On Friday, January 2, 2026, the Valley City State University women's basketball team hosted a Frontier Conference clash against Montana State University-Northern in Valley City, North Dakota. The Vikings came into the game looking to build momentum in conference play in front of a home crowd, while the visiting MSU-Northern squad aimed to strengthen its standing with a road victory.

Valley City State jumped out to an early advantage, using strong perimeter shooting — including multiple three-pointers — to take a 23-18 lead after the first quarter. Throughout the first half, both teams traded runs, but the Skylights caught fire in the second quarter and outscored the Vikings 25-15, taking a halftime lead as they began to control the pace.

In the second half, the game remained tightly contested. Valley City State continued to get contributions from its backcourt and wings, but Northern's balanced scoring and timely plays allowed them to stay just ahead. By the end of the third quarter, the Skylights held a narrow advantage, and as the fourth quarter unfolded, both teams battled hard with neither side giving ground easily.

Ultimately, Montana State-Northern walked away with a 76-70 victory — a result that came down to clutch offensive execution and defensive stops in the late stages. VCSU fought until the final buzzer and stayed within striking distance, but could not quite complete the comeback.

The Skylights are now 10-3 overall and 6-2 in conference. The Skylights will head down the road to play Mayville State tomorrow at 4pm.

Skylight Standouts

• Canzas HisBadHorse: Led all scorers with 23 points, connecting on 8 of 13 shots from the floor (including 3 triples) and added 6 rebounds in 31 minutes.
• Becky Melcher: Scored 17 points (6-of-14 FG, 3-of-7 3PT), chipped in 6 rebounds and 2 assists.
• Lauren Gunn: Contributed 8 points, pulled down 6 rebounds, and handed out 4 assists.
• Taya Trottier: Finished with 8 points and 3 rebounds.
• Maddie Williamson (Reserve): Added 11 points in limited minutes.

Montana State-Northern shot 49.0 percent from the floor and 36.4 percent from three-point range, combining efficient scoring with aggressive rebounding (31 total boards) to support the win.

Valley City Standouts

·  Ellie Braaten: Led the Vikings with a game-high 25 points on 7-of-19 shooting, including 7 three-pointers. She also added 7 rebounds and 3 assists in 40 minutes of action.
·  JayCee Richter: Posted a strong all-around line with 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists, anchoring VCSU's effort.
 
VCSU shot 44.1 percent from the field and an impressive 50.0 percent from beyond the arc, but marginal deficits on the boards (23 rebounds) and late defensive stops made the difference.

Photo Credit: Kellee May