In a thrilling Frontier Conference semifinal matchup on March 1, Montana State University-Northern rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit to defeat Carroll (MT) 80-76 and advance to the conference championship game.

Carroll came out strong in the first half, building a 40-29 lead behind balanced scoring and efficient shooting. The Saints shot a solid percentage from the field and hit multiple 3-pointers, with Isaiah Crane leading the way with 20 points and nine rebounds. Nate Christy also contributed strongly with 15 points and nine rebounds, keeping Carroll firmly in control heading into the break.

However, the second half belonged to MSU-Northern. The Lights tightened their defense, sped up the pace, and gradually chipped away at the lead. They outscored Carroll 51-36 in the final 20 minutes, lifting themselves into the lead and ultimately securing the victory.

Key contributors for Montana State-Northern included:

• Leon Sayers IV, who sparked the comeback with 18 points, adding energy and clutch scoring in the second half.
• Austin Ramos, who finished with 15 points, making big plays down the stretch and hitting a key 3-pointer with just over three minutes to play.
• Luke Holecek and Raefe McEnroe, who added scoring depth with 16 and 13 points, respectively, helping sustain the offense throughout.

Down the stretch, MSU-Northern also dominated at the free-throw line, going 12-for-13 to salt the game away, and Claysen Delp hit clutch foul shots in the final seconds to secure the four-point margin.

Despite Carroll's strong effort — including balanced contributions from reserves — critical turnovers and missed late stops hurt their chances. The Saints now await news on a possible at-large berth into the NAIA National Tournament.

With the victory, the Lights improves its record and moves on to play top-seeded Rocky Mountain (Mont.) in the Frontier Conference championship, taking momentum into the title game.