Skylights top Whitworth with free-throw advantage

DeLayne Johnston scored 23 points, 11 on free throws, as Montana State-Northern held a huge advantage at the foul line en route to a 77-70 non-conference win over Whitworth at Havre, Mont.

The Skylights (8-2) scored 29 points at the foul line compared to 13 for Whitworth (3-4), as the Pirates racked up 24 personal fouls.

Johnston finished with a game-high nine rebounds. Camille Gardner scored 20 points and had eight assists for MSU-Northern, and Jaci Heny added 16 points to help offset Whitworth’s 17-6 offensive rebound edge.

The Pirates, led by Emily Hendrickson’s 17 points and eight rebounds, attempted just 15 free throws, compared with 31 for the Skylights, and shot just 3 for 17 from 3-point range.

Whitworth’s Kelli Highland chipped in with an efficient 14 points on 7-for-11 shooting. Chelsea Combs of the Pirates went 5 for 5 from the floor and 2 for 2 from the line for 12 points in just 10 minutes.

•Maile Kauhola had nine points as Centralia held Community Colleges of Spokane to 13-of-52 shooting as the Blazers beat the Sasquatch 43-37 at the Whatcom Crossover Tournament in Bellingham.

Sade Smith added eight points and eight rebounds for Centralia.

Ashley Taylor led CCS (8-5) with eight points as the Sasquatch shot just 3 of 19 from behind the 3-point line.

Sarah Scates had six points and two assists for CCS, which also got six points from Emily Wittkopf and eight rebounds from Ali Mittlestadt.