Lights And Skylights Advance in Frontier Conference Tournament

MSU-Northern Lights and Skylights pull off upsets to reach semifinals

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The MSU-Northern Lights men's basketball team, seeded 7th, defeated 2nd-seeded Bellevue University 83-74 in the first round and then came from behind to beat Carroll College 80-76 in the semifinals of the Frontier Conference Tournament. On the women's side, the 5th-seeded Skylights upset 4th-seeded Rocky Mountain College 82-74 in the first round before falling to top-seeded and 7th-ranked Dakota State Spartans 73-57 in the semifinals.

Why it matters

The Frontier Conference Tournament is a high-stakes event that determines which teams advance to the NAIA national tournament. The Lights and Skylights' unexpected tournament runs have generated excitement and pride in the local community, showcasing the talent and competitiveness of the MSU-Northern athletic programs.

The details

The Lights, led by senior guard Jalen Harris, pulled off two impressive upsets to reach the conference championship game. The Skylights, led by junior forward Emily Thompson, also had a strong tournament run before falling to the top-seeded Spartans in the semifinals.

  • The Frontier Conference Tournament is taking place from March 1-4, 2026.
  • The Lights defeated Bellevue University 83-74 in the first round on March 1.
  • The Lights defeated Carroll College 80-76 in the semifinals on March 3.
  • The Skylights defeated Rocky Mountain College 82-74 in the first round on March 2.
  • The Skylights lost to Dakota State Spartans 73-57 in the semifinals on March 3.

The players

Jalen Harris

A senior guard for the MSU-Northern Lights men's basketball team who led his team to upset victories in the Frontier Conference Tournament.

Emily Thompson

A junior forward for the MSU-Northern Skylights women's basketball team who helped lead her team to an upset victory in the first round of the Frontier Conference Tournament.

MSU-Northern Lights

The men's basketball team of Montana State University-Northern, who entered the Frontier Conference Tournament as the 7th seed but advanced to the championship game.

MSU-Northern Skylights

The women's basketball team of Montana State University-Northern, who entered the Frontier Conference Tournament as the 5th seed and reached the semifinals.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We knew we were the underdogs coming into this tournament, but our team has been playing with a chip on our shoulder all season. I'm so proud of the way we've competed and battled to get this far.”

— Jalen Harris, Senior Guard, MSU-Northern Lights (hilinetoday.com)

“This has been an incredible run for our program. We've proven that we can compete with the top teams in the conference, and we're not done yet.”

— Emily Thompson, Junior Forward, MSU-Northern Skylights (hilinetoday.com)

What’s next

The MSU-Northern Lights will face Rocky Mountain College in the Frontier Conference championship game on Monday, March 4th at 7:30pm. The winner will receive an automatic bid to the NAIA national tournament.

The takeaway

The unexpected tournament runs by the MSU-Northern Lights and Skylights have generated excitement and renewed optimism around the school's basketball programs. Their ability to overcome the odds and reach the semifinals, and in the Lights' case the championship game, demonstrates the talent and determination of these student-athletes.