FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Northern Arizona women's basketball dropped another close game with a 65-62 loss to Arkansas State in overtime at the Rolle Activity Center on Saturday. Freshman guard Amy Patton hit a 25-foot three-point shot with just over 30 second left in regulation to send the game to overtime, but Arkansas State came from behind in the extra period for the win.

“You have to learn how to win,” said head coach Laurie Kelly. “It's a lack of maturity and knowing what to do in certain situations, but that comes with a young team. We held a team to 65 points in 45 minutes of play—that is good defense. We just shot the ball poorly.”

After the opening five minutes, NAU (1-7) led for the entire first half playing strong defensive and limiting Arkansas State (3-6) to 23.7-percent shooting from the field; however, the Lumberjacks also struggled hitting just 25.8-percent of their field-goal attempts. NAU went 8-of-8 from the free-throw line entering halftime with a 26-21 lead.

Patton, the Lumberjacks' leading scorer, found open looks but was unable to covert going 1-for-10 from the field in the opening 20 minutes. The Lumberjacks received a boost off the bench from freshman guard Tyler Stephens-Jenkins who scored 11 of her 14 points in the first half.

“Amy Patton got great looks in the first half,” Kelly said. “She is a shooter who we want taking shots. She was 1-10. A couple of those shots go in and things are different.”

Arkansas State adjusted in the second period of play behind Ebonie Jefferson's 13 second half points. She would finish with a game-high 23. The Red Wolves shot 42.9-percent compared to NAU's 36.7-percent.

"Our number one priority coming into the game was limiting their rebounding and we did not execute our game plan," said Kelly of a Lumberjack team that was out-rebounded 52-46 for the game and 23-13 on the offensive end. “They controlled the tempo more than we did. We didn't box them out and gave up too many second chances."

Patton would improve her shot in the second half going 5-of-11 from the field. She would make her only three of the game at an important time hitting a long distance basket with the shot clock expiring. The shot tied the score at 54-54 sending the Lumberjacks into their first overtime game of the season.

Patton finished tied with a team-high 14 points and game-high 13 rebounds. The 5-9 guard from Tempe, Ariz., turned in her third consecutive double-double and fourth this season. Stephens-Jenkins tied Patton with a team-high 14 points while Lauren Hoisington converted some big shots down the stretch rounding out the Lumberjacks in double figures.

NAU held a lead for most of the overtime period and were up 62-58 with 1:12 left in a game that produced 10 ties and six lead changes. The Red Wolves would end the game on a 6-0 run to seal the victory.

“Our team has to play together,” Kelly said. “There was too much individuality at times. We are a much better basketball team when we work the ball. Sometimes passing up a shot gives you a look at a better shot. We have to get into that mentality of team basketball.”

NAU will look to bounce back from the loss playing San Diego on Thursday, December 10 at the Walkup Skydome. It will be the Lumberjacks last home game for over a month as they hit the road for a four-game road swing to close out non-conference play.