Close Calls: Lights rise and fall with the Orediggers

Momentum can be a big thing in college basketball. And the Montana State University-Northern Lights are doing their best to seize as much momentum as possible on what will end up being a five-game home stand.

And Northern started to do just that, too, as the Lights took down the Montana Tech Orediggers 65-61 Saturday night in the Armory Gymnasium. But just like that, Tech took it back, as the Orediggers salvaged an Armory split with an overtime win Sunday.

First, though, the Lights showed a lot of grit and fight Saturday night because they had to come back from deficits to beat the Orediggers down the stretch.

"I am very proud of our team effort tonight," Northern head coach Shawn Huse said. "As we all know, it is no easy task getting Frontier Conference wins. Tech has a tough team and that took quite a total team effort to get that one done."

No doubt the Lights showed their toughness against a Tech team that was playing really good coming in. The Lights started strong with a 6-2 lead, and 3-pointers from Mascio McCadney, Zyare Ruffin and Allen Sims. T.J. Reynolds would also splash in a first half triple as the Lights led by as many as eight points. But Tech has Sindou Diallo and he was on fire, as well. He helped orchestrate an 8-0 run that pushed the Diggers into the lead and forced the Lights to make key shots in the closing minute of the half just to tie things up at 28-28.

The game stayed a battle the rest of the way, too.

McCadney hit a three seconds into the second half, but Diallo responded with a pair of three's of his own. McCadney answered with two more bombs, though, as the two squads traded leads and jabs along the way. And in crunch time, things stayed tight.

Drew Huse hit a floater in the lane to tie the game at 43-43, and it was still tied up when Aaron Collins made a big shot to give Northern a 55-53 lead. Naykel Shelton then hit a floater, and David Harris knocked in a runner of his own as the Lights went up 60-53 with four minutes to play. But the game was far from over.

On free throws by Diallo, Tech was down just 63-61 with less than a minute to go, but on their final two possession, the Lights didn't allow Tech to score, and Jomel Boyd and Harris were perfect from the charity stripe as the Lights sealed an important win, their second in a row after starting 0-3 in league play.

"I was proud of our fight on defense tonight," Huse said.

Defense was the key. The Lights forced the Orediggers into 16 turnovers, and Tech made just three triples. Diallo, the league's leading scorer did score 27 points, but Northern countered by shooting 47 percent from the field and making big free throws when needed. McCadney also had 20 points for Northern, while Boyd added 15 on a balanced scoring night.

Much like the Lights' comeback Saturday night, Tech returned the favor Sunday in a 71-69 OT victory.

The Lights did grab an early lead, but by the end of the first half, the Orediggers had overtaken Northern 33-26. Tech remained in control for a good portion of the second, and at one point, led by nine. However, MSU-N began to heat up down the stretch, and when Jomel Boyd hit a clutch 3-pointer with :37 left, the game was tied at 60-60. Northern had a look to win the game in the final seconds of regulation but came up short, and the game went into extra time.

And in the overtime frame, the Lights were ahead for much of it, but Tech, had other ideas. The Orediggers answered another big shot by Boyd that put the Lights up 69-66 with a free throw from Sindou Diallo, then, the Diggers got the defensive stop they needed on the other end. Back on offense, Tech got the ball into Cody Baumstarck, who was fouled. He sank both free throws putting Tech ahead with nine seconds to go, and on the ensuing possession, the Lights threw the ball away in the backcourt, all but ending their hopes of a sweep.

"A tough one," said coach Huse. "I was proud of the way our guys fought to get back in the game and get it to overtime. We just weren't able to finish it. Give Tech credit for hanging in there and finding a way to win another really tough Frontier Conference game."

It was a heartbreaking loss for the Lights, who got a game-high 21 points from Boyd, who also pulled down nine rebounds. David Harris added 17, while Markieth Brown Jr., paced Tech's comeback win with 18 points.

Northern (2-4, 3-4) will look to bounce back yet again when the Lights host sixth-ranked Providence Wednesday night. The Lights are also home to play Rocky Mountain College this Saturday and Sunday.

Lights are 2-4 in Frontier, 3-4 overall; Next: vs Providence Wednesday

Lights 65, Montana Tech 61

MT - Sindou Diallo 10-19 6-8 27, Nate Ward 5-8 1-2 11, Markieth Brown Jr. 1-2 0-0 3, Cody Lives 1-2 0-0 2, Bridger Larson 2-5 0-0 4, Drew Huse 1-4 2-4 4, Derrius Collins 1-6 0-0 2, Cody Baumstarck 4-7 0-0 8. Totals: 25-64 8-13.

MSU-N - Naykel Shelton 2-4 0-0 4, David Harris 3-9 1-3 8, Mascio McCadney 8-13 1-2 20, CJ Nelson 0-1 0-0 0, Jomel Boyd 5-9 5-6 15, Aaron Collins 2-5 3-3 7, Allen Sims 1-3 2-2 3, TJ Reynolds 1-3 0-0 3, Zyare Ruffin 1-4 0-0 3. Totals: 23-51 12-16.

Halftime: 28-28. 3-pointers: MT 3-11 (Diallo 2, Ward 1), MSU-N 7-20 (Harris 1, McCadney 3, Sims 1, Reynolds 1, Ruffin 1); Rebounds: MT 28 (Baumstarck 9), MSU-N 25 (3 with 5 each); Fouls: MT 17, MSU-N 16; Fouled out: Baumstarck.

Montana Tech 71, Lights 69, OT

MT - Sindou Diallo 6-18 5-10 17, Nate Ward 2-2 0-2 4, Markieth Brown Jr. 6-11 5-6 18, Cody Liles 1-1 0-0 2, Bridger Larson 2-6 2-3 6, Drew Huse 1-4 6-6 8, Derrius Collins 3-5 4-6 8, Cody Baumstarck 2-3 4-6 8. Totals: 23-51 24-35.

MSU-N - Naykel Shelton 0-1 0-0 0, David Harris 6-15 1-1 17, Mascio McCadney 1-11 2-4 4, CJ Nelson 2-9 2-4 4, Jomel Boyd 8-13 4-4 21, Michaiah Hauser 1-1 0-0 3, aaron Collins 2-5 3-4 9, Allen Sims 3-7 1-1 8, T.J. Reynolds 0-1 0-2 0, Zyare Ruffin 0-3 0-0 0.

Halftime: 33-26 Montana Tech; 3-pointers: MT 1-6 (Brown Jr., 1), MSU-N 9-27 (Harris 4, Boyd 1, Hauser 1, Collins 2, Sims 1). Rebounds: MT 36 (Baumstarck 11), MSU-N 36 (Harris 9, Boyd 9), Fouls: MT 21, MSU-N 24; Fouled out: None.