Skylights ready to battle improving Tech

In the last week, the Montana State University-Northern women’s basketball team has come oh so close to beating not one, but two NAIA Top 25 teams in Frontier Conference play. But, in narrow losses to Lewis-Clark State and the University of Providence, close was not enough.

Now, the Skylights (0-5, 8-9) will turn their focus to the Montana Tech Orediggers, who come to the Armory Gymnasium Saturday night. And, Northern head coach Chris Mouat says that getting in position to win is the first step, but finishing the job is what the Skylights need to do.

“We’ve given ourselves chances to win in back-to-back games, against nationally ranked opponents, against really good teams,” Mouat said. “So I am proud of the way our kids have fought, how they’ve played, and how they’ve put themselves in those positions to have those opportunities.

“But, the bottom line is, we didn’t do the right things, the things we needed to do to win those games,” he continued. “In reality, the last minute or less in each game, we shot ourselves in the foot. So it’s those self-inflicted wounds we have to get over. The first step is getting to that position, which we’ve been doing, but we have to finish the deal. That’s the goal.”

And the Skylights will try and do that against a Montana Tech (1-4, 14-6), that just corralled its first win in the Frontier when the Orediggers upset Providence Thursday night.

But while the Orediggers, of former Chester star Carly VanDyke, have a sub .500 record in league play, Mouat said his team won’t be fooled by Tech’s recent record.

“We know how talented they are,” Mouat said. “They have talent across the board. They have really good bigs. They’ve been very good defensively this season. They’ve played a lot of really good teams really tough, and they’ll come in here hungry. So we will not make the mistake of overlooking them, or anybody else.”

Tech is talented. Mesa Williams (5-10) is having a breakout season, averaging 15 points per night, while Kaylee Zard (6-0) anchors a strong frontline with her 11 points and eight rebounds per game. Dani Urick (5-8) and Mollie Peoples are dangerous shooters for a Tech squad averaging 75 points per night offensively.

“Mesa Williams is having a breakout season, Kaylee Zard is a beast inside and Dani Urick is having a really nice year,” Mouat said. “They are a very talented team, and we will get their best shot from them.”

Of course, the Skylights have been giving big-time teams their best shot the last two outings. In their gut-wrenching losses to LCSC and Providence, Northern’s defense has been phenomenal, allowing just 50 ppg. The Skylights have also been strong on the boards and have been efficient at forcing turnovers.

Northern has also gotten a shot in the arm offensively with the return of Hailey Nicholson and Tiara Gilham from injury, while Peyton Kehr and Sydney Hovde continue to be the offensive catalysts for the Skylights they’ve been all season.

But again, as well as Northern has played in its last two games, the Skylights are nowhere near satisfied. They know they can contend in the Frontier Conference, but Mouat said, it’s time to start finishing those games off, and they’re hoping it starts with the Orediggers Saturday night.

“This league is so good, I think anybody can beat anybody right now,” Mouat said. “And we’ve shown that includes us. But we have to get over the hump. We have to not just get there, but we have to start finishing the deal. Our kids know it, they understand it, and they’re going to continue to fight to make that happen.”

Saturday night’s game between the Skylights and Orediggers tips at 6 p.m. It’s Northern’s final game in the Armory until Feb. 1. when they take on Rocky Mountain College.

Skylights (0-5, 8-9) vs Montana Tech (1-4, 14-6) Saturday, 6 p.m.

In Armory Gymnasium

Radio: 92.5 KPQX

Streaming: golightsgo.com

Twitter: HavreDaily

Skylights Projected Starters

G Gokce Aslan, 5-3, Sr., 9 ppg

G Allix Goldhahn, 5-8, Fr., 9 ppg

G Peyton Kehr, 5-10, So., 13 ppg

F Hailey Nicholson, 5-1-, Jr.., 12 ppg

F Sydney Hovde, 6-0, So., 11 ppg