FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Sophomore Amy Patton hit two free throws with three seconds on the clock to secure the Lumberjacks first win over Montana since the 2006-07 season at the Rolle Activity Center on Thursday. 

NAU (7-9, 2-1 BSC) maintained its home court advantage picking up another win at home this season and moving to 6-3 at the Rolle Activity Center during the 2010-11 season.

The game was close throughout the first half with eight ties and nine lead changes.  Montana (6-10, 1-2 BSC) entered halftime ahead 29-28.

"The adjustments we made at halftime really made a difference," said head coach Laurie Kelly.  "We cut down on the turnovers and played better overall."

Neither team managed to take control of the game until the nine minute mark when Patton and sophomore Tyler Stephens-Jenkins put up back-to-back three-point plays to stretch the NAU lead to nine.  Patton hit one of her four three-point attempts while Stephens-Jenkins slashed through the lane hitting the lay-up and ensuing free-throw attempt.

The Lumberjacks held a comfortable lead till three minutes left in the game when Montana made a short run to cut the NAU lead to a single possession with just over a minute to play.

The women worked the clock down to 20 seconds before senior Jenna Galloway hit a turnaround jumper to put NAU up five points.  With seven seconds remaining, Montana's Stephanie Stender converted a three-point shot forcing the Lumberjacks' to seal the game on the free throw line.  Patton hit both free throws to put NAU up for good at 64-60.

"They are a problem for us in general," Kelly said of the Lumberjacks' free throw shooting this year.  "We are a good shooting team and shoot the ball well in practice.  We keep it exciting for the fans, but I think it was great Amy came up and finished the game."

Patton finished with a game-high 24 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field.  She hit 4-of-8 from behind the arc and made 6-of-9 free throws.  Stephens-Jenkins finished with 10 points and was the only other Lumberjack in double figures.

NAU shot 39 percent from the field for the game and limited Montana to 32 percent from the field. 

Photo courtesy of Rick Johnson

DID YOU KNOW…Based on AHRRC information NAU athletics has a significant impact on the Flagstaff economy. Lumberjack student athletes add $8.7 million to the Northern Arizona economy and visiting teams contributed $650,000 to the hotel and restaurant economy of Flagstaff.