MSU-N hoops season tips off

It’s just October, but, tonight, fall becomes basketball season.

Inside the Armory Gymnasium, the Montana State University-Northern Skylights will make their season debut when they host Mount Royal University tonight. The Skylights have two games this weekend, while the Northern men make their season debut Friday night.

The MSU-N women begin a season-opening, three-game home stretch with Mount Royal, and the Skylights will turn around and play a very tough University of Lethbridge team Friday and again next Saturday.

Of course, Northern, under veteran head coach Chris Mouat, is expected to be tough, too. The Skylights return a pair of All-Americans in Natalee Faupel and Jacy Thompson, as well as senior point guard Molly Kreycik, All-Conference forward Cydney Auzenne and starting forward Sierra Richards.

However, even with all that firepower back, and a team that’s picked to finish second in the Frontier Conference this season, as well as three straight years of national tourney experience, Mouat isn’t overlooking these tough, early-season games.

“We have some good challenges right off the bat,” Mouat said. “Mount Royal has already played quite a few games, and Lethbridge is going to be very good this year. So these first three games, they will be very challenging and we’re going to need to play well right away.”

Meanwhile, the Lights will wait one more night until their season debut. Friday night, longtime head coach Shawn Huse’ club will take on Yellowstone Christian College, a team that will also have a couple of games under its belt before it arrives in Havre.

Like the MSU-N women, the Northern men have key players back this season, led by All-Conference forward David Straughter and 6-10 center Ryan Reeves. Senior point guard Badhasa Margasa will also play a big role for the Lights this season, as will senior shooting guard Tyler Chandler. Also back for Northern is experienced forward William Walker, sophomore standout Justin Dunsmore and junior guards Dylan Tatarka and Kevin Oberweiser.

And like the Skylights, Northern is expecting a tough game in its opener. Yellowstone Christian, located an Billings, is an up-and-coming program, and one that has been recruiting top-level talent.

“They (Centurions) have a lot of talent, and they’ll be big and physical,” Huse said. “This is by no means a game we can take lightly. But we also understand that this is the first game, and we are still a young team, so we’re going to have to do some growing and maturing during the early part of the season.”

The Lights only play at home once this month, then won’t be back in the Armory until Thanksgiving weekend.

Tonight’s game between the Skylights and Mount Royal tips off at 6 inside the Armory, and Northern meets Lethbridge Friday night at 6 p.m. The Lights game with Yellowstone Christian will get underway at 8 p.m. Friday night.