Now that Browitt is in law school and I have his old job, I’ll be the main man on the baseball beat this spring. My first effort is the Lewis-Clark State season preview that appeared in today’s paper.

A few tidbits that didn’t make it into the story:

* The Warriors are deep and talented, but, at the moment, don’t appear to have any out-of-this-world superstars.

“We don’t have Beau Mills running around or Mark Thompson or somebody like that,” L-C coach Ed Cheff said. “But we’ve got a lot of depth and pretty good offense and defense at each position.”

* The Warriors always have a handful of in-state players, but there might be a few more than usual this season. Thirteen players come from Idaho hometowns, including Lewiston’s Adam Carson, Tyler Knigge and John Rohde; Moscow’s Zach Hull; and Potlatch’s Tim Stuvland.

“Our priorities are Idaho kids,” Cheff said. “We don’t want to miss on an Idaho guy — especially a North Idaho guy. … You should always look in your backyard first and not think you have to go to California to find a player.”

* In the weeks leading up to L-C’s season opener, the current players got to work out with former Warriors who are now in pro ball. These former players often return to Lewiston to knock off the rust before they have to report to their pro clubs’ spring training.

Jessie Mier, Kyle Greene and Marc Kaiser have already taken part in some L-C workouts, and Justin Fuller and Mark Thompson were expected to turn up later on.

“They were a big part of a lot of that success during the years that they played,” pitching coach Gus Knickrehm said. “They’re definitely true Warriors, no doubt about that.”

> Rocky Mountain at LCSC

Tipoff: 6 p.m. tonight, Activity Center, Lewiston

Records: Rocky Mountain 5-11 overall, 3-0 Frontier Conference; LCSC 17-3 overall, 3-1 Frontier Conference

Players: Tana Stewart and Molly Schenderline, both 5-foot-10 guards, average just over 11 points apiece to lead the Bears. L-C sophomore Jasmine Stohr leads the Warriors at 14.8 points and senior Nikki DePeel is putting up 10.7 points a contest.

Game themes: Coming off of its first loss to Montana Tech in over a decade, No. 12 L-C is looking to bounce back against an early sleeper in Rocky Mountain. The Bears, who started with a 2-11 record, have beaten teams when it counts with wins over Montana Western, Montana Tech and Carroll. For L-C tonight will be a test of resiliency. For Rocky Mountain, a win over the Warriors would prove its early conference wins weren’t a flash in the pan.

Men’s Basketball

> Rocky Mountain at LCSC

Tipoff: 8 p.m. tonight, Activity Center, Lewiston

Records: Rocky Mountain 8-10 overall, 3-0 Frontier Conference; LCSC 11-7 overall, 2-2 Frontier Conference

Players: Nate Richardson, 5-foot-6 jackrabbit, leads Rocky Mountain at 17.11 points and a league-best six assists per game. Three other Bears are also scoring in double figures. LCSC junior Markus Monroe still leads the FC in scoring at just over 19 points a game and senior forward Tanner McIntosh is putting up 11.67 per outing.

Game themes: After starting off the season with a subpar 3-10 mark, the defending national champion Bears have won five straight and are the only unblemished squad in the FC standings. Rocky is hoisting 25 3-point attempts a game and is holding teams to 67 points a night in conference play. L-C is coming off a win at Montana Tech. The Warriors, who’ve struggled guarding the perimeter, will need to limit turnovers against a team that takes advantage of most possessions. The return of senior Daniel Williams, who is third in scoring and tops in assists, should boost the Warriors’ chances.

WOMEN
Tipoff: 4:30 p.m. (PST), Western, Dillon, Mont.
Records: Western 4-11 overall, 0-2 Frontier Conference: Lewis-Clark State 16-2 overall, 2-0 Frontier Conference
Players: Jamie Lake leads Western at 12.5 points a contest and averages just under 50 percent from 3-point range. L-C is led by sophomore Jasmine Stohr’s 15 points a night. Point guard Kenna Reiter leads the FC at 3.83 assists a game and 6-foot-3 post Kirsi Voshell averages a conference best 1.88 blocks.
Game themes: Western, which has struggled to score in bunches all season (60 ppg), fell to Rocky Mountain and Carroll last week to start off FC play behind the eight-ball. The Warriors, ranked No. 11 in the latest NAIA poll, handled Great Falls and Montana State-Northern to live up to their billing as the preseason FC favorite in a hurry. If L-C, which is considerably bigger than the Bulldogs, puts forth even an average offensive output and tightens up defensively, a win in Dillon is more than likely.

