On Black Friday, the Montana State University-Northern Lights and Jamestown Jimmies couldn't have played a closer game, with the Lights winning by one point, after the Jimmies missed a game-winning shot. However, the rematch Saturday afternoon turned out to be more of the same. Northern's Alfie Miller hit a 3-p
ointer with :18 left, then the Lights watched as Jamestown missed a game-tying shot at the buzzer, holding on for a 68-66 win, and a weekend sweep of the Jimmies at the Armory Gymnasium.
With the Lights trailing by two points with under :30 to go, Miller stepped up big, giving Northern a 67-66 lead, then stealing a Jimmie pass on the next possession and knocking down a critical free-throw to make it a two-point game with just a few seconds remaining.
The game was eerily similar to Friday's contest, with both teams making big runs. The Jimmies rattled off a 12-3 run in the first half, but Northern led 27-26 at the break. In the second, the Lights were ahead 51-43 with 11 minutes to go, but Jamestown stormed back via a 14-2 run, and led by as many as five points down the stretch. But 11 points from Jesse Vaughan in the final four minutes, and Miller's heroics allowed MSU-N to escape with the win and improve to 9-2 on the season.
Vaughan finished with 20 points, while Will Perry had a double-double, 12 points and 10 rebounds. Devin Jackson chipped in with 13 and Miller finished with nine.
The Lights are back at home next Friday, opening Frontier Conference play against Carroll College.
For full coverage, see Monday's Havre Daily News.
