News you can use
News you can use
Jacy Thompson, right, drives the ball during the 2017 NAIA national tournament in March in Billings. The Skylights are hoping to make a fifth straight trip to the national tourney this coming season, but as always, they'll play a very tough non-conference schedule, as well as the always rough Frontier Conference slate.
The Montana State University-Northern Skylights always play a tough, if not sometimes brutal schedule outside of Frontier Conference play. That's why the Skylights are always so ready for the rigors of league play come January.
And while Northern's schedule isn't complete, the bulk of it is out, and as usual, head coach Chris Mouat's team will have plenty of challenging and exciting opponents to play.
Northern, which has gone to four straight NAIA national tournaments, begins the season at home with a game against the University of Lethbridge Oct. 21. Six days later, the Skylights are back in the Armory for the first of two battles against an old foe - the Dickinson State Blue Hawks. Northern will make a return trip to DSU as part of three straight road games in early November.
And the Blue Hawks won't be the only tough NAIA team to come into the Armory before January either. MSU-N will have its hands full when it closes out non-league play Dec. 30 against Our Lady of the Lake University of Texas. The squad is always a Top 25 caliber team, and comes to Havre as part of the 2017 Duck Inn Classic, which also features Concordia of Alberta and University of Providence-Great Falls.
MSU-N will also play some very tough road games in the early part of the season. The Skylights are headed to the Rotary Classic in Jackson, Tenn., for the second straight season, where they'll match up against two Top 25 NAIA teams, which are yet to be determined, Nov. 24-25. The Skylights will also travel to St. George, Utah, for two games against NCAA Division II stalwarts. Northern will play Colorado Mesa in an exhibition game Nov. 18 and then take on Dixie State the following night. MSU-N rounds out its home schedule with San Diego Christian Nov. 12, and a pair of games yet to be announced.
Of course, it's all preparation for Frontier play. The Skylights begin league play Dec. 1-2 with home games against Rocky Mountain College and arch rival Carroll College. MSU-N will then open the new year's conference schedule with a home game against UPGF Jan. 2.
January will also see the Skylights play four straight on the road, with trips to Montana Tech, Lewis-Clark State, UM-Western and Great Falls in a three-week stretch. The Jan. 17 game at UPGF is a rare Wednesday night affair. Northern then closes out the month with home games against Tech, LCSC and Western. The Orediggers, Warriors and Bulldogs come to Havre just once this season.
February starts with four straight road games for the Skylights before coming back home to host Carroll, RMC and UPGF Feb. 21 for senior night. Northern closes out the regular season with a trip to Montana Tech Feb. 23.
The Frontier tournament will also have a different look this season. After two years of allowing only the top six to qualify for the postseason playoffs, the league will now have all seven teams back in the postseason. The tournament will still be held at campus sites of the higher seeded teams. It will run Feb. 28-March 6. And for the second of three straight years, the NAIA women's national tourney will be held in Billings. The 2018 Big Dance takes place March 14-20.
2017-18
Skylights
Basketball Schedule
Oct. 21 vs Lethbridge
Oct. 27 vs Dickinson State
Nov. 3 at Salish Kootenai
Nov. 6 at Dickinson State
Nov. 11 vs Northwest University (Great Falls)
Nov. 12 vs San Diego Christian
Nov. 18 at Colorado Mesa (Exh)
Nov. 19 at Dixie State
Nov. 24 Jackson, Tenn. TBA
Nov. 25 Jackson, Tenn. TBA
Dec. 1 vs Rocky Mountain
Dec. 2 vs Carroll College
Duck Inn Classic
Dec. 29 vs Concordia-Alberta
Dec. 30 vs Our Lady of Lake
Jan. 2 vs UGF
Jan. 4 at Montana Tech
Jan 11 at Lewis-Clark State
Jan. 13 at UM-Western
Jan. 17 at UGF
Jan. 20 vs Montana Tech
Jan. 26 vs Lewis-Clark State
Jan. 27 vs UM-Western
Feb. 1 at Rocky Mountain
Feb. 3 at Carroll College
Feb. 8 at UM-Western
Feb. 10 at Lewis-Clark State
Feb. 16 vs Carroll College
Feb. 17 vs Rocky Mountain
Feb. 21 vs UGF
Feb. 23 at Montana Tech
Feb. 26-Mar. 6 Frontier Tournament
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