Streaking Lights begin Frontier slate at Carroll

Winners of six straight games, the Montana State University-Northern Lights enter December on a roll. But, December is going to be a difficult month for the Lights - especially the beginning.

Tonight in Helena, Northern (7-1) opens Frontier Conference play with a daunting game against the No. 4 Carroll College Fighting Saints (10-0). The game is the first of the traditional December opening weekend of league play, where the Lights will also host the University of Providence Saturday.

"We know there are many challenges ahead, but we are excited to get after it in the league and get an early taste of conference play with this year's bunch," MSU-N head coach Shawn Huse said.

The Lights have certainly been getting after it. They're coming off a win over Our Lady of the Lake at home, and offensively, the Lights are on fire. Seniors David Harris and Mascio McCadney are combining to score 40 points per game, while the Lights average 80 as a team. On defense, Northern has been really good, too, allowing just 61 points per night. Jesse Keltner has been a huge factor on that end, and on the glass for the veteran Lights.

As good as Northern has been, though, the Saints have exploded out of the gate this season, and will be a tough matchup for Northern tonight.

Carroll is 10-0, and the Saints have played a tough schedule. Led by Frontier Conference MVP candidate Jovan Sljivancanin's 20 points and 11 rebounds per outing, the Saints average 80 ppg, while allowing just 71. Veterans Shamrock Campbell and Ifeanyi Okeke have been huge in Carroll's tremendous start as well.

"Carroll is off to a great start," Huse said. "They have a good team with plenty of size and depth. It will certainly be a challenge, but I do like how we are playing. Our guys are confident right now, and they should be. We have shown signs of great things and now we get an opportunity to open league play against a tough conference opponent."

If tonight's opponent is tough, Saturday's Frontier home-opener won't be any easier. The Argos are 6-2 heading into tonight's home game against Rocky Mountain College. They are the highest-scoring team in the Frontier at 92 points per game, getting 22 points a night from Marcus Stephens, while Rashee Stocks chips in with 16. Providence also has five players in double figures and goes 10 deep most nights.

"Providence presents a different challenge with their own style of play," Huse said. "They have plenty of firepower. We will have to be sharp and execute well on both ends if we are going to come out ahead in this one."

Both games will present big challenges for Northern's defense, as both teams are high-scoring units. However, so too are the Lights, and that's what makes the opening weekend of the Frontier so exciting.

Tonight's game between the Lights and Saints tips off at 7 in Helena. Saturday's game against the Argos will get underway at 4 p.m. in the Armory Gymnasium. Northern will then resume league play in January.