MEN
Tipoff: 6:30 p.m. (PST), University Montana-Western, Dillon, Mont.
Records: Montana-Western 13-5 overall, 1-1 Frontier Conference; Lewis-Clark-State 10-6 overall, 1-1 Frontier Conference
Players: 6-foot-6 forward Jaron Brown averages 16.6 points a game for a UM-Western team that features four players that average double figures. Junior Markus Monroe, the FC’s leading scorer, leads L-C at 19.8 points a contest
Game themes: The Bulldogs, who garnered the No. 25 ranking in the latest NAIA poll, took down Carroll in Helena for the first time since 1998 last week before falling at defending national champion Rocky Mountain. Western can score in a variety of ways, most notably from the perimeter, which could be problematic for an L-C squad that has had trouble stopping teams. The Warriors can score it, however, if they hope to knock off arguably the most offensive potent squad in the league, a stingy defensive showing must be in order

LINKS

• The Helena Independent Record checks in with a Carroll-Rocky Mountain preview here. The Billings Gazzette also has a preview on the bout
• Bill Bighaus of the Billings Gazzette wrote a column about Rocky Mountain’s star guard, Nate Richardson, here.
• The Great Falls Tribune has a nice story on Western men’s basketball coach Steve Keller here.
• UMWnews News has a story on Kristen Ludtke, Western’s senior guard who balances her duties as a wife, mother and a student-athlete. UMWnews also has a story on senior guard Terry Hauser, who after a three-year hiatus, got another chance to star for the Bulldogs and finish his degree.

• No.11 Lewis-Clark State’s women used a 17-2 second-half run to down Montana State-Northern and start 2-0 in FC play, while the L-C men couldn’t overcome the Lights’ torrid shooting to drop to 1-1 conference . Click here for my story on the women and here for the men.
• The Helena Independent Record has a game story on Montana-Western’s win over Carroll  here and the Saints women’s win over the Bulldogs here.

I couldn’t attain links from the Westminster-Great Falls or Rocky Mountain-Montana Tech tilts.

FRONTIER CONFERENCE SCOREBOARD FOR SATURDAY

MEN

Rocky Mountain 84, Montana Tech 66

Montana Tech (7-11, 0-2) — Kellen Hasquet 4-11 0-0 9, Shawn Brooks 1-1  1-1 3, Dirk Anderson 8-13 0-0 16, Dean Colbray 5-11 3-5 16, AJ Paine 2-6 0-0 5, Josh Harris 0-0 0-0 0, Cole Conway 0-0 0-0 0, Brian Davison 6-12 0-0 17, Ivan Sljivar 0-0 0-0 0, Eric Schippers 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 26-54 4-6 66. Three-point goals: 10-25 (Hasquet 1-6, Colbray 3-7, Paine 1-2, Davison 5-10). Rebounds: 25 (Anderson 10). Assists: 17 (three with four). Steals: 2 (Hasquet, Paine). Blocks: 1 (Hasquet).

Rocky Mountain College (7-10, 2-0) — Theo Jackson 1-6 0-0 2, Anthony Allen 7-9 2-2 16, Nate Richardson 11-18 0-0 25, Orlandor Westbrooks 2-5 3-4 9, EJ Ross 6-14 0-0 16, DeAnthony Holmes 4-4 1-3 9, Elvis Old Bull Jr. 1-2  0-0 2, Phillip Barndt 1-1 0-0 3, Chawn Johnson 1-2 0-0 2, Kale Eike 0-0 0-0 0, Ryan Neumann 0-0 0-0 0, Jordan Strecker 0-0 0-0 0, Evan Hopkins 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 34-61 6-9 84. Three-point goals: 10-18 (Allen 0-1, Richardson 3-5, Westbrooks 2-4, Ross 4-7, Barndt 1-1). Rebounds: 34 (Allen 7). Assists: 18 (Richardson 11). Steals: 8 (Ross 2, Westbrooks 2). Blocks: 2 (Allen, Barndt).

Halftime — Rocky 42, Montana Tech 32

Montana Western 79, Carroll 65

Montana Western — Brandon Lawson 8, Garrett Fink 5, Grant Fink 2, Layne Glaus 3, Terry Hauser 17, Brandon Brown 12, Tyler Hurley 3, Cody Thueringer 12, JaRon Brown 17.

Carroll College — Ben Cutler 5, Casey Rogers 6, Chase Godecke 4, Andy Garland 20, Chris Medina 20, Jordan Reyes 4, Daniel Pearson 6.

Halftime — UM Western 36, Carroll 31.

