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Skylights face tough competition on first road trip
By Ryan Divish/Havre Daily News Sports Editor/rdivish@havredailynews.com
No offense to Grant MacEwen College, but the Montana State University-Northern
women's basketball team can't play like it did two weeks ago and expect to
win this weekend.
After opening up the season with a pair of sloppy wins over the Warriors, the
Skylights will head east for the Minot State Invitational tournament in
Minot, N.D.
Northern will take on Jamestown College tonight at 6 and face the host
Beavers on Saturday at 8 p.m.
Head coach Mike Erickson would never criticize Grant MacEwen, but even he had
to admit his team is facing a little better competition this weekend.
"We know that from here on out, we're going to be tested every
weekend," he said. "We have to come out and execute right away. We
can't rely on our athleticism to win games like we did in the first
two."
The execution Erickson needs wasn't apparent against Grant MacEwen. After
watching his team turn the ball over 70 times in two games, Erickson has
preached, pleaded and begged his team to take care of the ball. And in
practice they have seemed to respond.
"We have cut our turnovers way down in
practice," he said. "The ladies know our turnovers are from our own
mistakes. Most of the time we were trying too hard to make that good pass, or
make that tough play."
The ambition isn't bad. Erickson just needs his team to err on the side of
caution a little more.
Especially since their opponents' philosophies are based on creating
turnovers. Jamestown is a small, quick team that will pressure Northern from
end line to end line.
"They're going to full-court press us and use their quickness since they
aren't very big," Erickson said. "They're well coached and are very
scrappy."
Jamestown doesn't have a senior on its roster and is led by guards Jennifer
Maus and sophomore Laura White
The Minot State Beavers, coached by former Skylight guard Sheila Green, play
much like their coach used to - in your face with nonstop hustle and
football-player intensity.
"That's all they do is pressure you," Erickson said of the Beavers,
whom he scouted earlier in the year. "They're in your face, pressuring
the ball and trying to force turnovers. We have to take care of the
ball."
The Beavers are 3-1 on the season and led by former Malta standout LeAnn
Pekovitch along with guards Andrea Sebelius and Jenn Sundahl.
While Erickson likes to know a few things about his opponents, he doesn't get
too caught up in scouting reports this early in the season.
"I'm not big on breaking down film on opponents," Erickson said.
"I'm concerned on breaking down what we need to do to win. We have to
perfect what we have before we even worry about what they are going to
do."
One thing that should help the Skylights in terms of on-court poise and
overall performance is the return of senior point guard Anna Bateman from
injury. Bateman, who has battled foot problems since last year, is the
unquestioned leader of the Skylights. She brings not only leadership but some
much needed offense with her outside shooting presence.
"Anna made a speedy recovery," Erickson said. "She has no pain
in her foot, which is good. She's practiced all week and the difference when
she is on the floor is unreal."
Still, Erickson can't get too greedy. He knows that Bateman still has some
rust and that playing her too much too soon would only make her more
susceptible to injury.
"We aren't going to start her," he said. "We are only going to
utilize her when we need to. It's still going to take some time to get her
where she needs to be."
Instead, the Skylights will rely on defense and rebounding, the two things
that can carry them if the offense isn't clicking.
"We put in our full-court pressure and that should make a
difference," Erickson said. "Our defense and rebounding must be a
constant this weekend. The Minot Dome is a tough place to shoot in, so our
defense and rebounding need to be a mainstay to carry us if our shots aren't
falling."
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