Skylights hoping for a home court turnaround

After a rough four-game, Frontier Conference road trip, the Montana State University-Northern women's basketball team is hoping some time in the Armory Gymnasium will be just what the Skylights need to get things moving in the right direction.

But, MSU-N (0-8, 7-14) starts that home stand against a nationally ranked Frontier opponent when the Skylights face the No. 12 Montana Western Bulldogs tonight in the Armory Gymnasium. The Skylights are also home to host Montana Tech Saturday afternoon, as part of a two-week homestead.

"In both games, our focus will be on executing at a higher level and finishing on the offensive end and taking care of the ball," MSU-N head coach Chris Mouat said. "We also need to do a better job of stopping the drive, and both of these teams will put it on the floor, so we'll have to be ready to go. And as always, we will focus on winning on the boards. Our physical effort has been there, now we simply need to focus on the things that have hurt us and move forward. I know our kids will be looking forward to playing at home after a tough stretch on the road."

Things won't be easy for the Skylights, who suffered tough losses at Providence and Rocky Mountain College last weekend. Northern averages just 61 points per game, but does get 14 points per night from Briaunna McCullough, which is fourth best in the Frontier. Senior Ryley Kehr averages 11 points per game and Shyan Krass adds 10.

On the flip side, the Skylights are facing a Western (6-2, 18-3) squad which scores 75 points per game and shoots better than 45 percent from the field and 40 percent from beyond the arc. The Bulldogs are loaded with talent, too. They get 17 points from Brynley Fitzgerald, while Jordan Sweeney, Mesa King, Shainey Mack, former Box Elder Bear Joelnell Momberg and Payton Hagy all average between five and 12 points per outing.

After the Skylights take on Western, Northern will host Montana Tech (2-6, 6-12) in former Light Jeff Graham's debut in the Armory. Graham, a Chester native, took the helm of the Orediggers this past summer, and with Tavia Rooney averaging 14 points and eight rebounds per game, has the Diggers pointed in the right direction.

"Montana-Western is a Top 15 team in the country and they have played well all season long," Mouat said. "They have won a ton of games and have a deep, talented roster including a number of NCAA D1 transfers. We can expect pressure from them in full-court. They are very active defensively and execute and finish at a high level offensively. 

  "Montana Tech has been in nearly every game they have played in the league," he continued. "They are an athletic group and in Tavia Rooney and Dani Urick have two of the best players in the conference. We are going to have to focus on taking better care of the basketball and keeping them off of the offensive boards. We lost their shooters at the wrong times in the first game and it really hurt us.

Northern hosts Western tonight at 5 and Montana Tech Saturday at 2 p.m. inside the Armory Gymnasium. The Skylights are also home to face Carroll College and Providence next week.