The MSU-Northern Skylights basketball team plays its first game of the season on Sunday, a (66-50) exhibition loss to MSU-Billings. New Media Broadcasters spoke with head coach Chris Mouat and he broke down what he saw from his team on the court in the first organized action.
“Well, we scheduled (this game) on purpose because we (knew it was) going to be a great environment, which it was,” Mouat said. “I think there were at least 1,000 people there (in Choteau).”
“It was loud and made communication hard,” Mouat continued. “We also have a great relationship with MSU-Billings.”
“I was super proud of the way we did start the game,” Mouat said. “I thought out kids came out of the gate ready to go and actually had them on their heels for the majority of the first quarter. I thought we held our own.”
The team will have its first game of record this week, facing Park University-Gilbert. Mouat gave a scouting report on a high-octane offense that the Skylights will be seeing
“This team is going to try and speed us up and make us play a style we don’t want to play,” Mouat said. “It’s a crazy way to start the year. (Park University-Gilbert) is averaging 112 points a game (and) they’re shooting 52 3-pointers a game.”
“We’re going to have to handle their full court pressure,” Mouat continued. “They like to turn teams over for points. They’re very good at it.”
“We’ve got to show that we’re not going to turn the ball over, grow from that, and just execute and be ourselves,” Mouat said.
The Park University-Gilbert game will be on Friday at 5pm on the campus of Rocky Mountain College.
