That's One: Skylights win opener

Just about everything was new for the Montana State University-Skylights in their season-opening basketball game Wednesday night at the Armory Gymnasium. New players, new team, new rules and even a new opponent.

But, after four quarters, instead of two halves (one of the new rules in women’s college basketball this season), the final result was anything but new.

The Skylights opened their season, and the 2015 Duck Inn Classic with a 72-31 win over Concordia-Alberta Wednesday night inside the Armory. While the game was far from perfect, veteran MSU-N head coach Chris Mouat was more than pleased with the outcome.

“It was a good win,” Mouat said. “The big thing was we played five kids tonight who were playing the first minutes as Skylights. And all five of them played well. Everybody brought something to the table tonight. We know we have a long way to go, but it was a good start.”

The start was the key for the Skylights against the over-matched Thunder. Behind an early three from newcomer Sierra Richards, and a stingy defense, the Skylights raced out to a 12-2 lead after 10 minutes.

The Thunder would cut MSU-N’s lead in half early in the second quarter, but red-shirt freshman, and former Havre Blue pony Peyton Filius didn’t let the run last long. Filius buried three 3-pointers in less than two minutes, and that 9-0 run, capped with another 9-0 run to end the first half, pushed the Skylights’ lead to 33-10.

“That was nice to see,” Mouat said of Filius’ 3-point barrage. “Her stretch there really broke the game open. She played really well, and I thought all of our new players did.”

The Skylights added another 9-0 run to start the third quarter, and more of MSU-N’s young stars led the way. Makhayla Farmer scored six points in the third period, and red-shirt freshman Katie Fetterer drilled a triple to end the third with the Skylights leading 53-25, and from there, Northern sailed to the finish line.

“I liked our defense for the most part, especially in the first half,” Mouat said. “I thought we did a good job on the boards, especially the offensive boards. By the same token, we missed too many easy bunnies and wide-open shots. And our free-throw shooting was miserable. We have to be a better free-throw shooting team than we were tonight.”

Offensively, the Skylights shot 58 percent for the game and 41 percent from beyond the arc. Northern played all 12 players, with Filius and Natalee Faupel each scoring 13. Filius nailed four of MSU-N’s 10 treys. Richards added 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Bennett, Fetterer and Jacy Thompson each scored seven points. Defensively, Northern held the Thunder to just 27 percent shooting, and the Skylights forced 20 turnovers.

While, again, the game wasn’t perfect, it is early October, and with two more games this weekend Mouat knows his team will get better and better.

“Overall, there were a lot of positives,” Mouat said. “Again, we have a long way to go, but it was a good start, a good first win.”

The Skylights are back in action tonight when they play The King’s University at 8. The tournament continues with both Rocky Mountain College also in action this afternoon.

Skylights 72, Concordia-Alberta 31

Concordia-Alberta 2 8 13 8 – 31

MSU-Northern 12 21 20 19 – 72

CA – Sofia Lucero 1-4 0-0 2, Ann Stewart 3-6 0-0 6, Kendall Armstrong 0-0 2-2 2, Shyanne Walton 4-10 1-2 9, Malia Hamel 1-2 0-0 3, Nakita Newman 4-11 0-2 8. Totals: 13-47 3-8 31.

MSU-N – Sierra Richards 5-8 0-4,10, Jacy Thompson 3-10 0-0 7, Natalee Faupel 3-8 5-6 13, Rachelle Bennett 2-3 2-2 7, Molly Kreycik 0-2 2-2 2, Katie Fetterer 2-4 2-4 7, Brandy Lambourne 0-3 2-2 2, Peyton Filius 4-8 1-2 13, Makhayla Farmer 4-6 0-2 8, Tina Doughty 0-2 0-0 0, Jessica Anderson 1-4 0-0 2. Totals: 24-58 14-24 72.

3-pointers: CA 1-5 (Hamel 1), MSU-N 10-17 (Richards 1, Thompson 1, Faupel 2, Bennett 1, Fetterer 1, Filius 4). Rebounds: CA 27 (Geri Anstice 7), MSU-N 41 (Richards 10). Fouls: CA 17, MSU-N 8. Fouled out: None.