With Carroll’s win over Montana Tech last night, they have clinched the regular season Frontier Conference Title. Carroll has been the definition of an elite team ever since their 58-51 loss to Rocky on January 7th. Since then, they’re on a nine-game win streak and have outscored opponents 604-429, an average margin of victory of 19.4 points. They also have the potential Conference Player of the Year in Jaime Pickens who has scored 20-plus points in four of those nine games.
Montana Western and Rocky Mountain College have also had great seasons. Montana Western was on a 12-game win streak before their loss to Carroll. In fact, they were swept this year by Carroll (Western’s only losses in conference). They, too, have the potential Conference Player of the Year in Brynley Fitzgerald. She’s had three 30-point games in the last eight.
Montana Western outcomes: 12-3, 11-4, 10-5
Rocky Mountain has gone on a three-game win streak to hold even with Western. Two of their three losses have come to Western, so if both end with the same record, Western would be the two seed. They’ve been led heavily by their defense – only allowing 54.8 points-per-game (2nd) and only allowing opponents to shoot 37.2% from the field (2nd).
Rocky Mountain outcomes: 12-3, 11-4, 10-5
For the Hometown Skylights, they officially clinched the sixth seed in the tournament and will play either Montana Western or Rocky Mountain College (whoever finishes as the third seed). They’ve definitely struggled down the stretch and are going to limp in the tourney, but any coach will tell you, anyone can get hot for 40 minutes and win a game, our get hot for three games and win a tournament.
Just like on the men’s side, the last two games will have major implications on seeding and who gets that last bye.
