Royals in the Heart of Conference Play

The LRSC Men's and Women's basketball teams are into the heart of conference play.

On the women's side, the start hasn't been all that they had hoped for. Battling a rash of injuries and covid reschedules, the women's team has dropped their first two games of conference play. The first, was a 64-35 to Bismarck State and the next was a 80-41 loss to Dakota College at Bottineau. The original game vs. Williston State College has been reschedule for Friday night, January 21st at 5:30pm in Williston, ND. The next game that has been rescheduled is United Tribes Technical College. That game will be played this Sunday, January 23rd at 1pm as part of a double header with the men's team at the Devils Lake Sportscenter. 

Tiziana Huici missed the BSC game but put up 20pts and 10rebs vs. DCB in her return. Laura Ribo has returned from injury and has been a steady presence in the lineup for the Royals. Against BSC 6pts 9rebs 2ast 2stls and then in the DCB game she put up 7pts 4rebs and 3ast.

Interim Head Coach Colden Hutton said this about the start, "We are just trying to get healthy right now. It is tough to judge, evaluate and improve when you are missing so many players from game to game. Despite missing games and having players in and out of the lineupe we have continued to compete. Each game our heart and our passion is still there, which is great to see as a coach. As a team, we will continue to fight and hopefully get healthy down the stretch and make some noise."

The women are now 6-12 on the season and 3-6 in the MonDak.

On the men's side, the Royals looked like they were coming out of break in their first game. They dropped one to Bismarck State 80-73. Since then they have rattled off 3 straight wins, 69-60 over Williston State, 108-83 at Dakota College at Bottineau and a 90-85 OT thriller over UTTC. 

Clarence Daniels has been on a tear to start conference play. He put up 28pts 19rebs vs. BSC, 20pts 10rebs vs. WSC, 33pts 10rebs vs. DCB and 32pts 15rebs vs. UTTC. In the four conference games since break, the Royals have had a variety of other players step up in many different ways.

Head Coach Jared Marshall said this about the start, "Looking at it, obviously you want to get the BSC one back. I just didn't have us prepared for that game and we dropped one at home. Since that game though we have really found a way to win games in a variety of ways with a bunch of different players stepping up for us in different moments. As a team, we need to continue to let our defense be the backbone of our team. Our toughness needs to be our identity. If we can do those things, we are going to continue to find success."

The men are now 13-6 on the year and 8-3 in the MonDak.

Both teams will be back in action Wednesday night vs. NDSCS at the sportscenter. Tip for the women's game is 630pm and 830pm for the men.

Go Royals!