Skylights return to the floor against the Blue Hawks

The season did not start the way the Montana State University-Northern women's basketball team had envisioned, as the Skylights dropped their season and home opener to the University of Lethbridge last Saturday night.

The good news is the No. 21 Skylights (0-1) have a chance to quickly do something about it.

Following the overtime loss to the Pronghorns, Northern returns to the Armory Gymnasium tonight to face off against an old NAIA foe – the Dickinson State Blue Hawks. Tipoff in the Armory is set for 5.

And while Northern knows the Blue Hawks will be a stern test, as they come in with a 2-0 record on the young season, head coach Chris Mouat noted last week that the Skylights had to work on themselves too.

"We have a lot to clean up going forward," Mouat said after last Saturday's loss to the Pronghorns. "We'll look in the mirror, and we'll learn a lot about ourselves from this game."

In the game against Lethbridge, the Skylights shot just 29 percent, and turned the ball over 13 times. They also went just 57 percent from the free-throw-line, and in a one-point, overtime loss, those numbers were crucial. Offensively, Jacy Thompson and Jessica Curl did combine for 29 points and 19 rebounds, but moving forward, the Skylights will certainly need to play better offensively.

On the defensive end, Northern held down an explosive Lethbridge team and the Skylights will look to do the same in tonight's bout with DSU, which is the first of a home-and-home this season between the longtime rivals.

MSU-N will have to play well defensively, as the Blue Hawks come to Havre averaging over 70 points per game, led by four double-digit scorers in Sydney Bentz, Riley Hemick, Karen Hopkins and Madison Hansen. The Blue Hawks also feature former Havre High standout Lacey Waid. The Blue Hawks are also coached by former Mouat assistant Liz Lewis.

"They (Blue Hawks) are going to be very solid," Mouat said. "They'll be well-coached and they'll come in here ready to play."

The Skylights too will be ready. They certainly were stung by last Saturday's loss, and another home game could be the remedy that gets them right back on track. Tonight's game will also be the last at home for Northern until a big Nov. 12 matchup with San Diego Christian, so winning on home soil would be big for Northern's new-look team.

Tonight's game between the Skylights and Blue Hawks tips at 5 in the Armory Gymnasium. Northern will head out to Dickinson, North Dakota, for the rematch Nov. 6, following next Friday's road game at Salish Kootenai College.