HELENA — The Carroll College Fighting Saints men’s basketball team has hit a snag after jumping up to second in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches Poll.
Following the release of the rankings, the Saints lost their next two games — first by one point at the University of Providence on Feb. 1, and then by 11 at Montana State-Northern on Feb. 2. In the loss to the Lights, Carroll had only seven players suited up due to an injury to Matt Wyman and an NAIA-enforced one-game suspension for Match Burnham, who recorded two technical fouls against Providence.
With two games left in a long road swing for the Fighting Saints, head coach Kurt Paulson and his squad are busy getting ready to avoid a third straight loss.
“I thought we competed both nights. Saturday we were a little shorthanded, obviously, but our guys competed to the very end. Friday night we had some really good moments where we did great things and we made great plays, we just had to finish the game out. Had our chances,” said Paulson. “We’re learning from it. We’ll hop back on the horse this week and get prepared for Thursday at (Montana) Western.”
The Fighting Saints will face the University of Montana Western in Dillon on Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m., and then jump back on the road to take on Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho on Feb. 9 at 5 p.m.
