Skylights face daunting road games

The Montana State University-Northern women's basketball team has suffered two difficult losses on the road last weekend. But, life won't get any easier for head coach Chris Mouat's squad this week.

The No. 20 Skylights (5-5, 16-5) are in the middle of a six-game road trip, and this weekend, it takes them to Frontier Conference rivals Montana Tech and Lewis-Clark State.

Tonight, Northern is in Butte to face the upset-minded Orediggers (2-8, 6-15), while the Skylights battle 12th-ranked LC State (9-1, 18-3) Saturday night in Lewiston, Idaho.

"Both Tech and LC are tough teams," Mouat said. "Tech is coming off of a big, overtime win at Rocky, and LC has won their last ten games in a row.  We will need to be much more secure with the basketball than we were a week ago. We also need to finish on the offensive end. Our shooting percentages have hurt our chances in recent games and have put a ton of pressure on our defense. We need to continue to execute and work for open looks and knock them down."

The Skylights can always be counted on to play stellar defense, as they allow just 54 points per game. However, in recent losses to UGF and Carroll College, Northern didn't shoot the ball particularly well. Still, the Skylights have the weapons to break out of that shooting slump, led by Natalee Faupel and Jacy Thompson, who combined to average 29 points per game.

But, depth is also a factor, and with injuries, Northern's depth has been decimated in recent weeks. And that's why the play of the likes of Cydney Auzenne, Molly Kreycik, Peyton Filius, Brandy Lambourne, Tina Doughty and Makhayla Farmer becomes so important, as they need to compliment MSU-N's top three scorers, which also includes Sierra Richards.

Of course, breaking out of a slump is never easy, but it's especially difficult on the road.

Though Tech has won just two conference games this season, and Northern beat the Orediggers last month in Havre, they can't be overlooked. With excellent scorers like Hattie Thatcher and Sammy McGree, Tech will be tough to stop at home.

"Montana Tech is very explosive," Mouat said. "They are going to play fast, push tempo, and pressure at all times. It is vital that we find them in transition and that we don't give them easy baskets or put them at the free throw line. We learned a lot in the first game about their resiliency. They will play aggressive at all times. Hattie Thatcher does a great job of dictating tempo for them and is extremely aggressive.  They have great pieces around her who can really score it, so we have to be ready to go defensively and on the boards. Martha Dembek and Sammy McGree have both had huge games for them throughout the season and can hurt you at the rim and from the 3-point line. They are surrounded by a strong group who really gets after it."

If Tech is explosive, then LC State is like a flamethrower on offense. And in a 71-51 loss to the Warriors last month, Mouat and the Skylights know first-hand just how good LCSC is. And the Warriors are especially hot right now, having won 10 straight league games.

"Lewis-Clark is the best team in the league right now and they have been playing well consistently for a long time," Mouat said. "They have a deep team with great guards and a bunch of post kids who all do a good job for them.  In the first game, we got off to a terrible start and we cannot afford that in Lewiston.  LC just has so many weapons plus they defend and rebound the basketball as well as anyone.  We will have to be extremely sharp at both ends of the floor.  LC does a great job of taking advantage of any mistakes for points."

Getting off to a good start in both games will be key for the Skylights, who are trying to stay in the thick of the Frontier Conference race, as well as stay in the hunt for an at-large bid to the NAIA national tournament. And, wins on the road this weekend would certainly go a long way towards achieving those goals.

Tonight's game between Northern and Tech starts at 5:30 in Butte. Saturday night's game at Lewis-Clark State will tip at 6:30 p.m. The Skylights are right back on the road next week, with games at UM-Western and Rocky Mountain College.