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Skylights geared up for three big challenges in the desert

It's been a grind of a non-conference season for the Montana State University-Northern women's basketball team. But before the Skylights get to the every-night grind of the Frontier Conference, they have three more games to play.

Northern (6-5) wraps up non-league play with three games this week at the Phoenix Frontier Challenge. The Skylights start that three-game battle with a matchup against the University of Benedictine-Mesa today, followed by games against University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Thursday and San Diego Christian Friday.

"This will be three games against three very good teams," MSU-N head coach Chris Mouat said. "It's a good and challenging way for us to go into the Christmas break."

The Skylights have been challenged throughout the non-conference season. Earlier this year, Mouat said this was the toughest non-league schedule he has assembled in his tenure at Northern. So, Northern will be used to the stiff competition it will face in Phoenix.

However, the challenging schedule has been even more difficult considering the fact that the Skylights were once again bitten by the injury bug this fall, with transfer standout Hailey Nicholson and starting forward Tiara Gilham both missing almost all of the season up to this point with injuries.

And while Mouat hopes to have both Nicholson and Gilham back for Frontier play, the other side of that coin is, the young Skylights have had to grow up in a hurry. And grow they have.

Sophomore guard Peyton Kehr has been outstanding for Northern, averaging over 16 points per game, while red-shirt freshman Allix Goldhahn has also blossomed in a starting role. Sophomore transfer Sydney Hovde has played tough in the paint for MSU-N, averaging 10 points and nine rebounds per night, while newcomers Gokce Aslan, Sabin Keo and Petra Selin have also started to adjust well to the MSU-N system.

In recent games, Northern has also seen the growth of its two seniors come into play. Jessica Curl is rounding into good form after playing volleyball for the Skylights in the fall, while Lily Hilderbrand has also been strong for MSU-N off the bench recently.

And that's what all these challenging games have been about for Mouat and the Skylights - growth. MSU-N has done all it can to just keep improving and to get as ready as it can for the rigors of the Frontier in January and February.

And that's what these final three games of 2018 will be about, as well.

"We've just been trying to get better with every game, step by step," Mouat said. "And I think we have. I feel like we've improved every week, especially since we played at Dickinson State. I think we've come a long way since then, and that's what these last three games will be about for us, to just keep improving every step of the way."

Northern begins the Frontier Challenge in Phoenix with tonight's game against Benedictine-Mesa at 6 p.m. On Thursday, the Skylights face Oklahoma Science and Arts at 4 p.m., and they wrap up the road trip with San Diego Christian Friday night at 6 p.m. MSU-N is then off until the Skylights restart Frontier play Jan. 4 at home against UM-Western.

 

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