FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Amy Patton finished with 20 points and seven rebounds as Northern Arizona women's basketball lost to Montana, 72-66, in the Walkup Skydome on Thursday. The Lumberjacks led by seven in the second half, staying close throughout most of the game, but were unable to close out the Lady Griz.

NAU (5-23, 3-11 BSC) were down by double digits early in the game but responded with a 9-0 run to cut the Montana (14-13, 9-6 BSC) lead to two with 5:32 left in the first half. The Lumberjacks traded baskets with the Lady Griz and entered the break only down by one at 37-36.

“We came out really slow and got down by 13 right away,” said head coach Laurie Kelly. “At that point, it could have gotten ugly but we did a great job getting back in the game.”

The Lumberjacks opened up a seven-point lead on two separate occasions in the second half and were up 49-42 with 12:30 remaining before Montana responded with a 16-3 run over the next five minutes. NAU came back and tied the game at 62-62 with four minutes to play, but the Lady Griz were able to pull away down the stretch to secure the win.

“We did a great job building a lead in the second half,” Kelly said. “We were up by seven with 12 minutes to go, but this has been the story of our entire season. We have been in so many games. It may not reflect in our record, but I think we are a much better team than last year. We just cannot close a game.”

NAU shot 38.7-percent for the game and allowed Montana to shot 50.0-percent from the field. Patton hit 8-of 18 shots and filled up the stat line with four assists and four steals to go along with her seven rebounds. She finished as the only Lumberjack in double figures.

NAU will play its final game of the 2009-10 season at 6:35 p.m. on Saturday in the Walkup Skydome. Saturday's game will be Senior Night, and the Lumberjacks will honor Liana Boer and Lauren Hoisington who will be playing in the final game of their collegiate careers.

“We are playing for our seniors,” said Patton of the season finale against Montana State. “We kind of want to spoil some peoples' seasons and go out on a good note for next year.”

The Lumberjacks defeated Montana State, 76-64, in Bozeman, Mont., on January 28 and will look to sweep the Bobcats for the first time since the 2006-07 season. Junior point guard Vickie Toney turned in 19 points and 10 rebounds, both season-highs, in their first meeting this season, and the Lumberjacks will attempt to close the season and send off Boer and Hoisington with a win.

“To finish on a high note for us and with a win at home for the two seniors that have been with our program for three or four years—that is what we will be playing for,” said Kelly.

DID YOU KNOW…Track and field's David McNeill and women's golfer Ali Carter were chosen for the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America® squads in 2009. Overall, five student-athletes were honored on the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District teams in 2008-09 and 2009-10.