Skylights play up in Utah

It's no secret that the Montana State University-Northern Skylights are a power in women's NAIA basketball, but this weekend, MSU-N will see what it can do against the next level up, NCAA competition.

Beginning Saturday, the Skylights will play back-to-back games against the University of Colorado Mesa of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and Dixie State of the Pacific West. Both schools play at the NCAA Division II level, which will provide a unique challenge for Northern. Both games will be played in St. George, Utah, at Dixie State University. The Skylights take on Colorado Mesa Saturday at 5 p.m. and Dixie State Sunday at 3 p.m. Both games are part of the Dixie State Tournament and will be exhibition games.

"We just have to try and get better," Northern head coach Chris Mouat said. "We are going to have to play against bigger athletes, bigger, stronger, faster kids. So we are going to have to be really efficient with what we do."

The Skylights, who are the 21st ranked team in the NAIA, have been playing well so far in 2017-18, winning five of their first six games. MSU-N lost its first game of the season to the University of Lethbridge, but since then Northern has won five in a row, including two wins over Dickinson State, as well as wins over Salish Kootenai College, Northwest University and San Diego Christian.

Of course, one thing that makes the Skylights good year in and year out is their stifling defense, which is stout once again this season, as they rank seventh in the NAIA in opponent points per game with 51.6. Northern also ranks third in the country in both defensive rebounds per game (34.3) and field-goal percentage defense. Through six games, the Skylights are holding their opponents to just 30 percent from the field.

While the Skylights' defense has been its usual dominant self, the offense has been outstanding, too, ranking 10th in the NAIA in points scored with 446 or 74 points per game. The Skylights, who have four players averaging more than 11 points per game, are also proving hard to defend because of their diverse attack.

Shiloh McCormick leads Northern in both scoring (12.5 ppg) and rebounding (10.2), while Peyton Filius is a close second with an average of 12.3 points a game. Filius is fifth in the country in made 3-pointers with 17 and is shooting 41 percent from deep. She was also named Frontier Conference Player of the Week last week, after averaging 16 points per game in three MSU-N victories.

Senior Jacy Thompson is another double-digit scorer for the Skylights. She averages 11.8 per game, which is just ahead of Jessica Curl, who is sitting at 11.5, to go along with 8.7 rebounds.

Colorado Mesa comes into Saturday's game with a record of 2-0. The Mavericks have wins over Midwestern State University and Cameron University, as well as losses to BYU and Weber State in exhibition games. The Mavericks average more than 65 points a game, while they surrender just 56. They are led by Jaylyn Duran, who is averaging 19 points a game and is connecting on 38-percent on her threes. Ma'ata Espenisa (14.5 ppg) and Erin Reichle (13.5 ppg) are the other top scorings threats.

Dixie State comes in with a 1-1 record, having lost to Western Oregon, but defeating Saint Martin's. Dixie State also lost an exhibition game to Utah State. The Trailblazers score 75 points per game, but are giving up 77. Their top offensive player is Ali Franks, who is scoring 12 points a night, followed by Malie Richardson and Tramina Jordan, who each average nine. In all, Dixie State has six players that average at least eight points per game.

"This stretch of the schedule is brutal," Mouat said. "There is a lot of travel, but I have to believe that it's going to make us better. If we go in and learn from it, it will make us better. But if we go in and lay down and don't play well, then it's different. But if we go in and give our best and improve, it's going to be good for us heading into conference."

The Skylights open the Dixie State Tournament Saturday against Colorado Mesa. Tip-off will be at 5 p.m.