Lights ready for semifinal showdown with Carroll

The Montana State University-Northern Lights haven’t had much luck when it comes to playing the Carroll College Fighting Saints this season. But with that season hanging in the balance, the Lights are poised to change their fortunes.

After blasting Rocky Mountain College in the Frontier Conference quarterfinals Wednesday night in Havre, the Lights are headed to Helena for a semifinal showdown with the fourth-ranked, and top-seeded Saints. The game will tip at 7 p.m. Saturday night in Helena.

And even though the Lights (21-10) are 0-3 on the season against Carroll, and two of those losses came in Helena, after the way the Lights played in their 71-54 win over the Battlin’ Bears Wednesday night, Northern feels good about its chances.

“We haven’t had much success against them (Saints) this season,” Northern head coach Shawn Huse said. “But the last time we played them down there, that’s a game we felt we were in right to the end, and that we had opportunities. Carroll is very good, very talented, and well-coached. But we feel good about the way we’re playing going into that game.”

Carroll (25-5) is indeed good. And the Saints have likely already sewn up a high seed in the upcoming NAIA national tournament. But there’s no denying they aren’t at full strength either. While All-Americans Zach Taylor and Ryan Imhoff lead the way, both averaging 17 points per game, Carroll lost forward Oliver Carr to a season-ending injury, and sophomore forward Match Burnham has also been injured. So the Saints will rely heavily on younger players to pick up the slack, players like former Havre Blue Pony Dane Warp, who has seen his minutes increase heavily in recent weeks.

On the other side, the Lights are going to Helena fresh off one of their most impressive wins of the season. Wednesday, Northern shot better than 50 percent from the field and had four players in double figures, led by seniors David Straughter and Tyler Chandler, both of whom have really picked up their scoring as of late. Ryan Reeves also had a big game with 10 points, nine boards and five blocks against Rocky, while MSU-N’s bench gave the Lights a big lift, with Charles Porter scoring in double figures, as well as great production from William Walker, Justin Dunsmore and Devin Bray.

So with the Lights seemingly getting hot at the perfect time, Saturday’s clash in Helena, with a berth in the Frontier championship game on the line, is the perfect time for Northern to get over the Carroll hump.

“We’re excited, these guys are showing they’re not ready for their season to be over,” Huse said. “It’s always going to be a heck of a challenge at Carroll. They are a great team, but we’re looking forward to going down there and giving it everything we’ve got.”

Saturday’s game between MSU-N and Carroll tips at 7 p.m. in the Carroll P.E. Center. The winner will advance to the Frontier championship game against either UM-Western or Lewis-Clark State. That game will be played at the site of the highest remaining seed Tuesday night.