Lights and Skylights fall on the road to Carroll

The Carroll P.E. Center has been a tough place for the Montana State University-Northern Lights, and any other Frontier Conference team for that matter, to play lately.

And it was again Thursday night. Northern opened the 2021-22 Frontier Conference season with a valiant effort against the fourth-ranked Carroll College Fighting Saints, but the Lights came up just short in a 73-71 loss.

As noted, the Lights put up a great fight. They trailed by as many as 10 points in the second half, but were down by just three inside of a minute to play. However, a couple of 3-point attempts didn’t fall and the Saints were able to escape with the win.

The Lights trailed 30-24 at intermission, and fell further behind at the start of the second stanza. But, behind a monstrous effort from David Harris, who scored a game-high 31 points, the Lights nearly came all the way back.

Northern would end up shooting a stellar 55 percent from the field for the game, while also out-rebounding Carroll. The Lights also got 21 points from Mascio McCadney and 10 points and nine rebounds from Jesse Keltner, but it wasn’t quite enough as Carroll forced MSU-N into 21 turnovers.

The Saints, who remained unbeaten on the season, also got 22 points and 10 rebounds from Jovan Sljivancanin, while Andrew Cook chipped in with 20 points.

Northern meanwhile, is now 7-2 on the season and will come home to face The Providence Argos Saturday afternoon.

“Tough battle. Certainly proud of our guys for taking number four to the wire,” MSU-N head coach Shawn Huse said. “That being said, we are disappointed; we believe firmly in our team’s capabilities. Hats off to Carroll for hitting enough big shots late and finding a way. We had some guys really step up tonight but needed one or two more. Is what it is right now. We vented in the locker room, expressed appreciation and disappointment as a group. Then filed it away so we can now place 100 percent focus on our prep and rest for Providence. Saturday afternoon won’t wait.”

Carroll races past Skylights

Going into Thursday night’s Frontier Conference opener in Helena, Montana State University-Northern head coach Chris Mouat knew what his inexperienced Skylights were up against. After all, Carroll College could simply be one of the teams in all of NAIA women’s basketball.

And they played like it, as the No. 5 Fighting Saints dominated the Skylights 82-40. The win was broken open by a Carroll 24-7 run in the second quarter after the Skylights trailed just 13-6 after the first period.

Carroll also stayed hot in the third quarter, outscoring the Skylights 22-11 to really pull away.

Offensively, the Saints shot 54 percent from the field and went wild from beyond the arc, making 14 3-pointers. That effort was led by former Havre Blue Pony Dani Wagner, who canned six threes and scored a game-high 20 points. She would also lead three Saints in double figures.

On the other end of the floor, Carroll’s defense stymied the Skylights throughout. Northern shot just 32 percent from the field and made three treys. The Skylights did take care of the ball, but shooting was a struggle for Northern, which got 12 points from L’Tia Lawrence and seven by Sydney Hovde. The Skylights, who fell to 0-1 in the Frontier, and 3-5 overall, also lost the battle of the boards, 33-21.

Next up for Northern is a home game against arch rival Providence Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Armory Gymnasium.

Carroll 73, Lights 71

MSU-N - Immanuel Anderson 0-1 0-0 0, David Harris 11-18 6-6 31, Mascio McCadney 9-16 2-4 21, CJ Nelson 0-1 0-0 0, Jesse Keltner 5-7 0-2 10, Anthony Braggs Jr., 3-6 0-0 6, Tanner McLiment-Call 0-1 0-0 0, TJ Reynolds 1-1 0-0 2, Zayare Ruffin 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 29-53 8-12.

CC - Gui Pedra 1-2 0-0 2, Ifeanyi Okeke 1-2 2-2 4, Jovan Slijvancanin 7-14 6-10 22, Shamrock Campbell 2-7 1-2 7, Brenden Temple 2-4 0-00 4, Andrew Cook 8-10 1-1 20, Garrett Long 4-5 0-0 8, Johnny Hillman 2-6 0-2 4, Murat Guzelocak 1-3 0-0 0. Totals: 28-53 16-17.

Halftime: Carroll 30-24. 3-pointers: MSU-N 5-14 (Harris 3, McCadney 2), CC 7-17 (Sljivancanin 2, Campbell 2, Cook 3), Rebounds: MSU-N 28, (Keltner 10), CC 19 (Sljivancanin 10). Fouls: MSU-N 16, CC 15. Fouled out: None.

Carroll 82, Skylights 40

MSU-Northern 6 7 11 16 - 40

Carroll 13 24 22 23 - 82

MSU-N - Danielle Tyler 1-9 0-0 2, L'Tia Lawrence 4-10 1-2 12, Ryley Kehr 3-4 0-0 6, Peyton Kehr 2-8 0-0 4, Sydney Hovde 3-6 1-3 3, Sydney Prather 1-2 1-2 3, Shyan Krass 0-1 0-0 0, Dulci Skunkcap 1-3 0-0 3, Savannah Toms 0-1 1-2 1. Totals: 16-49 5-11.

CC - Dani Wagner 7-11 0-0 20, Christine Denny 6-6 0-0 14, Kamden Hilborn 0-2 2-2 2, Sienna Swannack 4-8 0-0 10, Jamie Pickens 4-8 0-0 8, Genesis Wilkinson 1-3 2-2 5, Nakiah Grende 1-1 0-0 2, Jaidyn Lyman 1-3 0-0 3, Addi Ekstrom 3-5 0-0 7, Maddie Geritz 2-5 0-1 4. Totals: 32-59 4-5.

3-pointers: MSU-N 3-15 (Lawrence 3), CC 14-28 ( Wagner 6, Denny 2, Swannack 2, Wilkinson 1, Ekstrom 1), Rebounds: MSU-N 21 (Lawrence 4), CC 32 (Hilborn 6), Fouls: MSU-N 9, CC 10; Fouled out: None.