In a showcase of balanced scoring and sharp shooting, Montana State University-Northern rolled to a 104–80 victory over Bismarck State on Sunday night in Havre, leaving no doubt about who controlled the game from tip-off.
From the opening minutes, Northern looked the more composed and cohesive team — their offense fired on all cylinders, ball movement was crisp, and three-point shots were falling with regularity. The result was a dominant 24-point home-win that rarely felt in doubt.
Skylights grabbed control early, using a mix of efficient shooting and disciplined ball movement to pull ahead. Their hot hand from beyond the arc — hitting 17 of 33 threes — helped stretch the floor, opening up driving lanes and easier inside looks. Rebounding and transition opportunities added to their momentum, allowing them to build a lead that steadily expanded as the game wore on.
Meanwhile, Bismarck State struggled to match the tempo. While they showed flashes — particularly from their leading scorer — inconsistent execution and turnovers slowed any hopes of sustaining a rally. As Northern's offense kept clicking, their lead became too large to erase.
Northern's win wasn't built on just one player — it was a collective effort, with six athletes in double figures:
That balance — scoring, distribution, and boards — made it difficult for Bismarck State to focus their defense on a single threat.
Despite the loss, Bismarck State had players who rose to the challenge. Their leading scorer was Kennedy Stormer who dropped 25 points and added nine boards and six assists, showing versatility and effort. A reserve Aleah McPherson guard added 15 points off the bench, hitting several threes.
But strong individual efforts weren't enough: inconsistent inside play, difficulties with rebounding, and 16 turnovers compared to Northern's 6 widened the gap more than raw shooting numbers — and ultimately made the difference.
The Skylights move to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in Conference. They will be home in another Frontier Conference Matchup against No. 4 Dakota State on Friday at 5pm and Bellevue University on Saturday at 5pm.
