FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Northern Arizona women's basketball defeated San Diego 62-58 behind an 11-0 run to close the game at the Rolle Activity Center on Thursday. Sophomore guard Caty Huntington hit a three-point shot with 25 seconds left in the game to seal the victory for the Lumberjacks.

NAU (2-7) was down by seven with just under three minutes to play and rallied for their second win of the season behind Huntington's team-high 15 points off the bench.

“I thought this was a great basketball game” said head coach Laurie Kelly. “We played hard tonight and that has to be a signature of NAU basketball. That has to be us game-in and game-out whether we are making shots or missing shots.”

NAU made shots on Thursday night shooting 45.7-percent from the field and 52.6-percent in the second half, its best-percentages on the season. The Lumberjacks turned in several key defensive stops down the stretch which led to transition baskets in a close game that produced 13 lead changes and 10 ties.

“Defense is my game and that is what I try and do for the team,” said Huntington who totaled a game-high four steals. “The team helps out on the other end and I try to pitch in. In the second half, I felt like that is what I needed to do. We knew we had this game and would come back and that is what we did.”

The Lumberjacks entered halftime up 28-26 but saw San Diego open the second half on a 9-0 run. NAU responded with its own 9-0 run and the game remained within a possession until San Diego opened up a seven point lead at the three minute mark. NAU shut down the Toreros late and picked up its first come-from-behind win this year.

“Our team needed to be in a close game and win it,” Kelly said. “You need to teach your team to win games and they need to learn to make adjustments. I thought today was a great example where we were in situations where we could have let the game slip away and we didn't.”

Four Lumberjacks turned in double digit performances in addition to Huntington's 15 points. Lauren Hoisington chipping in 11 points and Amy Patton and Katie Pratt adding 10 a piece. NAU outscored San Diego 33-7 off the bench.

The Lumberjacks enter a seven-game stretch on the road over the next month returning to Flagstaff on January 14 for its Big Sky Conference opener against Eastern Washington. In the meantime, the Lumberjacks close the 2009 portion of their schedule with four non-conference road games before starting up league play with three away games in early January.

“It means a lot,” said Huntington of the win. “We had that urgency where we felt we needed a win since we have those seven road games coming up. We feel more confident than ever now.”