Frontier Notebook: Skylights remain a Top 25 team

The first week of Frontier Conference play is in the books. Now, Frontier fans will have to wait until after the holidays to get another taste.

No doubt though, last weekend’s preview of things to come in the Frontier was an exciting one. And fans had to look no further than the Armory Gymnasium, where the Northern men played two overtime games, and on both nights, Northern, Rocky Mountain College and Carroll College, all scored 90-plus points.

And that’s the way it might be on the men’s side this season. Thus far, four teams in the Frontier average over 90 points per game, with UM-Western topping out at 104 per night, and that includes a 100-point game against the Montana State Bobcats. MSU-Northern is second averaging 97 per game, as does Rocky. Carroll scores 92 per night, while Lewis-Clark State, Providence and Montana Tech all average more than 80 points per game.

Scoring might not be that high on the women’s side, but quality certainly is. All seven teams are now into December with winning overall records. And, in the first week of conference play, only powerful LC State made it through unbeaten. Northern, RMC, Western and Carroll College all suffered splits, while Montana Tech lost twice, but even the Orediggers still boast an outstanding 8-4 overall record.

In other words, the Frontier women are going to beat up on each other, over and over again this season.

New Polls

The NAIA released its first regular seasons polls of the year. In the new Women’s Coaches Poll, four Frontier teams are in the Top 25, and Providence is receiving votes. LC State dropped from No. 2 in the Preseason Poll to No. 6 in the new poll, while UM-Western moved up to No. 12. The Skylights dropped one spot to No. 22, while Carroll moved into the Top 25 at No. 21.

Three Frontier teams are ranked in the Men’s Coaches Poll, led by Carroll, which jumped to No. 4, the Fighting Saints’ highest ranking in some time. LC State also moved from No. 24 to No. 11, while UM-Western dropped from No. 8 to No. 17.

Frontier Honors

Lewis-Clark State’s Andre McCowan was named the Frontier Men’s Player of the Week. McCowan is a 6-4 junior guard from Portland, Ore. No. 24 Lewis-Clark opened conference play with two wins. The Warriors downed No. 8 Montana Western 91-82 at home and on the road, beat Montana Tech 75-67. He averaged 27 points, six rebounds, two steals and one block per game. Reeves was 22 of 33 (67 percent) from the field, 7 of 11 3-point field goals (64 percent) and 3 0f 6 from the free throw line. Northern’s Adam Huse was also nominated.

Western’s Brianna King was named the Frontier Women’s Player of the Week. King is a 5 -5 junior guard from Spokane, Washington. The 16th ranked Bulldogs split their two games of the opening weekend of conference play. At home, Western beat Montana Tech 64-56 and lost at No. 2 Lewis-Clark State 69-74. She averaged 27 points, four rebounds, two assists and 4.5 steals. King was 19 of 39 from the field (49 percent), 4 of 11 3-point field goals and 12 of 14 from the free throw line (86 percent). She scored 30 points against Lewis-Clark State. MSU-N’s Brandy Lambourne was also nominated.

NAIA Women's Coaches Poll

Rn. Prv. Rec. Pts.

1 4 Vanguard (Calif.) [8] 6-0 219

2 3 Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) 7-1 212

3 6 Campbellsville (Ky.) 9-1 205

4 5 Shawnee State (Ohio) 8-3 194

5 23 Wayland Baptist (Texas) 6-0 191

6 2 Lewis-Clark State 9-2 187

7 19 MidAmerica Nazarene 8-1 178

8 1 Oklahoma City 7-2 168

9 9 Benedictine (Kan.) 8-2 159

9 8 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 8-1 159

11 7 Westmont (Calif.) 5-3 147

12 16 Montana-Western 7-2 146

13 10 Baker (Kan.) 8-2 135

14 14 Lyon (Ark.) 5-1 130

15 18 The Master's (Calif.) 7-2 121

16 16 Columbia (Mo.) 6-3 108

17 13 Our Lady of the Lake 5-4 104

18 12 John Brown (Ark.) 6-3 96

19 NR Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 9-3 92

20 NR Dillard (La.) 7-2 84

21 NR Carroll (Mont.) 6-2 81

22 21 MSU-Northern 6-4 75

23 24 Lindenwood-Belleville 4-3 67

24 11 Bethel (Tenn.) 6-6 59

25 NR LSU Shreveport (La.) 9-0 49

Others receiving votes: Loyola 40, Central Methodist 40, Pikeville (Ky.) 32, Providence (Mont.) 14, Arizona Christian 9, Talladega (Ala.) 9, Xavier (La.) 6 and Cumberland (Tenn.) 3.

NAIA Men's Coaches Poll

Rn. Prv. Rec. Pts.

1 4 Georgetown (Ky.) (7) 13-0 218

2 11 LSU Shreveport (La.) (1) 8-0 207

3 3 William Penn (Iowa) 11-1 204

4 T12 Carroll (Mont.) (1) 8-0 197

5 5 The Master's (Calif.) 8-1 193

6 7 Columbia (Mo.) 9-1 179

7 NR Science & Arts (Okla.) 9-0 174

8 14 Pikeville (Ky.) 11-0 173

9 21 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 11-0 156

10 10 Hope International 7-1 148

11 24 Lewis-Clark State 10-1 139

12 NR Faulkner (Ala.) 10-0 136

13 6 Dalton State (Ga.) 7-2 135

14 2 LSU Alexandria (La.) 5-2 134

15 NR Wayland Baptist (Texas) 9-1 127

16 NR Central Methodist (Mo.) 9-1 119

17 8 Montana-Western 7-1 111

18 NR Missouri Baptist 8-1 97

19 18 MidAmerica Nazarene 8-2 89

20 22 Mid-America Christian 7-2 84

21 NR Campbellsville (Ky.) 9-1 82

22 23 Vanguard (Calif.) 4-2 64

23 T12 Oklahoma City 6-2 56

24 19 Langston (Okla.) 6-2 54

25 9 Life (Ga.) 8-2 52

Others Receiving Votes: Westmont (Calif.) 47; William Carey (Miss.) 40; Benedictine (Kan.) 30; Dillard (La.) 12; Central Baptist (Ark.) 11; SAGU (Texas) 8; Cumberlands (Ky.) 7; Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) 4; Xavier (La.) 4.