Skylights bury Orediggers: Lights fall in Butte

Talk about building momentum.

The Montana State University-Northern women’s basketball team is certainly going into the Frontier Conference playoffs with some. On Thursday night in Butte, Northern wrapped up the regular season with a 55-51 win at Montana Tech, to finish league play at 2-13.

“Our kids battled all night long,” Northern head coach Chris Mouat said. “It was a big win and we had to earn it. We did a good job on the boards for the most part and got some big scores and stops down the stretch. Our kids were very mentally tough in the closing minutes. We got good balance offensively and shared the ball really well. We had an awful night from the 3-point line but generated points when we needed to. We played pretty well in a tough environment.

The Skylights took the first quarter 17-12. But Ally Cleverly hit a big 3-pointer to end the half with Tech up by one 29-28. Northern held Montana Tech to three points in the third quarter to take back the lead. Montana Tech hit big shots to cut the lead to one at a couple points of the fourth quarter, but the Skylights made key free throws down the stretch.

The Skylights were led by Sydney Hovde, who had a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds. With that double-double, she also tied Andrea Anderson for the most rebounds in Skylight history.

“Syd was great on the boards and has worked very hard to achieve this milestone. She had a bunch of big ones when we needed them tonight and has been so consistent for four years as one of the best rebounders in the league,” Mouat said.

Ryley Kehr had 14 points going 6-13 from the field. Morgan Mason added 10 points going 4-7 from the field. Shyan Krass added eight points. Northern shot 39 percent from the field and held Tech to just 29 percent on the other end.

The win gives the Skylights some added confidence as they play on the road in the opening round of the Frontier Conference playoffs Wednesday night against Carroll College in Helena.

Tech dims Lights, again

The Montana Tech Orediggers have been a tough out for everybody in the Frontier Conference this season — the MSU-Northern Lights included. And with a share of the Frontier championship on the line Thursday night, the Orediggers were again too tough.

In Butte, No. 14 Montana Tech defeated the Lights 73-56 to share the Frontier crown with Carroll College.

The Lights battled in the beginning of the first half going into halftime down 36-27. The Orediggers, though, just played too well on their senior night, and they outscored the Lights 37-29 down the stretch.

“Disappointed in how we played tonight,” Northern head coach Shawn Huse said. “Had some guys let us down in subtle ways that are simply not who we are. We knew Tech would be tough but we messed up on some details we should not be messing up on at this point. Tech on the other hand definitely looked like a team at the top of our league. And a team with six seniors and a great deal of experience. I felt their whole squad performed well and played well together. They should be tough in the postseason. My hat goes off to them tonight”

The Lights were led by David Harris, who had 18 points going 8-14 from the field. Tanner McCliment-Call had 10 points. Mascio MacCadney added eight points. Jesse Keltner led the team in rebounds with seven. The Orediggers were led by Sindou Diallo, who had 21 points and six rebounds. Caleb Bellach added 11 points. Taylor England added 10 points and eight rebounds on the night.

Northern finished the regular season 6-9 and fourth in the Frontier Conference. The Lights will host Rocky Mountain Colllege in a Frontier men’s playoff game Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Armory Gymnasium.

“We need to look hard in the mirror, get back at it tomorrow, and practice as a team if we are going to make a run,” Huse said. “I still believe we have too much character to not fight on with great preparation and attention to detail … and to not give everything we have to make some noise moving forward.”

Skylights 55, Montana Tech 51

MSU-Northern 17 11 12 15 - 55

Montana Tech 12 17 3 19 - 51

MSU-N - Sydney Hovde 5-6 5-7 15, Ryley Kehr 6-13 1-2 14, Morgan Mason 4-7 1-2 10, L'Tia Lawrence 1-10 2-2 4, Peyton Kehr 2-9 0-0 4, Shan Krass 4-6 0-0 8. Totals: 22-56 9-13.

MT - Dani Urick 7-14 2-2 18, Brooke Heggie 4-9 2-3 10, Ally Cleverly 2-9 2-2 8, Tavia Rooney 2-13 3-6 7, Mollie Peoples 1-4 0-0 2, Maddison Allen 1-4 0-1 2, Celestine Faletoi 1-4 0-0 2 Jaden Cummings 0-2 1-2 1. Totals: 18-62 10-15.

3-pointers: MSU-N 2-17 (R. Kehr 1, Mason 1), MT 5-19 (Trick 2, Clevlery 2, Heggie 1), Rebounds: 39 (Hovde 13), MT 36 (Rooney 10), Fouls: MSU-N 12, MT 14; Fouled out: Heggie.

Montana Tech 73, Lights 56

MSU-N - David Harris 8-15 0-0 18, Masco McCadney 4-16 0-0 8, Immanuel Anderson 2-4 1-2 7, CJ Nelson 2-6 0-0 7, Jesse Keltner 1-3 0-2 5, Tanner McCliment-Call 4-9 0-0 10, Anthony Braggs Jr., 2-5 0-0 2. Totals: 24-64 1-4.

MT - Sindou Diallo 9-16 1-1 21, Caleb Belch 5-12 0-0 11, Taylor England 4-6 2-2 10, Derris Collins 3-8 0-0 7, Drew Huse 2-3 0-0 4, Cody Baumstarck 3-4 0-0 6, Keely Bake 2-2 0-0 5, Camdyn Lawrence 1-2 2-2 4, Bridger Larson 1-5 1-2 3, Christian Jones 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 31-62 6-9.

Halftime: MT 36-27. 3-pointers: MSU-N 7-23 (Harris 2, Anderson 2, Nelson 1, MccLiment-Call 2), MT 5-16 (Diallo 2, Bellach 1, Collins 1, Bake 1). Rebounds: MSU-N 28 (Kilter 7), MT 40 (England 8). Fouls: MSU-N 10, MT 10; Fouled out: None.