NAU Game Notes vs. Weber State (PDF)

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The Northern Arizona men's basketball team begins a two-game road trip at Big Sky leader Weber State Friday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at the Dee Events Center.

Weber State (15-8, 9-2 Big Sky) leads the all-time series 65-25 and holds a 39-6 advantage in games in Ogden. NAU lost both meetings with the Wildcats in 2008-09 and have lost the last three games overall. Three of the last five games in the series have been decided by five points or less but the last meeting in Flagstaff was a blowout.

“We're going to face two teams that are going to penetrate a lot, I would think,” said Head Coach Mike Adras of the weekend games against Weber State and Idaho State. “I don't know why Weber would change their approach. They won pretty easily and it worked pretty well for them. You have to keep doing it until the other team stops you.”

The 25 point loss to Weber State was the largest to a Big Sky opponent since NAU lost at Portland State by 26 points during the 1999-00 season (101-75). It was the largest Big Sky Conference loss at home since the Lumberjacks lost to Weber State by 37 points (101-64) to conclude the 1995-96 season.

“They really attacked us well off the dribble,” said Adras of the last meeting. “Obviously that was their game plan, was to beat us off the dribble. They did that frequently, unfortunately.”

Weber State broke open a close game with a 21-6 run midway through the second half to defeat Northern Arizona 87-62 at the Walkup Skydome on Jan. 9.

The Lumberjacks trailed by 11 at the half after the Wildcats shot 53 percent in the first half and hit five three-pointers. NAU got back in the game with a 10-1 run to start the second half, cutting the lead to 43-41 just 3:17 into the half. But the Wildcats responded with a 21-6 run to extend the lead to 17 points at 64-47 with 9:13 left in the game and led by as many as 27 points.

NAU shot just 30 percent in the second half, finishing 18-for-50 (36 percent) for the game. NAU was out-rebounded 43-31 and was out-scored in the second half by 15 points.

Friday's game can be seen on Big Sky TV for free and heard on the Lumberjack Radio Network (KAFF AM 93) and Stretch Internet.

DID YOU KNOW…The Northern Arizona University athletics department recorded its highest cumulative grade point average since 1997, recording a 3.16 GPA among its more than 300 student-athletes at the completion of the fall of 2009 semester.