Westminster 81, Great Falls 54

University of Great Falls (4-12, 0-2) — Lukas Hambsch 1, Marko Lakic 4, Mark Celaya 2, JayTee Tarpley 12, Dyston Madsen 11, Cody Idol 3, Jesse Corbett 3, Matt Niemeyer 4, Trevor Fehr 3, Tom Donnelly 2, Norman Towns 9.

Westminster (12-4, 2-0) — Blair Prowse 25, Weston Anderson 11, Jeramie Hopson 8, Ben Walker 15, Conner Nielsen 9, Michael Stockton 2, Brand

WOMEN

Rocky Mountain 79, Montana Tech 71

Montana Tech (11-3, 1-1) — Jessie Depell 7-19 3-4 20, Dannii Devenny 5-6 0-0 12, Lindsie Wilson 4-12 2-3 10, Taesha Higbee 2-8 5-8 9, Tabitha Tomlinson 0-3 0-0 0, Jenessa Todd 0-3 1-2 1, Brittney Leibenguth 0-0 0-0 0, Amanda Krieg 1-3 2-2 5, Brianne McClafferty 1-3 0-0 2, Callie Daly 0-1 0-0 0, Brooke Porkorny 2-3 4-4 10, Brittanie Toone 1-2 0-0 2, Erika Jenkins 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 23-63, 17-23, 71. 3-point goals: 8-22 (Depell 3-11, Devenny 2-3, Higbee 0-1, Tomlinson 0-1, Krieg 1-2, McClafferty 0-1, Porkorny 2-2, Toone 0-1). Rebounds: 42 (Higbee 11). Assists: 12 (Depell 3, Devenny 3). Steals: 11 (Higbee 4). Blocks: 8 (Higbee 4). Fouls: 26. Fouled out: Devenny. Turnovers: 26.

Rocky Mountain College (4-11, 2-0) — Molly Schenderline 4-9 2-3 11, Adrienne Green 7-11 4-6 18, Kalli McCloskey 1-5 6-10 8, Shannon Hildreth 4-8 4-6 13, Tana Stewart 5-14 2-2 13, Haleigh Crnkovich 1-2 3-4 5, Jennifer Orchard 2-8 0-1 5, Aynslee Stuart 0-1 0-0 0, Breanna Todd 0-0 0-0 0, Laura Beach 3-4 0-2 6. Totals: 27-62, 21-34, 79. 3-point goals: 4-16 (Schenderline 1-3, McCloskey 0-2, Hildreth 1-2, Stewart 1-4, Crnkovich 0-1, Orchard 1-4). Rebounds: 46 (Green 8). Assists: 22 (McCLoskey 5). Steals: 13 (McCloskey 3, Stewart 3). Blocks: 2 (Green, Beach). Fouls: 19. Fouled out: Green. Turnovers: 22.

Halftime — Rocky 38, Montana Tech 30.

Carroll 71, Montana Western 57

Montana Western (4-11, 0-2) – Nicole Tams 9, Alecia Wilson 4, Laura Geis 8, Chole Mosey 8, Jamie Lake 18, Kristen Luedtke 6, Heather Brooks 4.

Carroll (10-7, 1-1) – Jeni Guertin 2, Kelsi Brekke 17, Alex Dunn 5, Jill Jagelski 4, Elly Bruursema 20, Nikki Mills  3, Sara Meyer 4, Cassie Scheffelmaier 12, Hannah Heidenreich 4.

Halftime — Carroll 36, Western 15.

Westminster 84, Great Falls 54

University of Great Falls (3-11, 0-2) — Gentry McKenzie 8, Christina Brennan 3, Marissa Skogen 8, Kassie Holmlund 5, Kirilynn Winkler 14, Shorty Ramos 5, Stasia Holden 4, Corinna Van Hurston 2, Katie Wright 5.

Westminster (13-4, 2-0) —Nicole Yazzie 13, Keshia Catten 17, McKenzie Jessop 15, Allie Eastman 10, Angela Fales 5, Dani Evans 13, Candace Smith 2, Olivia Pierce-Eiselein 5, Heather Anderson 4.

Halftime — Westminster 48, Great Falls 27.

MEN

Tipoff: 8 p.m. tonight, LCSC Activity Center

Records: Montana State-Northern 12-5 overall, 0-1 Frontier Conference; Lewis-Clark State 10-5 overall, 1-0 Frontier Conference.

Players: Senior guard Andrew Sellars leads the Lights at 15.4 points per game, connecting on nearly 50 percent of his 3-point attempts. Markus Monroe leads L-C with a league-best 19.8 points a night.

