EVANSTON, Ill. – Amy Patton scored a game-high 26 points for Northern Arizona women's basketball in an 88-70 loss to Northwestern at the Welsh-Ryan Arena on Sunday, a game televised on the Big Ten Network.

NAU (4-7) shot 38 percent from the field in the first half but 50 percent from three-point range entering the break down 40-35. 

Patton scored 16 of her 26 points in the first half combining with Tyler Stephens-Jenkins for seven three-pointers made.  The Lumberjacks hit eight three-point shots in the opening period compared to Northwestern's four.

NAU cut the Wildcats' lead to three two times in the second half but were unable to get any closer.  Northwestern put together a 15-5 run midway through the half and stretched its lead to as many as 18 points.

NAU's three-point shooting fell to 18 percent in the second half.  The women shot 36 percent overall in the final period.

Patton finished 10-of-23 from the field and made 4-of-10 three-point field goals.  She also collected seven rebounds, three steals, and one assist.  Stephens-Jenkins added 15 points on 5-of-13 shooting and 4-of-8 behind the arc.  She tied the game-high with eight rebounds.

The Lumberjacks snapped Northwestern's Amy Jaeschke's streak of games with 30 points or more limiting the 6-5 senior to 24 points on Sunday.  Jaeschke had scored 30 points or more in the Wildcats' three previous games.

The Lumberjacks play again on the Big Ten Network at Minnesota on Wednesday, Dec. 22.

DID YOU KNOW…Northern Arizona senior David McNeill was selected as the Male Academic All-America® of the Year in the University division for the 2009-10 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® Men's Track and Field and Cross Country Teams, as chosen by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). He is one of 12 student-athletes in the country to earn the title of Academic All-America of the Year in the university division, joining the likes of Florida's Tim Tebow in football, Kansas' Cole Aldrich in men's basketball and Connecticut's Maya Moore in women's basketball among the individual sport winners.