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Skylights will again challenge themselves

The Montana State University-Northern women's basketball team is coming off one of its best season's in school history. But, one year later, the Skylights will have to deal with yet another daunting schedule.

Northern head coach Chris Mouat recently released the Skylights' 2015-16 schedule, and once again, MSU-N, which went 29-6 and reached the NAIA Elite Eight last year, will face a challenging non-conference slate, while also being part of another loaded Frontier Conference.

Northern opens its season at home Oct. 7-10 with the Duck Inn Classic, which features games against Concordia-Alberta, The Kings University and Northwest Indian College. The season-opening tournament in Havre is part of five straight home games for the Skylights, who will also host Mount Royal University Oct. 23 and rival Dickinson State on Nov. 7.

But as Northern enjoys the friendly confines of the Armory Gymnasium early in the season, the Skylights' first road game will be their toughest of the entire non-conference season. On Nov. 17, MSU-N will travel to Missoula to face the vaunted University of Montana Lady Griz. The Lady Griz won the Big Sky Conference championship last season, and under veteran head coach Robin Selvig, are a premier power in mid-major NCAA women's basketball. The Skylights' trip to famed Dahlberg Arena will be an exhibition game for Northern, but it could be a game the Lady Griz count, so it will be a monumental challenge.

The trip to Missoula is the start of six straight games on the road for MSU-N. Northern plays NAIA tournament power Wayland Baptist Nov. 20 in Great Falls, then plays games against DSU and Northwest Indian in Dickinson, North Dakota. Then, the rare December opening of Frontier Conference play begins with road games at Rocky Mountain College Dec. 3 and UM-Western Dec. 5. MSU-N returns home to face Northern New Mexico Dec. 14 and wraps up non-conference play Jan. 3 with a home date against the University of Lethbridge. In between is a trip to Phoenix for two games at the Arizona Christian Tournament Dec. 29-30.

The Skylights, who went 11-3 in league play and reached the Frontier Conference championship game a year ago, will begin the rest of their Frontier schedule with six straight at home in January. Due to Westminster departing for NCAA Division II, the Frontier schedule for basketball will now feature teams playing each other three times per season, instead of the traditional home-and-home format.

The Skylights play UGF, Carroll College, Montana Tech, Lewis-Clark State, RMC and Western between Jan. 7 and Jan. 27 all in the Armory Gymnasium. Then, MSU-N will play six straight on the road between Jan. 28 and Feb. 13, including a second trip to Rocky and Western, before wrapping up the Frontier season with four straight at home, including a second appearance by UGF, Carroll, LC State and Montana Tech.

Once again, the Frontier Conference playoffs will be held in March as the Skylights try to reach the NAIA national tournament for the third straight season.

2015-16 MSU-N

Women's Basketball Schedule

OCT. 7-10 DUCK INN CLASSIC IN HAVRE

Oct. 7 Concodia-Alberta 7:00 PM

Oct. 8 Kings 5:00 PM

Oct. 9 Northwest Indian 6:00 PM

Oct. 23 Mount Royal 6:00 PM

Nov. 7 Dickinson St. 1:00 PM

Nov. 17 @Montana 7:00 PM

Nov. 20 Wayland Baptist in Great Falls TBA

Nov. 27 @Dickinson St. TBA

Nov. 28 Northwest Indian in Dickinson, ND TBA

Dec. 3 @Rocky Mountain 5:30 PM

Dec. 5 @Montana Western 5:30 PM

Dec. 14 Northern New Mexico 6:00 PM

DEC. 29-30 ARIZONA CHRISTIAN TOURNEY

Jan. 3 Lethbridge 4:00 PM

Jan. 7 Great Falls 6:00 PM

Jan. 8 Carroll 6:00 PM

Jan. 15 Montana Tech 6:00 PM

Jan. 16 Lewis-Clark State 6:00 PM

Jan. 22 Rocky Mountain 6:00 PM

Jan. 23 Montana Western 6:00 PM

Jan. 28 @Great Falls 5:30 PM

Jan. 30 @Carroll 5:30 PM

Feb. 4 @Montana Tech 5:30 PM

Feb. 6 @Lewis-Clark State 5:30 PM

Feb. 11 @Rocky Mountain 5:30 PM

Feb. 13 @Montana Western 5:30 PM

Feb. 18 Great Falls 6:00 PM

Feb. 19 Carroll 6:00 PM

Feb. 26 Montana Tech 5:30 PM

Feb. 27 Lewis-Clark State 5:30 PM

Mar. 16-22 NATIONAL TOURNAMENT IN INDEPENDENCE, MO

 

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