Game themes: MSUN had its nine-game win streak snapped with a 65-48 loss at No. 12 Westminster on Thursday, and will be looking to avoid an 0-2 start in FC play. L-C bested Great Falls 76-68, but will be facing a team that’s allowed just 64 points a game and boasts four players who average double figures in scoring. If the Warriors can weather the Lights’ defensive frenzy and contain their adequate perimeter play, a 2-0 start is more than feasible.

“L-C State has unbelievable size and a great deal of athleticism,” MSUN head coach Shawn Huse told the Havre Daily News. “Their bigs can step away well from the basket as well, and they possess a good combination of shooters with pure scorers in the backcourt. We will need to deal with their size and strength if we are going to have a good chance in their gym.”

WOMEN

Tipoff: 6 p.m. tonight, LCSC Activity Center

Records: Montana State-Northern 9-8 overall, 0-1 Frontier Conference; Lewis-Clark State 15-2, 1-0 Frontier Conference

Players: Samm Schermele, a 5-foot-9 guard from Great Falls, leads the Skylights at 18 points per game. Sophomore stalwart Jasmine Stohr has paced the Warriors all season, averaging a team-high 14.7 points.

Game themes: The Skylights, who fell to No. 19 Westminster on the road on Thursday, have a balanced crop of scorers, most of whom are new to the program via the JC ranks. Zivile Gaizutyte, a 6-2 post from Lithuania, is second in scoring and the team’s leading rebounder to complement the efforts of an athletic backcourt. No. 11 LCSC will have to avoid a shaky start like it had in its league opener on Thursday. The Warriors turned that game into a 78-50 rout of Great Falls, but MSUN probably matches up better with LCSC

“L-C State is very, very good again this year,” MSUN head coach Chris Mouat told the Havre Daily News. “They are big and experienced inside, but their guards are really what makes them go. They really do have it all, and again, our defense will be key against them. If we play well defensively, well have a chance.”

THURSDAY SCORES

Men

Lewis-Clark State  76, University of Great Falls 68

Rocky Mountain 84, Montana-Western 78

Carroll 69, Montana Tech 59

No. 12 Westminster 65, MSU-Northern 48

Women

No.11 Lewis-Clark State 78, University of Great Falls 50

No.19 Westminster 68, MSU-Northern 50

Montana Tech 60, Carroll 58

Rocky Mountain 66, Montana-Western 63

.

Here’s what’s on tap today.

• A brawny nonconference slate has prepared the Lewis-Clark State women, while the the Warrior men will lean on their experience in hopes of a strong Frontier Conference showing.
• The Great Falls Tribune gives a Frontier Conference rundown for the Argo men and women here.
• Trent Makela of the Helena Independent Record put together a FC preview for the Carroll women, and Jeff Windmueller previews the Saints men.
• Bill Bighaus of the Billings Gazzette checks in with a league  preview for the NAIA defending national champion Rocky Mountain College men as well as the women here.
• The Montana Standard (Butte) reports that Three Forks, Mont., star Jordan Overstreet has signed with the University of Montana-Western here.

BOISE – There were 3,842 spectators at Qwest Arena on Tuesday night, and most all of them were festive Vandal fans anticipating their football team’s long-awaited return to postseason play.

The Idaho men’s basketball team probably didn’t disappoint any of them, although its 71-52 victory over Lewis-Clark State was more businesslike than celebratory.

In a game that was moved from Moscow to Boise after UI football drew a Humanitarian Bowl invitation, the Vandals connected on 50 percent of their shots, committed a season-low seven turnovers and maintain a double-digit lead over the last 34 minutes.

The NAIA Warriors made it 60-47, thanks in part to three consecutive buckets by Alex King. But Idaho coach Don Verlin said it felt as though the Vandals were always in control.

Idaho’s previous outing one week earlier had been a bewildering 30-point road loss to Portland, a team the Vandals had beaten at Moscow earlier in the month. So perhaps this win got UI back on track.

“You know, we’re 7-4 – not a lot of Idaho teams have been 7-4,” Verlin said. “… People expect us to win every game, and we expect to win every game. … I like it when the fans and you guys (reporters) expect (the Vandals) to win every game, because that means the culture has changed here, and that’s what we set out to do when we came here.”

At any rate, Idaho is in command against the NAIA Warriors. Vandal guard Mac Hopson is the only player in double figures with 11 points, which includes two 3-pointers.

The Vandals took charge with a 17-0 sprint that made it 21-4. The highlight of the spree was a two-handed transition dunk by Marvin Jefferson off a feed from Steffan Johnson.

The score might be more lopsided if not for a technical foul on the Vandals’ Kashif Watson, which led to four L-C free throws. That made it 23-12 midway through the half.

I’ll check back later with a final score. Or at least a final result.