MSU-Northern basketball teams take on tough road trips

Both the Montana State University-Northern men's and women's basketball teams have enjoyed early success in the friendly confines of the MSU-Northern Fieldhouse.

Things are going to be a little different this weekend however.

Tonight and Saturday, the Skylights are on the road with rematches against DAC powers Dickinson State and Minot State, while the Lights are in Las Vegas for games against NAIA powers Robert Morris of Illinois and Vanguard University.

The Skylights (3-2) face familiar foes starting tonight in Dickinson, N.D. MSU-N beat the Blue Hawks just a week ago in Havre by nine points, but DSU will present a tough challenge at home. Northern lost to the Blue Hawks in Dickinson on a last-second 3-pointer a year ago. On Saturday, the Skylights will try and rebound from last Saturday's close loss to Minot State when the Beavers welcome in MSU-N.

The Skylights will try to continue to ride the hot shooting of seniors Taylor Keller and Samm Schermele, but, as they found out against MSU last weekend, they need good play for their post players too.

Meanwhile, the MSU-N men are in Las Vegas for the NAIA Las Vegas Shootout and tonight's opponent is one the Lights (4-1) would love to beat. Robert Morris is the team that beat Northern in overtime in the first round of the 2008 NAIA men's tournament, although no players on either team remain from that game.

Still, tonight's game isn't just a rematch of the 2008 thriller, it's a critical meeting of ranked teams. Robert Morris in No. 4 in the NAIA while the Lights are No. 25.

MSU-N wraps up play in Las Vegas with a meeting with Vanguard, a team which plays in the nation's best conference, the Golden State Athletic Conference. The Lights and Lions have never met on the hardwood.

The Skylights face DSU tonight at 7 and Minot Saturday at 6 p.m. The Lights play Robert Morris tonight at 7 and Vanguard Saturday at 3 p.m.

The MSU-N women don't play at home again until Dec. 16, while the Lights will be away from Havre until Dec. 21.