Kansas City, Mo. – Northern Arizona women's basketball led for 39 minutes before surrendering its lead with 39:30 left on the clock in the Lumberjacks 59-58 loss to UMKC on Thursday. After NAU's Amy Patton tied the score at 58-58, UMKC's LeAndra Thomas hit a free-throw with 16 seconds left to put the Kangaroos up one. Patton was fouled with one second left on the clock, but missed the front end of a one-and-one to give UMKC the last second victory.

The Lumberjacks led by as many as 14 in the second half before UMKC mounted its comeback chipping away at the Lumberjacks lead. NAU (0-3) led 27-14 at the half, but were outscored 45-31 in the final 20 minutes behind Thomas' nine points, all in the second half.

“We had every opportunity to win tonight,” said head coach Laurie Kelly. “We did not close them out. We needed someone to step up down the stretch and that did not happen. We need to learn to finish games.”

The Lumberjacks limited UMKC (2-1) to 22.2-percent from the field in the first half forcing 13 turnovers and holding the Kangaroos to a season-low 14 points. NAU neutralized UMKC's top scorer Chanzey Morris who went scoreless in the first and finished with just eight points on 3-13 shooting.

“We played a great first half,” Kelly said. “To be up by 13 on a team like that is a positive step for us, but we have to get better late in games. We let them penetrate and score too many times in the second half.”

The Lumberjacks shot well in the second converting 12-of-27 field goals (44.4-percent), but UMKC answered with 16-of-31 from the field also converting 12-of-18 free-throw attempts.

After NAU's Lauren Hoisington made two free-throws to put the Lumberjacks up 56-52, UMKC went on a 6-0 run with layups from Thomas, Morris, and Janee Williams on consecutive possessions to take the lead for the first time with 30 seconds left.

Patton hit a jump shot that tied the game at 58-58 with 23 seconds left, but on the ensuing UMKC possession, the Lumberjacks Caty Huntington fouled Thomas who made 1-of-2 from the line. NAU still had an opportunity to win on its last possession, but Patton's missed free-throw ended the game giving the Lumberjacks their third straight loss.

Hoisington finished with a season-high and game-high 19 points while Williams led UMKC with a season-high 16 points off the bench.

The Lumberjacks will play Ball State in Muncie, Ind., on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 2:30 p.m. Ball State is 0-2 on the season with losses at Michigan (87-67) and Western Kentucky (61-58).