Northern men's basketball signs Xavier Bailey from North Idaho College

The Montana State University-Northern Lights are re-stocking the cupboard for next basketball season.

Coach Shawn Huse has announced the signing of all-around guard/forward, 6-foot-5 Xavier Bailey of Renton, Washington. As an efficient player and tremendous leader for the North Idaho College Cardinals, he helped them to a 28-1 record and Regional Championship this past season, as well as a 20-7 record in 2021-22, in the always-tough East Region of the Northwest Athletic Conference. Overall, on a well-balanced team filled with scoring punch, he averaged 9.2 points, 5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 0.5 steals per game, on 49.7 percent field goal shooting, 42.9 percent three-point shooting, and 72.2 percent free throw shooting. Able to guard extremely well at all positions, Bailey was named to the East Region All-Defensive Team.

“Xavier brings so many tangibles and intangibles to the table for us,” said coach Huse. “A team-first guy, he excels at multiple positions on both ends of the floor. He was a huge reason for NIC’s great success in his time there. They played great team basketball and were loaded with talent. He made a huge impact statistically, defensively, with his vocal leadership, and through his leadership by example.”

“Xavier practices and competes with great energy and an ability to fight through adversity with his infectious positive make-up and personality,” added Huse: “Xavier is another guy who has been raised and coach extremely well. He fits our group of high-character guys as he is one himself. A great person both on and off the court, he helps our squad snowball in the right direction. Anyone who knows Xavier will tell you what a quality teammate he is, how hard he works, and how well he plays winning basketball. We are elated to have him on board with our great group of newcomers and returners.”

MSU-Northern is coming off another very good season, winning 19 games, advancing to the conference semifinals, and narrowly missing the championship game in a two-point loss. They were just short of an NAIA at-large bid. The Lights graduate four seniors, three of which were starters, yet return a good deal of experience from the 2022-23 team.