floor, and make non-stat-sheet plays for their teammates. A very academics-first group (two Academic All-Americans and one Academic All-Conference), they would do whatever it takes to see this season never ends ... and if it does go deep into postseason, they will have been the key that started the drive."

The Lights and Skylights host UM-Western Friday night, then, will host Rocky Mountain College Saturday night, when all the Northern seniors will be honored.