Montana Tech Looks to Sweep Season Series at Montana State-Northern

HAVRE, Mont. (Interstat) — The Montana Tech Orediggers visit the Montana State-Northern Bulldogs on Friday night in a Frontier Conference men’s basketball matchup with postseason implications.

Montana Tech (17-7) enters with a stronger overall record and seeks a regular-season sweep after defeating the Bulldogs 68-58 in Butte on Jan. 10. The Orediggers are coming off a dominant 71-50 win over Dakota State on Saturday, where Asher Williams scored 21 points and Hayden Diekhans added 13 points and nine rebounds.

Diekhans, a key player for the Orediggers, has been a consistent performer. He is averaging 14.2 points and 7.2 rebounds over his last six games, including a 20-point, nine-rebound effort in a win at Montana Western on Jan. 23. His versatility will be central to Tech’s game plan.

Montana State-Northern (12-10) looks to defend its home court and snap a two-game skid after losses at Rocky Mountain (75-69) and Carroll (92-70). The Bulldogs have shown resilience at home this season, including a 102-point offensive outburst against Providence last month.

A player to watch for the Bulldogs is Raefe McEnroe, who has recorded double-doubles in two of his last three contests. He posted 12 points and 10 rebounds against Rocky Mountain and followed with seven points, 10 rebounds and four assists at Carroll. His activity on the glass will be crucial against Tech’s frontcourt.

The Orediggers have won five of their last seven games, while the Bulldogs have split their last six. Both teams face a quick turnaround, with Montana Tech traveling to face Providence on Saturday and Montana State-Northern hosting Montana Western.

Friday’s tipoff is set for 7 p.m. local time at the Armory Gymnasium.